2010 football in numbers

Sport
A MEMORABLE and historic Fifa World Cup provided the focal point for an eventful year in the beautiful game. Now, as 2010 draws to a close, Fifa.com reflects on some of its most eye-catching statistics and remarkable achievements.

A MEMORABLE and historic Fifa World Cup provided the focal point for an eventful year in the beautiful game. Now, as 2010 draws to a close, Fifa.com reflects on some of its most eye-catching statistics and remarkable achievements.

8810 days as Manchester United manager was the Sir Matt Busby record broken by Sir Alex Ferguson on 19 December. In becoming the Red Devils’ longest-serving boss, the 68-year-old Scot added another distinction to a career in which he has overseen more than 2,000 matches and won 36 major trophies. 1283 appearances, 400 goals and 31 major trophies was the collective haul with which Raul and Guti departed Real Madrid in May after a combined total of 43 years with the club. Guti had spent a quarter of a century with Los Merengues, having joined the club’s youth team in 1985, while Raul had racked up more goals (323) and games (741) than anyone in the Spanish giants’ glittering history. 300 career goals was the landmark reached by Martin Palermo earlier this month. This milestone strike capped a memorable year for the 37-year-old in which he became the oldest Argentinian to score in a Fifa World Cup and established himself as Boca Juniors’ all-time leading scorer, breaking Roberto Cheero’s 72-year-old record. 99 points from a possible 114 was the record tally with which Barcelona finished their 20th championship-winning campaign in May. Pep Guardiola’s team ended the season without ever having conceded the lead at Camp Nou, having scored three or more in 50% of their league matches and conceded just 24 goals for the club’s best defensive record since 1973/74. Incredibly, however, Barça have succeeded in improving on those standards this season, becoming the first side in La Liga history to accrue 43 points before Christmas. 58 goals in 54 Barcelona appearances is Lionel Messi’s amazing tally for 2010. The little Argentinian, whose prolific exploits over last season earned him the European Golden Shoe, ends this calendar year having provided more goals (42), assists (15) and dribbles (166) than anyone else in La Liga. 26 years of Istanbul domination came to an end in Turkey this year, with Bursaspor snatching the Super Lig title on a dramatic final day to become the first champions from outside the Bosphorus since Trabzonspor in 1984. 19 Fifa Africa Cup of Nations matches without defeat was the record sequence established by Egypt en route to an unprecedented third successive continental title in January. The hero of the Pharaohs’ landmark triumph was Mohamed “Gedo” Nagy, who finished as the tournament’s top scorer despite not starting a single match.— Fifa.com.