World Cup 2018: 8 Pieces Of History That Were Made
2. Most Penalties Given
One of the standout statistics from the 2018 World Cup, particularly throughout the group stage, was the sheer amount of penalties awarded. The previous record for most penalties awarded in a single tournament belonged to the 2002 World Cup in South Korea/Japan, which stood at 18.
This record was eclipsed in 2018, totalling 29 penalties given over the 64 games of the tournament. Along with this, as you might expect, came the added records of most converted penalties in a single World Cup (22), and most penalties missed in a single World Cup (7).
This could be put down to a number of different reasons including stricter refereeing, particularly at set pieces, though there is one clear cause of the increased penalties awarded...