FIFA World Cup records and statistics

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 84 national teams have competed at the finals of the men's FIFA World Cup.[1] Brazil is the only team to have appeared in all 23 tournaments to date, with Germany having participated in 21, Argentina in 19, and Italy and Mexico in 18.[2] Eight nations have won the tournament. The inaugural winners in 1930 were Uruguay; the current champions are Argentina. The most successful nation is Brazil, which has won the cup on five occasions.[3] Five teams have appeared in FIFA World Cup finals without winning,[4] while twelve more have appeared in the semi-finals.[5]

General performances

List of tournaments

More information Year, Host ...
Year Host Champions Winning coach Top scorer(s) Best player award Source
1930  Uruguay  Uruguay Uruguay Alberto Suppici Argentina Guillermo Stábile (8) Not awarded [6]
1934  Italy  Italy Italy Vittorio Pozzo Czechoslovakia Oldřich Nejedlý (5) [7]
1938  France  Italy Italy Vittorio Pozzo Brazil Leônidas (7) [8]
1950  Brazil  Uruguay Uruguay Juan López Brazil Ademir (9) [9]
1954   Switzerland  West Germany West Germany Sepp Herberger Hungary Sándor Kocsis (11) [10]
1958  Sweden  Brazil Brazil Vicente Feola France Just Fontaine (13) [11]
1962  Chile  Brazil Brazil Aymoré Moreira Six players (4) [12]
1966  England  England England Alf Ramsey Portugal Eusébio (9) [13]
1970  Mexico  Brazil Brazil Mário Zagallo West Germany Gerd Müller (10) [14]
1974  West Germany  West Germany West Germany Helmut Schön Poland Grzegorz Lato (7) [15]
1978  Argentina  Argentina Argentina César Luis Menotti Argentina Mario Kempes (6) Argentina Mario Kempes [16][17]
1982  Spain  Italy Italy Enzo Bearzot Italy Paolo Rossi (6) Italy Paolo Rossi [16][18]
1986  Mexico  Argentina Argentina Carlos Bilardo England Gary Lineker (6) Argentina Diego Maradona [16][19]
1990  Italy  West Germany West Germany Franz Beckenbauer Italy Salvatore Schillaci (6) Italy Salvatore Schillaci [16][20]
1994  United States  Brazil Brazil Carlos Alberto Parreira Bulgaria Hristo Stoichkov (6)
Russia Oleg Salenko (6)
Brazil Romário [16][21]
1998  France  France France Aimé Jacquet Croatia Davor Šuker (6) Brazil Ronaldo [16][22]
2002  South Korea
 Japan
 Brazil Brazil Luiz Felipe Scolari Brazil Ronaldo (8) Germany Oliver Kahn [16][23]
2006  Germany  Italy Italy Marcello Lippi Germany Miroslav Klose (5) France Zinedine Zidane [16][24]
2010  South Africa  Spain Spain Vicente del Bosque Four players (5) Uruguay Diego Forlán [16][25]
2014  Brazil  Germany Germany Joachim Löw Colombia James Rodríguez (6) Argentina Lionel Messi [26][16][27]
2018  Russia  France France Didier Deschamps England Harry Kane (6) Croatia Luka Modrić [28][29]
2022  Qatar  Argentina Argentina Lionel Scaloni France Kylian Mbappé (8) Argentina Lionel Messi [30]
2026  United States
 Mexico
 Canada
In progress In progress In progress In progress
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Overall team records

The system used in the World Cup up to 1990 was 2 points for a win. In this ranking 3 points are awarded for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss. As per statistical convention in football, matches decided in extra time are counted as wins and losses, while matches decided by penalty shoot-outs are counted as draws. Teams are ranked by total points, then by goal difference, then by goals scored.[31][32]

