When I was a small child, not there in Barbacena (MG), but here in São Paulo, where I write from, the “Guinness Book”, the Book of Records, caused admiration and amazement.
To be on it, which has existed since 1955 and is currently called “Guinness World Records”, it had to be something amazing. Brands that included most sit-ups (16,023 repetitions), shortest man in the world (71 cm) and best-selling game (Tetris, around 500 million copies).
A few weeks ago, HarperCollins Brasil sent me a copy of a new edition of “Guinness”, focused exclusively on football.
Bacanuda, with a hardcover and fully illustrated, the work brings the hundred main records of Breton sport, as compiled by the publication’s team.
In first place is a record held by the best football player in history. Pelé is “The player with the most FIFA World Cup titles”. Only the Brazilian, who died just over three years ago (on December 29, 2022), won the quadrennial competition three times as a player (in 1958, 1962 and 1970).
The four pages dedicated to the King of Football highlight achievements and awards by Edson Arantes do Nascimento and emphasize that he is the youngest to score a goal in the World Cup, the youngest to score a goal in a World Cup final and the youngest to win the World Cup.
Unfortunately, a failure in proofreading ruins the reading. The table showing Pelé’s 12 goals in World Cups shows that he scored in the 1962 World Cup final. Wrong. Injured, the number 10 did not play in the Chile Cup final, but in Sweden, four years earlier.
The second main football record for “Guinness” belongs to Cristiano Ronaldo: “Most goals for the men’s national team”. CR7, when the book was completed, had 136 goals in 219 matches for Portugal.
In third place, Messi: “Most games in the FIFA World Cup”. In five World Cups, from 2006 to 2022 (when he lifted the cup), the Argentine played 26 games, one more than German Lothar Matthäus.
In addition to Pelé, the edition, which despite containing data until 2025, bears the “2026” seal, focuses on five other Brazilians. Marta (5th place): “Most goals in the FIFA Women’s World Cup”; Formiga (40th): “Most editions of the women’s World Cup”; Neymar (43rd): “Most expensive transfer”; Falcão (77th): “Most goals in the futsal World Cup”; and Rogério Ceni (84th): “More games for the same team”.
Brazil still wins mentions as the biggest winner of the FIFA World Cup (men’s team), biggest winner of the Copa América (women’s team) and biggest winner of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup (men’s team).
Among the national clubs, Palmeiras appears: “More titles in the Brasileirão” (12), considering the unification carried out by the CBF in 2010, which included the champions of the Taça Brasil and the Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa.
The 192-page book is enjoyable for the football fan. It features unfamiliar characters, such as Ildefonso Lima Solà and Norman Whiteside, and praises icons such as Frenchman Just Fontaine and Cameroonian Roger Milla, in addition to including brands of coaches, fans, stadiums and referees, among others, some playful ones.
I saw it for online purchase from R$106.32, excluding shipping. Despite the serious error, precisely in the Pelé chapter, I recommend it. Informative and fun.
LINK PRESENT: Did you like this text? Subscribers can access seven free accesses from any link per day. Just click the blue F below.
