Football is the king of sports with a long history and great achievements. Although many football records have been broken by legends like Messi or Ronaldo, there are still great milestones that seem “immortal”, never broken for decades. Let’s take a look at the 10 most unbelievable football records of all time, from number 10 to number 1, according to the latest comprehensive assessment.

10 — Most Red Cards: Gerardo Bedoya (46 Red Cards)

Gerardo Bedoya — the player nicknamed “The Beast”, owns an undesirable football record : being sent off 46 times in his career.

DetailsPlayerGerardo BedoyaPositionDefensive midfielderRed cards46Time1995–2015National teamColombia (49 appearances, 4 goals)

Of those, 14 were for Deportivo Cali and 10 for Santa Fe. It is worth noting that he only received one red card while playing for the Colombian national team.

9 — Goalkeeper with Most Goals: Rogerio Ceni (131 Goals)

Rogerio Ceni — Brazilian goalkeeper holds the football record for most career goals scored by a goalkeeper with 131 goals .

DetailsPlayerRogerio CeniGoals131TeamSão Paulo FCPositionGoalkeeperPeriod1993–2015

Most of his goals came from free kicks and penalties, making Ceni a unique phenomenon in world football history.

8 — Most Clean Sheets: Ray Clemence (537 Games)

Another football record that is unlikely to be broken is that of Ray Clemence , the legendary Liverpool and Tottenham goalkeeper, with 537 clean sheets in over 1,000 professional games.

DetailsPlayerRay ClemenceClean sheets537Time1965–1988Notable clubsLiverpool, TottenhamTitle3 European Cup, 5 English Premier League

Clemence is remembered not only for his individual achievements but also as a symbol of Liverpool’s golden age of the 1970s–1980s.

7 — Match With Most Red Cards: 36 (Argentina, 2011)

In a 2011 Argentine fifth-tier football match between Claypole and Victoriano Arenas , a total of 36 red cards were shown by referee Damian Rubino — an extremely… chaotic football record !

DetailsMatchClaypole vs Victoriano ArenasFebruary 27, 2011Red cards36RefereeDamian RubinoLeague5th Argentina

From players, coaches to coaching staff members were all expelled, in the context of a large-scale brawl taking place right on the field.

6 — Biggest Win in History: 149–0 (AS Adema vs SOE)

Not Brazil, not Real Madrid, but AS Adema (Madagascar) holds the strangest football record : winning 149–0 , with opponents SO I’Emyrne … scoring all the own goals.

DetailsMatchAS Adema 149–0 SOEDate31/10/2002TournamentMadagascar Championship Play-offsOwn Goal149ReasonProtest against referee

SOE was angry at a refereeing decision and “protested” by kicking own goals from the beginning to the end of the match. This was an unprecedented event in the history of world football.

5 — Oldest Active Player: Kazuyoshi Miura (57+ Years Old)

“King Kazu” — nickname of Kazuyoshi Miura , a Japanese who has played professional soccer since 1986 and is still playing at the age of 57 .

DetailsPlayerKazuyoshi MiuraAge at professional level57NationalityJapanLast teamAtletico SuzukaPlaying period1986 — present

Miura has played in five different decades, across 16 clubs, including Europe, South America and Asia. It is difficult to imagine anyone breaking his football record for age.

4 — Player with Most Goals in a Year: Lionel Messi (91 Goals, 2012)

Needless to say, Lionel Messi set an unbelievable football record by scoring 91 goals in the calendar year 2012.

DetailsPlayerLionel MessiNumber of goals91Time2012ClubBarcelonaNational TeamArgentina

Although Barcelona only won the Copa del Rey that season, Messi’s personal achievements are still a monument that no one has surpassed.

3 — Longest Goal in History: Tom King (96.01 Meters)

Newport County goalkeeper Tom King set a “unprecedented” football record by scoring from 96.01 metres against Cheltenham Town.

InformationDetailsPlayerTom KingClubNewport CountyDistance96.01 metresDate19/01/2021RecordGuinness World Records

A strong wind aided goal kick that turned Tom King into the player with the longest goal kick in professional football.

2 — Most Hat-Tricks: Erwin Helmchen (141 Hat-Tricks)

Erwin Helmchen , a German striker, holds the football record for the most hat-tricks in history: 141 times , from the 1920s–1950s.

DetailsPlayerErwin HelmchenNumber of hat-tricks141Period1923–1951Total goals989 goals/582 matches

He is considered the player with the most goals in football history, surpassing both Messi and Ronaldo if counting all official tournaments.

1 — Most Goals in a World Cup: Just Fontaine (13 Goals, 1958)

Topping the list is Just Fontaine , who scored 13 goals in just six games at the 1958 World Cup — a soccer record that still stands after more than 65 years.

DetailsPlayerJust FontaineGoals13TournamentWorld Cup 1958CountryFranceNotable achievements4 goals against West Germany

Fontaine won the Golden Boot that year, and was named by Pelé as one of the 125 greatest players of all time. No one has come close to that feat in a World Cup.

From bizarre goals, ageless players, to bizarre unsportsmanlike behavior, each name on this list has gone down in history with a soccer record that will probably last forever. In the modern era of optimized player performance and health, some records may be broken — but the names on this list stand as unshakeable monuments.

FAQ

Who is the player who scored the most goals in a calendar year?

Lionel Messi is the player who scored the most goals in a year, with 91 goals in 2012.

Which two teams had the most red cards in football history?

The match with the most red cards was between Claypole and Victoriano Arenas with a total of 36 red cards.

Who holds the record for most goals scored in a World Cup?

Just Fontaine holds the record with 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup for France.