As of 16 June 2026
More information Rank, Team ...
Rank Team Part. Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Brazil 23115762019238109+129248
2 Germany[note 1] 21113692123239131+108228
3 Argentina 1989481724155101+54161
4 Italy 188345211712877+51156
5 France 177440142013986+53134
6 England 167432222010468+36118
7 Spain 176831181910875+33111
8 Netherlands 12563015119854+44105
9 Uruguay 15602514219077+1389
10 Belgium 15522111207075−574
11 Sweden 13522013198574+1173
12 Mexico 186118152864101−3769
13 Russia[note 2] 11451910167754+2367
14 Serbia[note 3] 1349189227171063
15 Portugal 835176126141+2057
16 Poland 938176154950−157
17  Switzerland 1342149195674−1851
18 Hungary 932153148757+3048
19 Croatia 63013894333+1047
20 Austria 830134134648−243
21 Slovakia[note 4] 934126164952−342
22 Czech Republic[note 4] 1034125174851−341
23 Chile 933117154049−940
24 United States 1238108204467−2338
25 South Korea 1239810214179−3834
26 Denmark 6239683129+233
27 Paraguay 928710113142−1131
28 Colombia 62293103230+230
29 Romania 7218583032−229
30 Japan 82677122735−828
31 Morocco 72458112128−723
32 Costa Rica 62165102239−1723
33 Cameroon 82658132247−2523
34 Scotland 92457122641−1522
35 Nigeria 62163122330−721
36 Australia 72154121937−1819
37 Senegal 4135351720−318
38 Ghana 4155371823−518
39 Peru 51853102133−1218
40 Ecuador 5145271415−117
41 Bulgaria 72638152253−3117
42 Turkey 3115152019+116
43 Saudi Arabia 72043131545−3015
44 Republic of Ireland 3132831010014
45 Northern Ireland 3133551323−1014
46 Tunisia 71935111531−1614
47 Iran 71935111533−1814
48 Ivory Coast 4104151414013
49 Norway 49333119+212
50 Algeria 5143381322−912
51 South Africa 4102441118−710
52 East Germany[note 1] 162225508
53 Greece 310226520−158
54 Ukraine 1521257−27
55 Wales 28143510−57
56 Bosnia and Herzegovina 241125504
57 Slovenia 26114510−54
58 Cuba 13111512−74
59 New Zealand 37043616−104
60 North Korea 27115621−154
61 Jamaica 1310239−63
62 Egypt 48035613−73
63 Honduras 39036314−113
64 Angola 1302112−12
65 Israel 1302113−22
66 Cape Verde 110100001
67 Iceland 1301225−31
68 Kuwait 1301226−41
69 Trinidad and Tobago 1301204−41
70 Qatar 2401328−61
71 Canada 37016313−101
72 Bolivia 36015120−191
73 Jordan 1100113−20
74 Togo 1300316−50
75 Iraq 2400428−60
76 Curaçao 1100117−60
77 Indonesia[note 5] 1100106−60
78 Panama 13003211−90
78 United Arab Emirates 13003211−90
80 China 1300309−90
81 Haiti 24004215−130
82 DR Congo[note 6] 13003014−140
83 El Salvador 26006122−210
N/a Uzbekistan 000000000
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Breakdown of successor team records
More information Team, Part ...
Team Part Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Czechoslovakia (1934–1990) 830115144445−138
 Czech Republic (2006–present) 2410346−23
 Slovakia (2010–present) 1411257−24
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More information Team, Part ...
Team Part Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Germany Germany (1934–1938) 263121413+110
 West Germany (1950–1990) 106236141213177+54122
 Germany (1994–present) 94530699441+5396
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More information Team, Part ...
Team Part Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Soviet Union (1958–1990) 731156105334+1951
 Russia (1994–present) 4144462420+416
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More information Team, Part ...
Team Part Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Kingdom of Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (1930–1990) 833147125542+1349
 FR Yugoslavia (1998) 1421154+17
 Serbia and Montenegro (2006) 13003210−80
 Serbia (2010–present) 39216915−67
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More information Team, Part ...
Team Part Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Zaire (1974) 13003014−140
 DR Congo (2026–present) 000000000
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All-time medal table

