Coach Mai Đức Chung. AFP/VNA Photo

HÀ NỘI — Coach Mai Đức Chung of the Vietnamese national team has become the oldest coach in World Cup history.

“Việt Nam’s Mai Đức Chung, who turned 73 last month, is set to become the oldest coach in World Cup history,” FIFA has announced on its website fifa.com.

“He will outrank Otto Rehhagel, who was 71 years and 317 days when he guided Greece against Lionel Messi and Argentina at South Africa 2010,” FIFA added.

Việt Nam under the guidance of Chung is one of eight teams participating in the World Cup for the first time, along with Haiti, Morocco, Panama, the Philippines, Portugal, Republic of Ireland and Zambia.

Việt Nam are in a very difficult group with defending champions US, runners-up, the Netherlands and Portugal.

Việt Nam will meet the US in their opening match at 8am on July 22. Later, they will play against Portugal at 2:30pm on July 27, and against the  Netherlands in the final match of the group stage at 2pm on August 1.

FIFA also noted other records at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Players in their 40s have never competed against one another in an 11-a-side FIFA competition. That will change if Nigeria centre-back Onome Ebi and Canada forward Christine Sinclair – both 40 – simultaneously share grass in Melbourne.

There were 22 years and 65 days between Brazilians Formiga and Meg when they played together at Sweden 1995 – the biggest age gap between team-mates in Women’s World Cup history. It is under threat from not one but two duos. A gap of 22 years and 86 days exists between Argentinians Lara Esponda and Vanina Correa, and 22 years and 256 days between South Koreans Casey Phair and Kim Jungmi.

Lionel Messi has made an unequalled 19 appearances as captain in the World Cup, while Sun Wen holds the female record at 16. Christine Sinclair has skippered Canada on 15 occasions in the world finals.

Casey Phair. Photo AFC

Casey Phair, who will be 16 years and 26 days when the Korean Republic kick off their campaign against Colombia, will become the youngest player in World Cup history if she appears in one of the Taegeuk Ladies’ opening two games. The record presently belongs to Ifeanyi Chiejine, who was 16 years and 34 days when she ran out for Nigeria against Korea DPR in 1999. If Phair, a striker, is on target at any point during the competition, she will surpass Elena Danilova, who netted for Russia aged 16 years and 107 days in 2003 and become the youngest World Cup goalscorer of all time.

Norway scored in a record 15 successive Women’s World Cup games between 1991 and ’99. England and USA have netted in their last 13 and 12 matches respectively.

Pele is the only player to have won World Cups 12 years apart. Saki Kumagai, who scored the winning penalty in the Germany 2011 final shootout, could emulate ‘The King’ at Stadium Australia.

Saki Kumagai (middle). Photo AFC

Germany midfielder Bettina Wiegmann registered 11 goals in the competition – a record for a non-forward. It’s a target USA winger Megan Rapinoe, who has nine to her name, has in her sights.

Marta, Cristiano Ronaldo and Christine Sinclair are the only players to have netted at five World Cups. The Brazilian and the Canadian will both get the chance to become the first to score at six.

The late, great Pele is the only player to have won three World Cups. Julie Ertz, Alex Morgan, Alyssa Naeher, Kelley O'Hara and Megan Rapinoe – all champions at Canada 2015 and France 2019 – will emulate ‘The King’ if USA triumphs. Morgan and Rapinoe could also become the first players to appear in four World Cup finals.

No player has registered multiple hat-tricks in the Women’s World Cup. Ramona Bachmann, Cristiana Girelli, Fabienne Humm, Sam Kerr and Alex Morgan will all go into Australia & New Zealand 2023 with one to their name.

Lionel Messi is the only player to have seized the Adidas Golden Ball twice at the global finals. Marta and Megan Rapinoe, who did so in 2007 and 2019 respectively, are out to repeat the feat.

Excluding the inaugural edition, not one of the 24 debuting nations has won a knockout-phase match at the Women’s World Cup. Haiti, Morocco, Panama, Philippines, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Việt Nam and Zambia will attempt to become the first.

No foreign coach has won one of the 30 male or female World Cups. Tony Gustavsson, Bev Priestman, Pia Sundhage and Sarina Wiegman, who will lead Australia, Canada, Brazil and England respectively, appear to be in with the best chance of rewriting this piece of history. VNS