10.5 - Tjark Ernst has prevented 10.5 goals in the 2. Bundesliga 2025-26, only one goalkeeper prevented more goals than the Feyenoord signing. Catch.

1.07 - Brian Brobbey averages 1.07 Expected Goals per 90 minutes at the 2026 World Cup, only Erling Haaland and Vinícius Júnior have a higher average (penalties excluded). Expectations.

74 - At 74 years old, South Africa head coach Hugo Broos will be the oldest manager to take charge of a team in the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup. Evergreen.

There were 110 (yes, 110!) passes in the build-up to Riyad Mahrez's goal for Algeria last night. Algeria had the ball in continuous possession for over 5 minutes 😂 Clearly didn't get the message that a draw would have been fine for both

5.1% - Following the latest predictions of the Opta Supercomputer, the Netherlands now have a 5.1% chance of winning the FIFA World Cup 2026, the sixth highest percentage. Odds.

11 - Curaçao's Tahith Chong has completed 11 dribbles at the FIFA World Cup 2026, no player has more. Dance.

42 - Jordan Bos has made 42 carries at the 2026 #FIFAWorldCup, at least 15 more than any other Socceroos player. Balance.

8.2 - Among all outfield players in matchday 1 this World Cup, only Donyell Malen and Tsuyoshi Watanabe covered less distance than Lionel Messi on average per 90 minutes (8.2 km). Walk-over.

4 - Ivan Perisic has assisted a goal on four World Cup editions, with only Lionel Messi also providing an assist on as many World Cup tournaments on record (since 1966). Evergreen.

16 - The Netherlands are unbeaten in their last 16 group stage matches at the FIFA World Cup (W12 D4), the longest current unbeaten run. Their last loss came in 1994 against Belgium in Orlando, Florida (0-1). Steady.

78 - Curaçao’s Dick Advocaat (78y 260d) becomes the oldest head coach in the history of the #FIFAWorldcup. The 39 year and 299 day age gap between Advocaat and Germany's Julian Nagelsmann (38y 326d) is the largest between two managers facing each other at the World Cup. Magic.

444 square km, 150,000 people. Curaçao are the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup. They arrive unbeaten in qualifying, with the oldest head coach in WC history and two brothers at the heart of everything: theanalyst.com/articles/curacao-world-cup-2026-dream-preview

Curaçao’s World Cup Dream Is Built on Dutch Influence and Caribbean Spirit | Opta Analyst

The smallest nation ever to qualify for a FIFA World Cup by population and area, Curaçao arrive at the 2026 tournament unbeaten in qualifying.

theanalyst.com

Virgil van Dijk has played 5,841 club and country minutes since June 25 - more than any player in Europe's top five leagues Won 73% of his duels. Made 275 clearances. With injuries around him, Van Dijk is one of the Dutch 'big five' that must stand up: theanalyst.com/articles/net...

All Eyes on the Netherlands' 'Big Five' as Oranje Seek to End World Cup Hoodoo | Opta Analyst

The Netherlands won't feature among many people's favourites for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but they have the firepower to hurt anyone they face.

theanalyst.com

1 - Against Czechia, Korea Republic's Hwang In-Beom became the first player to score at the World Cup while playing his club football for Feyenoord since Stefan de Vrij in 2014, who scored for the Netherlands against Spain. Deeds.

0 - Gabriel Magalhães is the first-ever player to miss a match-deciding penalty in the UEFA Champions League or European Cup final by shooting the ball next to or over the goal. Heartbreak.

5 - With Jurriën Timber's entrance, this is now the fifth consecutive UEFA Champions League final to see at least one Dutch player make an appearance, the second-longest run ever (previously 9 between 2004-05 and 2012-13). Present.

2 – The Netherlands will go to the 2026 FIFA World Cup with just two players from Ajax, Feyenoord or PSV, the fewest ever at a major tournament; in fact, all previous World Cup squads had at least six players from the traditional top three. Atypical.

3 - Willem II have won promotion to the Eredivisie for the third-ever time via the promotion/relegation play-offs, after previously doing so in 1979 and 2012. Up!

7/15 - Including this Sunday's meeting, seven of Ajax' last 15 matches with a 12:15 kick-off time will have come against FC Utrecht (47%), with the Amsterdam side winning just one of their last six games played at that time of day (D3 L2). Snooze.

20 - Club Brugge are the second team to win the Belgian title 20 times, with the Opta Predictor only giving Blauw-Zwart a chance of just 20.1 percent to do so after their MD3 defeat against Union Saint-Gilloise in the Champions' Play-offs on 19 April. Resurfaced.

17+15 - Mika Godts (17 goals, 15 assists) is the third Ajax player on record (since 2010-11) with at least 15 goals and at least 15 assists in a single season, after Hakim Ziyech (once) and Dusan Tadic (4 times). Highlight.

4 - Only Nigerian players scored more goals (5) in the last ten UEFA Europa League finals than players from Belgium (4 - Eden Hazard 2, Romelu Lukaku, Youri Tielemans). Golden.

10.7 - Stijn van Gassel, who played his 100th Eredivisie game for Excelsior, prevented 10.7 goals based on Opta's Expected Goals on Target model this season (46 goals conceded ex. own goals from 56.7 xGoT against), with only Jari De Busser doing better this campaign (+12.6). 💯.

2 & 6 - Anis Hadj Moussa scored twice and created six chances against PEC Zwolle, becoming the first Feyenoord player with those numbers in a single Eredivisie game since Steven Berghuis in October 2020. Multifunctional.

1 - Ernest Faber won just one of his 20 Eredivisie games in charge of Heracles Almelo this season (D3 L16), becoming the fourth manager to ever coach a specific side for at least 20 games in a season without winning more than once. Grave.

4 - AZ player Sven Mijnans scored four goals within the first ten minutes of play this season, more than any other player this Eredivisie campaign. Early.

56.3% - The average passing accuracy after the 86th minute in sc Heerenveen - Ajax was just 56.3 percent, after both teams completed an average of 87.7 percent of their passes in the first 85 minutes of play. Floodgates.

1 - Ronald Koeman is the first goalkeeper to find the net in the Eredivisie since Martin Hansen in August 2015 and the first to score from the penalty spot since Wim de Ron in May 1999. Genetics.

3 - N.E.C. finished the Eredivisie 2025-26 in third place, with 59 points, 77 goals and a goal difference of +24, in each case their best-ever performance in any of their 45 seasons in the competition. BDE.

274 - Ron Jans won an Eredivisie game for the 274th time in his career, surpassing Bert Jacobs (273) as the manager with the most-ever victories in the competition. Winner.