More information Rank, Nation ...
RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Brazil5229
2 Germany44412
3 Italy4217
4 Argentina3306
5 France2226
6 Uruguay2002
7 England1001
 Spain1001
9 Netherlands0314
10 Czech Republic0202
 Hungary0202
12 Croatia0123
 Sweden0123
14 Poland0022
15 Austria0011
 Belgium0011
 Chile0011
 Portugal0011
 Turkey0011
 United States0011
Totals (20 entries)22222266
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Source: [33]

Teams

Note: In case there are teams with equal quantities, they will be mentioned in chronological order of tournament history (the teams that attained the quantity first, are listed first). If the quantity was attained by more than one team in the same tournament, the teams will be listed alphabetically.

For a detailed list of top four appearances, see FIFA World Cup results.

Titles

Appearances

  • Most World Cup appearances: 23 Brazil, 1930–2026 (every tournament)[38]
  • Most appearances in the final: 8 Germany, 1954, 1966, 1974, 1982, 1986 and 1990 as West Germany, 2002 and 2014 as Germany[41]
  • Most runners-up: 4 Germany, 1966, 1982, 1986 as West Germany, 2002 as Germany[41]
  • Most consecutive appearances in the final: 3
  • Longest gap between successive appearances in the final: 48 years Argentina, 10 editions, 1930–1978[38]
  • Longest gap between successive appearances at the FIFA World Cup: 64 years Wales, 16 editions, 1958–2022[42]
  • Most consecutive failed qualification attempts: 22 Luxembourg, 1934–2026[38]

Goals

Highest scoring matches

More information Rank, Date ...
Most goals scored in a match[43]
Rank Date Venue Total goals Team Score Team
1 26 June 1954 Stade Olympique de la Pontaise, Lausanne 12  Austria 7–5   Switzerland
2 5 June 1938 Stade de la Meinau, Strasbourg 11  Brazil 6–5  Poland
20 June 1954 St. Jakob Stadium, Basel  Hungary 8–3  West Germany
15 June 1982 Nuevo Estadio, Elche  Hungary 10–1  El Salvador
5 8 June 1958 Idrottsparken, Norrköping 10  France 7–3  Paraguay
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Teams

Tournament

  • Most goals scored in a tournament: 1722022[45]
  • Fewest goals scored in a tournament: 701930, 1934[46]
  • Most goals per match in a tournament: 5.381954[47]
  • Fewest goals per match in a tournament: 2.211990[47]

By tournament

Source:[46][48]

More information Period, Matches ...
Period Matches Goals Ø Goals Top scorers Goals scored
1930 18 70 3.89  Argentina 18
1934 17 70 4.12  Italy 12
1938 18 84 4.67  Hungary 15
1950 22 88 4.0  Brazil 22
1954 26 140 5.38  Hungary 27
1958 35 126 3.6  France 23
1962 32 89 2.78  Brazil 14
1966 32 89 2.78  Portugal 17
1970 32 95 2.97  Brazil 19
1974 38 97 2.55  Poland 16
1978 38 102 2.68  Argentina 15
 Netherlands
1982 52 146 2.81  France 16
1986 52 132 2.54  Argentina 14
1990 52 115 2.21  West Germany 15
1994 52 141 2.71  Sweden 15
1998 64 171 2.67  France 15
2002 64 161 2.52  Brazil 18
2006 64 147 2.3  Germany 14
2010 64 145 2.27  Germany 16
2014 64 171 2.67  Germany 18
2018 64 169 2.64  Belgium 16
2022 64 172 2.69  France 16
2026 104 TBD TBD TBD TBD
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Teams listed in bold won the tournament. Fewer than half of all World Cup tournaments have been won by the highest-scoring team.

