June 29, 1994 FIFA World Cup group stage, Saudi Arabia vs Belgium.

Today, there is no trace of the Stadio Nazionale del PNF (National Stadium of the National Fascist Party) on the map of Rome. Built in 1911, the stadium was permanently closed in 1953 and later completely demolished. Yet, if one brushes off the dust of history, it becomes clear that it was on this now-vanished ground that the story of Italy’s first world triumph was written.

Iran says no one can exclude it from the World Cup later this year, in response to President Donald Trump's warning that their "life and safety" would be at risk in the US.

Iran’s declaration that it cannot take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup has created uncertainty around the tournament and forced world football’s governing body to consider how it would respond if a qualified team withdraws.

Colombia. A country in Latin America where the aroma of coffee mingles with the acrid smell of gunpowder in every breath of air. There, football is not merely 22 players chasing a ball; it is an ancient religion, a ferocious obsession.

US President Donald Trump warned Iran's football team Thursday their "life and safety" would be at risk if they took part in the upcoming World Cup in North America.

The statement from Minister of Sport Ahmad Donyamali on Wednesday that Iran could not take part in a World Cup being co-hosted by the United States offered the clearest indication yet of the potential for a first withdrawal from global soccer's showpiece event in the modern era.

December 18, 2022 -- Lusail Stadium. More than 88,000 spectators in the stands were on the verge of holding their breath, while millions of football fans around the world stared fixedly at their television screens. In the middle of the pitch stood a group of battle-weary warriors. After regulation and extra time, the scoreboard showed a 3-3 deadlock.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that he met with United States President Donald Trump, who told him he welcomed Iran’s participation in the 2026 Soccer World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

With both well-known and lesser-known statistics, this feature takes a closer look at the fascinating world of World Cup hattricks. Let us explore some intriguing questions about these remarkable feats.

Speaking at the International Broadcast Centre in Dallas on Monday, Schirgi was specifically asked about Iran, whose participation in the World Cup is uncertain due to the war waged on the country by Israel and the United States.

The Iraqis are due to face either Suriname or Bolivia on March 31 in the Mexican city of Monterrey for a place in the World Cup finals, but with Iraqi airspace closed until April 1, Arnold's squad is unable to gather or travel.

On July 16, 1950, the skies above Rio de Janeiro carried not just the glare of the sun, but the blazing pride and golden dreams of an entire nation, Brazil. Rising beside the shores of Guanabara Bay stood the newly built concrete giant -- the Maracana Stadium. It was not merely a structure of brick and cement; it was a vast temple of hope, ambition and supremacy for nearly 200 million Brazilians.

From 1930 to 2022, a total of 2,720 goals have been scored in 964 matches across 22 editions of the FIFA World Cup. Yet among those thousands of strikes, some are far more than mere statistics – they are enduring stories etched into football folklore.

Like the heroes of ancient Greek tragedies -- triumphant, revered, yet ultimately undone by a single moment of human weakness -- the night of July 9, 2006 at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium felt like a modern retelling of a timeless drama. And at the centre of it stood one man: Zinedine Zidane, both the story’s unrivalled hero and its tragic villain.

The final of the first FIFA World Cup was not just a match—it was a nerve-wracking battle between two neighboring rivals: Uruguay and Argentina. Held at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, on July 30, 1930, that match remains etched in the annals of football history.

He was not weeping. His head was not dramatically bowed. His body did not collapse. Yet around him unfolded one of football’s most poetic tragedies. At its centre stood Roberto Baggio.

From Austria’s ‘Wunderteam’ in 1934 to Hungary’s ‘Magical Magyars’ in 1954, or Brazil’s artistic 1982 side, the World Cup stage has repeatedly turned into a graveyard for pre-tournament favourites.

"I really don't care. I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They're running on fumes," Trump told Politico.

World football's governing body is remaining cautious regarding the possibility of Iran pulling out of the World Cup.