World Cup Legends Quiz
Pelé, Maradona, Zidane, Messi: 20 questions on the players who owned football's biggest stage.
Which German striker held the record for the most World Cup goals, with 16, until it was broken in 2026?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Miroslav Klose
Klose scored 16 goals across four World Cups from 2002 to 2014, passing Ronaldo's 15 at the 2014 tournament in Brazil. Messi and Mbappé both overtook him in 2026.
Klose is the only player to have reached four World Cup semi-finals, and he lifted the trophy in 2014 at the age of 36.
Which country has appeared in every men's FIFA World Cup tournament to date?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Brazil
Brazil has played at all 23 World Cups from 1930 to 2026 without ever needing a play-off, and remains the only nation with a perfect attendance record.
Brazil's five titles are also a record, though the last of them came back in 2002 in Japan and South Korea.
Diego Maradona's famous "Hand of God" goal was scored against which national team in 1986?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
England
In the 1986 quarter-final in Mexico City, Maradona punched the ball past Peter Shilton, then scored a brilliant solo goal four minutes later in a 2-1 win.
Maradona later said the goal was scored 'a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God'.
Which legendary Brazilian forward is the only male player to win three World Cups?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Pelé
Pelé won in 1958, 1962 and 1970, scoring twice in the 1958 final aged just 17 and opening the scoring in the 1970 final against Italy.
Cafu is the only player to appear in three World Cup finals, in 1994, 1998 and 2002, winning two of them.
Who captained France to their first World Cup title in 1998?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Didier Deschamps
Deschamps skippered a France side that beat Brazil 3-0 in the final in Paris, and he later became only the third man to win the World Cup as both player and coach.
The other two men to win the World Cup as player and coach are Brazil's Mário Zagallo and West Germany's Franz Beckenbauer.
Which Italian goalkeeper was between the posts when Italy beat France on penalties in the 2006 final?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Gianluigi Buffon
Buffon conceded just two goals in the entire tournament, one a penalty and one an own goal, and Italy won the Berlin shootout 5-3 after a 1-1 draw.
Buffon was part of five World Cup squads between 1998 and 2014, though he never got on the pitch at the first of them.
Which legendary Dutch player famously hit the "Cruyff Turn" at the 1974 World Cup?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Johan Cruyff
Cruyff unveiled the drag-back turn against Sweden's Jan Olsson in a group match in Dortmund, and the move has carried his name ever since.
Cruyff wore a two-stripe shirt at the 1974 World Cup because of a personal deal with Puma, refusing to wear Adidas's third stripe.
Which forward scored a hat-trick in the 1966 World Cup final for England?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Geoff Hurst
Hurst scored three times in England's 4-2 extra-time win over West Germany at Wembley, and it remained the only final hat-trick until Kylian Mbappé's in 2022.
Hurst only started the final because Jimmy Greaves had been injured earlier in the tournament.
Which Argentine star won the Golden Ball as best player at the 2014 World Cup?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Lionel Messi
Messi scored four goals and led Argentina to the final in Brazil, though the Golden Ball felt hollow after a 1-0 extra-time defeat to Germany.
Messi won the Golden Ball again in 2022, becoming the first player to be voted the tournament's best player twice.
Which Brazilian striker scored both goals in the 2002 World Cup final against Germany?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Ronaldo Nazário
Ronaldo struck twice in the second half in Yokohama to beat Germany 2-0, finishing as the tournament's top scorer with eight goals after years of serious knee injuries.
Ronaldo later admitted his odd triangular haircut at that tournament was a deliberate ploy to distract the press from a thigh injury.
Which German captain lifted the World Cup trophy at the Maracanã in 2014?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Philipp Lahm
Lahm captained Germany to a 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina, with Mario Götze scoring the winner, and retired from international football days later.
Germany's 7-1 semi-final win over hosts Brazil at the same tournament remains the heaviest defeat in a World Cup semi-final.
Which Italian defender is famous for being bitten by Luis Suárez at the 2014 World Cup?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Giorgio Chiellini
Suárez bit Chiellini's shoulder during Uruguay's 1-0 group win in Natal, and FIFA banned the striker for nine international matches and four months from all football.
It was the third biting incident of Suárez's career, after ones at Ajax in 2010 and Liverpool in 2013.
Which Dutch striker scored a famous volley in the Euro 88 final and later played at the 1990 World Cup?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Marco van Basten
Van Basten's volley from an almost impossible angle against the Soviet Union sealed Euro 88, but injuries meant Italia 90 was his only World Cup.
Van Basten won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1988, 1989 and 1992, before an ankle injury forced him out of the game at 28.
Which Croatian playmaker won the Golden Ball at the 2018 World Cup?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Luka Modrić
Modrić drove Croatia through three straight knockout games that went to extra time and on to their first final, which they lost 4-2 to France.
Modrić also won the Ballon d'Or in 2018, ending a ten-year run of the award going to either Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.
Which Mexican goalkeeper became a cult hero for his performances at the 2014 World Cup?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Guillermo Ochoa
Ochoa made a string of stunning saves in a 0-0 draw with hosts Brazil, including a one-handed stop from Neymar, and was named man of the match.
Ochoa was named in five World Cup squads, and in 2022 he saved a penalty from Robert Lewandowski against Poland.
Which legendary forward scored the winning goal for Spain in the 2010 World Cup final?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Andrés Iniesta
Iniesta volleyed home in the 116th minute against the Netherlands in Johannesburg, giving Spain their first World Cup.
Iniesta celebrated by revealing a shirt honouring Dani Jarque, his friend and Espanyol captain who had died the previous year.
Which Cameroon striker scored four goals at the 1990 World Cup at the age of 38?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Roger Milla
Milla came off the bench to score twice against Romania and twice against Colombia, taking Cameroon to the quarter-finals, the first African side to get that far.