Matches results

Biggest wins

More information Rank, Date ...
Biggest margin of victory[44]
Rank Date Venue Winning team Score Losing team
1 15 June 1982 Nuevo Estadio, Elche  Hungary 10–1  El Salvador
17 June 1954 Hardturm Stadium, Zürich  Hungary 9–0  South Korea
18 June 1974 Parkstadion, Gelsenkirchen  Yugoslavia 9–0  Zaire
4 12 June 1938 Stade du Fort Carré, Antibes  Sweden 8–0  Cuba
2 July 1950 Estádio Independência, Belo Horizonte  Uruguay 8–0  Bolivia
1 June 2002 Sapporo Dome, Sapporo  Germany 8–0  Saudi Arabia
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Biggest win in a final

More information Rank, Date ...
Biggest margin of victory in a final[44]
Rank Date Venue Winning team Score Losing team
1 29 June 1958 Råsunda Stadium, Solna  Brazil 5–2  Sweden
21 June 1970 Estadio Azteca, Mexico City  Brazil 4–1  Italy
12 July 1998 Stade de France, Saint-Denis  France 3–0  Brazil
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Streaks

  • Longest winning streak: 11 Brazil, 2002–2006[49]
  • Longest unbeaten streak: 13
  • Longest losing streak: 9 Mexico, 1930–1958[51]
  • Longest winless streak: 17 Bulgaria, 1962–1994[52]
  • Longest drawn streak: 5 Belgium, 1998–2002[53]
  • Longest streak scoring at least 1 goal: 18[54]
  • Longest goalless streak: 5[55]
  • Longest goalless streak by minutes: 542 minutes Algeria, 1986–2014
  • Longest clean sheets streak: 5
  • Longest streak without conceding a goal by minutes: 559 minutes  Switzerland, 1994–2010
  • Longest streak without clean sheets: 22  Switzerland, 1934–1994[56]
  • Longest streak without red cards: 26 Japan, 1998–2026

Discipline

Players

Titles

Left: Pelé, the only player to have won the FIFA World Cup three times.
Right: Lionel Messi holds the record for the most matches played, with 27 games.

Appearances

Most appearances

Oldest and youngest

Goals

Top: Miroslav Klose (left) the joint all-time top scorer of the FIFA World Cup with 16 goals.
Just Fontaine (right) the player with the most goals scored in a single edition, with 13 goals at the 1958 FIFA World Cup.
Bottom: Oleg Salenko (left) the only player to score five goals in a single FIFA World Cup match.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi (right) the only players to score in five different FIFA World Cup editions.

Most goals

Oldest and youngest

Milestone goals

By method

Other goals records

Assists

Fritz Walter holds the assists record, with 9.

Notes: The criteria for an assist to be awarded may vary according to the source, the following stats is based on the assists criteria according to Opta, where assists are not counted for balls that are deflected or rebounded off opposing players and have clearly affected the trajectory of the ball and its arrival to the recipient (the goal scorer). Assists are also not counted for penalty kicks, direct goals from corners or free kicks, or own goals. These statistics include assists in all matches from 1930. Assist statistics are reviewed strictly according to Opta standards. Matches for which video footage cannot be found are examined and verified through newspaper archives and detailed press descriptions of the goals. The following figures may differ from the relevant sources, including Opta itself, as Opta, for example, only covers tournaments from the 1966 edition onward, whereas the following figures account for every edition since the inaugural tournament.

Goalkeeping

Peter Shilton (left) and Fabien Barthez (right), the joint record holders for the most clean sheets in FIFA World Cup history, with 10 each.

Discipline

Managers

Top: Vittorio Pozzo (left) the only coach to have won the FIFA World Cup twice.
Helmut Schön (right) the coach with the most matches managed in the history of the tournament, with 25 matches.
Bottom: Bora Milutinović (left) the only coach to have managed in five consecutive editions.
Carlos Alberto Parreira (right) the only coach to have managed in six different editions of the FIFA World Cup.

