Facts about all the 32 nations participating in world cup

Here are 32 of the best statistics and facts, one for the each of the 32 nations participating in this year’s World Cup.

Algeria: Algeria became the first ever African nation to win against a European side at a World Cup when they beat West Germany in 1982.

Argentina: Argentina have won just two of their last nine meetings with European opponents at the World Cup.

Australia: Australia have kept just one clean sheet in their ten World Cup games. It came in a 0-0 draw with Chile at the 1974 World Cup.

Belgium: Belgium were the first side to score every penalty in a shootout at the World Cup when they beat Spain on penalties in 1986.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bosnia are the only side appearing in their debut World Cup of the 32 nations competing in Brazil this year.

Brazil: Brazil are competing in their 20th World Cup, and remain the only side to have played in every World Cup tournament.

Cameroon: Cameroon have won just one of their last thirteen World Cup matches, with the victory coming in a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia in 2002.

Chile: The last time Chile scored more than a single goal in a World Cup match was against Italy in 1998.

Colombia: Colombia had the only ever player to score an Olympic goal in a World Cup, with Marcos Coll scoring directly from a corner against the Soviet Union in 1962.

Costa Rica: Costa Rica have lost their last four World Cup matches, conceding fourteen goals in the process.

Croatia: Croatia have kept just one clean sheet in their last eight World Cup matches. This came in the 0-0 stalemate with Japan at the 2006 World Cup.

Ecuador: Ecuador have never drawn a game at the World Cup (W3, L4), which is a unique feat among the teams to have played at least seven World Cup matches.

England: England haven’t won a World Cup match where the opponent has scored, since beating Cameroon in 1990.

France: Since Zinedine Zidane’s retirement, France have had just one victory in their ten matches at international tournaments.

Germany: Germany have reached the semi-finals of the World Cup a record twelve times, including in the last three editions.

Ghana: Ghana have been awarded five penalties in their last two World Cups, with no other team having more.

Greece: Greece have conceded 2.5 goals per World Cup match (15 in 6), which is the highest ratio of the 32 nations taking part in Brazil.

Holland: The Netherlands have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their four World Cup matches against African opposition.

Honduras: Honduras have never made it out of the group stages of a World Cup, and failed to score in any of their three World Cup matches in 2010.

Iran: Iran have on average conceded 21.9 fouls per match at the World Cup, which is the highest ratio among the 32 teams participating in Brazil this summer.

Italy: Italy have scored in each of their last fourteen World Cup games, the longest current run of any team.

Ivory Coast: The Ivorians have scored nine goals in six World Cup games, at an average of 1.5 goals per game. This is the highest ratio among the African teams competing in Brazil this year.

Japan: The only time Japan have ever scored more than two goals in a World Cup match (in 14 attempts) was against Denmark in 2010.

Mexico: Mexico have reached the knockout stages in each of their last six World Cup tournaments.

Nigeria: Nigeria are without a World Cup win in their last eight matches, currently the longest winless streak among the 32 sides in Brazil.

Portugal: Portugal hold the record for the longest streak (16 games) without a draw in World Cup games, between 1966 and 2006.

Russia: Russia have kept just one clean sheet in their last six World Cup matches, with the shut-out coming in a 2-0 win over Tunisia at the 2002 World Cup.

South Korea: South Korea have won their opening game in each of the last three World Cups.

Spain: Among the 32 teams taking part in the World Cup, Spain conceded the fewest goals per game(0.38) in the qualifying campaign.

Switzerland: Switzerland have only conceded one goal (v Chile in 2010) in their last seven World Cup games.

USA: The Americans are taking part in their 10th ever World Cup, with their previous best finish being third place in the first ever edition in 1930.

Uruguay: This was the fourth time in a row where Uruguay had to go through the play-offs to reach the World Cup finals.