OptaJoe

1 - The official X page for Stats Perform’s English football coverage, brought to you by OptaJoe. Illuminating.

[OptaJoe @OptaJoe]

1 - Questions about our event definitions? If you want to know what is and is not an assist, how shots on target differ from blocked shots or want to know the full range of data we collect, you can find explanations here. Information.

https://t.co/ufCnAL0UuB

[OptaJoe @OptaJoe]

4 - Son Heung-Min is the second player to appear in four different FIFA World Cups for Korea Republic (2014-2026), joining current manager Hong Myung-Bo (1990-2002).

Experience.

[Opta Analyst @OptaAnalyst]

🟥 The World Cup red card record is under threat
👶 One of the youngest players ever
😲 Too big a gulf in quality?

Has Mexico vs South Africa set the tone for the 2026 World Cup?

[OptaJoe @OptaJoe]

17 - At 17 years and 240 days, Mexico’s Gilberto Mora is the youngest player to represent a host nation in the history of the FIFA World Cup.

🇲🇽 Pride.

[Mexican National Team @miseleccionmxEN]

Gil Mora is officially the youngest Mexican player to ever step onto a World Cup pitch 🇲🇽⚽

#SomosMéxico

[OptaJoe @OptaJoe]

3 - In the first game at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, there were three red cards awarded.

At the 2022 World Cup, only four red cards were shown in 64 games overall.

Brandished.

[OptaJoe @OptaJoe]

2 - South Africa are the first team to receive two red cards in a FIFA World Cup match since 2006, when both Portugal and Netherlands had two players sent off in their round of 16 clash.

Nuremberg.

[OptaJoe @OptaJoe]

1 - Mexico's Gilberto Mora is the first player born after the 2006 FIFA World Cup final to appear in a World Cup match.

History.

[OptaJoe @OptaJoe]

1 - Mexico's Julián Quiñones is the first player from a CONCACAF nation to score the opening goal at a FIFA World Cup tournament.

Historic.

[Concacaf @Concacaf]

¡No cambies nunca Quiñones! 🤩

[Opta Analyst @OptaAnalyst]

This edition will be Mexico’s 18th appearance at the men’s World Cup, a record for any CONCACAF nation, but they have also played the most matches without ever lifting the trophy (60).

[Opta Analyst @OptaAnalyst]

📈@jord_coll takes a look at the players to watch at the 2026 World Cup🌍🏆

🔗 https://t.co/mOuS5YrF6S

[OptaJoe @OptaJoe]

20 - The opening match of #WorldCup2026FIFA between Mexico and South Africa will take place at Mexico City Stadium; it will be the 20th game played there in the tournament's history, five more than any other venue.

Hosts.

[OptaJoe @OptaJoe]

11th June - Mexico and South Africa will repeat the opening fixture of the 2010 World Cup – exactly 16 years since their 1-1 draw in Johannesburg; it’s the first time an opening fixture has ever been repeated from the 19 previous single-match World Cup openers.

Tshabalala.

[Opta Analyst @OptaAnalyst]

𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 📜

10 years on from the debacle that was Euro 2016, England are going for glory at the World Cup.

This is the story of their rise under Gareth Southgate over the last four major tournaments.

[Opta Analyst @OptaAnalyst]

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐮𝐩 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬

Get the lowdown on Mbokazi and the other potential breakthrough talents we're excited to watch at the 2026 World Cup:

https://t.co/7DmP4RGWhM

[OptaJoe @OptaJoe]

9 - Heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, England have now won each of their last nine games played either away or at a neutral venue - their longest ever such run. Building.

[OptaJoe @OptaJoe]

10 - Excluding own goals, each of England's last 10 goals in all competitions have been scored by either Harry Kane (5) or an Arsenal player (Eze x2, Saka, White, Rice). Rivalry.

[Opta Analyst @OptaAnalyst]

Our World Cup 2026 projections will be updating live throughout the tournament via this link.

Get it bookmarked!

https://t.co/gNLqW2Xxty

[Opta Analyst @OptaAnalyst]

With just one day to go until the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins, here are the latest Opta supercomputer projections.

[OptaJoe @OptaJoe]

118 - Lionel Messi within 118 seconds of coming on against Iceland (subbed on 69:04):

69:57 - First touch by Messi
70:01 - Successful through ball by Messi
70:04 - Argentina penalty (GK foul after 1v1)
71:02 - Penalty converted by Messi

Midas.

[OptaJoe @OptaJoe]

1 day to go - 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England have won the @FIFAWorldCup once, in 1966.

The current biggest gap in years between winning the competition is 44 years by 🇮🇹 Italy between 1938 and 1982.

Can England break that record in 2026?

Dreaming.

#OptaWorldCupCountdown