Referees

Attendance

Highest attendance

More information Rank, Date ...
Rank Date Venue Match Attendance Source
1 16 July 1950 Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Uruguay v Brazil 173,850 [138]
2 13 July 1950 Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Brazil v Spain 152,772 [139]
3 1 July 1950 Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Brazil v Yugoslavia 142,409 [140]
4 9 July 1950 Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Brazil v Sweden 138,886 [141]
5 7 June 1986 Estadio Azteca, Mexico City Mexico v Paraguay 114,600 [142]
29 June 1986 Estadio Azteca, Mexico City Argentina v West Germany 114,600 [143]
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Lowest attendance

Highest average of attendance

  • 68,991 per match – 1994[145]

Highest aggregated attendance

Lowest average of attendance

  • 21,059 per match – 1934[146]

Lowest aggregated attendance

Statistics per tournament

More information Year, Hosts ...
Year Hosts Venues/
Cities
Total
attendance †
Matches Average
attendance
Highest attendances ‡
Number Venue Game(s)
1930 Uruguay3/1434,5001824,13979,867Estadio Centenario, MontevideoUruguay 6–1 Yugoslavia, semi-final
1934 Italy8/8358,0001721,05955,000Stadio Nazionale PNF, RomeItaly 2–1 Czechoslovakia, final
1938 France10/9376,0001820,88958,455Olympique de Colombes, ParisFrance 1–3 Italy, quarter-final
1950 Brazil6/61,043,5002247,432173,850[147]Maracanã Stadium, Rio de JaneiroBrazil 1–2 Uruguay, deciding match
1954  Switzerland6/6889,5002634,21262,500Wankdorf Stadium, BernWest Germany 3–2 Hungary, final
1958 Sweden12/12919,5803526,27450,928Ullevi Stadium, GothenburgBrazil 2–0 Soviet Union, group stage
1962 Chile4/4899,0743228,09676,594Estadio Nacional, SantiagoBrazil 4–2 Chile, semi-final
1966 England8/71,635,0003251,09498,270Wembley Stadium, LondonEngland 2–0 France, group stage
1970 Mexico5/51,603,9753250,124108,192Estadio Azteca, Mexico CityMexico 1–0 Belgium, group stage
1974 West Germany9/91,768,1523850,12483,168Olympiastadion, MunichWest Germany 1–0 Chile, group stage
1978 Argentina6/51,546,1513840,68871,712Estadio Monumental, Buenos AiresItaly 1–0 Argentina, group stage
1982 Spain17/142,109,7235240,57295,500Camp Nou, BarcelonaArgentina 0–1 Belgium, Opening match
1986 Mexico12/112,393,3315246,026114,600Estadio Azteca, Mexico CityTwo matches, including the final, all at Estadio Azteca
1990 Italy12/122,516,3485248,39174,765San Siro, MilanWest Germany 4–1 Yugoslavia, group stage
1994 United States9/93,587,5385268,99194,194Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CaliforniaBrazil 0–0 (3–2p) Italy, final
1998 France10/102,785,1006443,51780,000Stade de France, Saint-DenisFour matches, including the final, all at Stade de France
2002 South Korea
Japan
20/202,705,1976442,26969,029International Stadium, Yokohama, JapanBrazil 2–0 Germany, final
2006 Germany12/123,359,4396452,49172,000Olympiastadion, BerlinFive matches, all at Olympiastadion
2010 South Africa10/93,178,8566449,67084,490Soccer City, JohannesburgTwo matches, including the final, all at Soccer City
2014 Brazil12/123,429,8736453,59274,738Maracanã Stadium, Rio de JaneiroGermany 1–0 Argentina, final
2018 Russia12/113,031,7686447,37178,011Luzhniki Stadium, MoscowSeven matches, including the final, all at Luzhniki Stadium
2022 Qatar8/53,404,2526453,19188,966Lusail Stadium, LusailThree matches, including the final, all at Lusail Stadium
2026 Canada
Mexico
United States
16/16104
2030 Morocco
Portugal
Spain
[note 21]
20/20104
2034 Saudi Arabia15/5104
Overall43,936,73096445,577173,850[147]Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro (1950)
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Source: FIFA[145]

The best-attended single match has been the final in 11 of the 21 World Cups as of 2018. Another match or matches drew more attendance than the final in 1930, 1938, 1958, 1962, 1970–1982, 1990, and 2006.

See also

Notes

  1. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany since 1949, has been represented by the same governing body, the Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB), since 1904. Following World War II and the division of Germany, the DFB was re-admitted to FIFA after the 1950 World Cup as West Germany. Saar competed in the 1954 World Cup qualifying before joining West Germany in 1956. East Germany fielded teams of their own from 1958 to 1990 before joining with West Germany and the DFB during the German reunification. FIFA officially attributes all international results of the DFB team since 1908 to Germany, including the results of West Germany from 1954–1990.
  2. The Soviet Union qualified seven times prior to its dissolution in 1991. The 15 former nations Soviet republics now compete separately. FIFA considers Russia as the successor team of the Soviet Union. Russia and Ukraine qualified for the World Cup for the first time as separate nations in 1994 and 2006 respectively, with Uzbekistan doing the same in 2026.
  3. The Yugoslavia national football team qualified eight times during eras of Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1930) and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1950–1990). They qualified from 1930–1990 under the name Yugoslavia before its breakup in 1992 by the secession of many of its constituent republics. They qualified once in 1998 as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, then changed its name to Serbia and Montenegro in 2003, only qualifying under that name in 2006. All of these teams are considered the predecessors of the current Serbia team by FIFA, which first qualified under that name in 2010. The other national teams that resulted from the breakup of the SFR Yugoslavia in 1992 — Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia — are considered distinct entities from the Yugoslavia team of 1930–1990. Montenegro now also competes separately after independence in 2006 and Kosovo was recognized by FIFA in 2016.
  4. Czechoslovakia qualified eight times prior to being divided into Slovakia and the Czech Republic in 1993. FIFA considers both the Czech Republic and Slovakia the successor team of Czechoslovakia. The Czech Republic national team qualified for the World Cup for the first time as a separate nation in 2006, with Slovakia doing the same in 2010.
  5. Indonesia competed as the Dutch East Indies in 1938.
  6. Uruguay (76 years) and England (60 years) have longer active streaks.
  7. No national team has won the title more than once as host.
  8. Also known as Battle of Nuremberg.
  9. The players sent off were Pedro Monzón and Gustavo Dezotti.[59]
  10. Only played in first two matches; medal awarded retroactively by FIFA in 2007.[63]
  11. Pelé, Lothar Matthäus, Pierre Littbarski and Ronaldo each appeared three times in the squads of the teams that reached the finals, but none of them played in all three games.[65]
  12. Many sources state that Pelé recorded three assists in FIFA World Cup finals, including Brazil’s second goal against Sweden in the 1958 FIFA World Cup final. However, that assist has not been included in this list because Pelé did not touch the ball, as it was instead deflected by a Swedish defender.[95][96]
  13. Zuberbühler kept goal throughout every minute of Switzerland's four matches. Other keepers have kept clean sheets only playing part of their team's matches.
  14. Not including penalty shoot-outs.
  15. Putting French players off.[111]
  16. Cufré was red carded for kicking Per Mertesacker in an altercation following the match.[112]
  17. Šimunić was given three yellow cards in the match as the referee failed to send him off the pitch after the second yellow, and was only red carded after the third yellow.[116]
  18. Biyik missed the team's second game after receiving a red card in the first,[117] and then missed Cameroon's fifth game after yellow cards in the third and fourth.[118][119] Others, including Zinedine Zidane in 2006, have earned a second suspension in their team's final match of the tournament, not servable during the tournament.
  19. Attended three tournaments but did not act as main referee in all of them. Instead, he was exclusively used as a fourth official in a minimum of one edition.
  20. Opening three games hosts:
    Argentina
    Paraguay
    Uruguay

References

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