Milla returned in 1994 and scored against Russia aged 42, still the oldest goalscorer in World Cup history.
Which French star was sent off in his final professional match during the 2006 World Cup final?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Zinédine Zidane
Zidane headbutted Marco Materazzi in the chest during extra time of the 2006 final in Berlin and was shown a red card, ending his career on a dramatic note.
Despite the dismissal, Zidane was still voted the tournament's best player and awarded the Golden Ball.
Which coach led the Netherlands to the 1974 World Cup final and is regarded as the father of "Total Football"?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Rinus Michels
Michels built the fluid, position-swapping Dutch side that reached the 1974 final, and he later won Euro 88 with many of the same ideas.
FIFA named Michels its Coach of the Century in 1999, ahead of Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Matt Busby.
Which Argentinian captain lifted the trophy at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Lionel Messi
Messi scored twice in the final against France and converted in the shootout as Argentina won 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw in Lusail.
Argentina returned to the final in 2026 but lost 1-0 to Spain after extra time.
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All Sports quizzes →About the World Cup Legends Quiz
Pelé won the World Cup three times, Diego Maradona scored the two most talked-about goals in tournament history in a single match in 1986, and Lionel Messi finally lifted the trophy in Qatar in 2022 at the age of 35. The tournament has run since 1930, and only Brazil has played in all 23 editions, including the expanded 48-team World Cup held in North America in 2026.
These 20 questions cover the goal machines, the captains, the goalkeepers and the coaches whose names are stitched into World Cup history. Some are gentle warm-ups any fan will get; others reward people who remember the 1990 tournament as well as the 2022 final. It suits pub quiz nights, football-mad families and anyone who wants to see how much of the game's greatest stage they really remember.
You will find 20 multiple choice questions here, each with four options. Difficulty: Medium. Most people finish in about 7 minutes, and every answer comes with a short explanation and one extra fact worth keeping.
How to play
Read the question and pick one of the four answers. The correct answer is revealed straight away with a short explanation, then press Next question to keep going. At the end you get your score out of 20 and a full review of your round. Play again any time and the questions arrive in a fresh order. There is no timer and no account.
Good to know before you play
Who has scored the most goals in World Cup history?
Kylian Mbappé, with 22 goals across the 2018, 2022 and 2026 tournaments. He overtook Lionel Messi, who had set a new mark of 21 earlier in the 2026 tournament.
How many questions are there and how hard are they?
There are 20 multiple-choice questions ranging from easy warm-ups to a few that will test lifelong fans. Every answer comes with an instant explanation.
Which country has won the most World Cups?
Brazil, with five titles (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002). Germany and Italy have four each, Argentina three, and Spain won its second in 2026.
Answer key: all 20 questions with explanations
- Which German striker held the record for the most World Cup goals, with 16, until it was broken in 2026?
Miroslav Klose Klose scored 16 goals across four World Cups from 2002 to 2014, passing Ronaldo's 15 at the 2014 tournament in Brazil. Messi and Mbappé both overtook him in 2026. Klose is the only player to have reached four World Cup semi-finals, and he lifted the trophy in 2014 at the age of 36. - Which country has appeared in every men's FIFA World Cup tournament to date?
Brazil Brazil has played at all 23 World Cups from 1930 to 2026 without ever needing a play-off, and remains the only nation with a perfect attendance record. Brazil's five titles are also a record, though the last of them came back in 2002 in Japan and South Korea. - Diego Maradona's famous "Hand of God" goal was scored against which national team in 1986?
England In the 1986 quarter-final in Mexico City, Maradona punched the ball past Peter Shilton, then scored a brilliant solo goal four minutes later in a 2-1 win. Maradona later said the goal was scored 'a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God'. - Which legendary Brazilian forward is the only male player to win three World Cups?
Pelé Pelé won in 1958, 1962 and 1970, scoring twice in the 1958 final aged just 17 and opening the scoring in the 1970 final against Italy. Cafu is the only player to appear in three World Cup finals, in 1994, 1998 and 2002, winning two of them. - Who captained France to their first World Cup title in 1998?
Didier Deschamps Deschamps skippered a France side that beat Brazil 3-0 in the final in Paris, and he later became only the third man to win the World Cup as both player and coach. The other two men to win the World Cup as player and coach are Brazil's Mário Zagallo and West Germany's Franz Beckenbauer. - Which Italian goalkeeper was between the posts when Italy beat France on penalties in the 2006 final?
Gianluigi Buffon Buffon conceded just two goals in the entire tournament, one a penalty and one an own goal, and Italy won the Berlin shootout 5-3 after a 1-1 draw. Buffon was part of five World Cup squads between 1998 and 2014, though he never got on the pitch at the first of them. - Which legendary Dutch player famously hit the "Cruyff Turn" at the 1974 World Cup?
Johan Cruyff Cruyff unveiled the drag-back turn against Sweden's Jan Olsson in a group match in Dortmund, and the move has carried his name ever since. Cruyff wore a two-stripe shirt at the 1974 World Cup because of a personal deal with Puma, refusing to wear Adidas's third stripe. - Which forward scored a hat-trick in the 1966 World Cup final for England?
Geoff Hurst Hurst scored three times in England's 4-2 extra-time win over West Germany at Wembley, and it remained the only final hat-trick until Kylian Mbappé's in 2022. Hurst only started the final because Jimmy Greaves had been injured earlier in the tournament. - Which Argentine star won the Golden Ball as best player at the 2014 World Cup?
Lionel Messi Messi scored four goals and led Argentina to the final in Brazil, though the Golden Ball felt hollow after a 1-0 extra-time defeat to Germany. Messi won the Golden Ball again in 2022, becoming the first player to be voted the tournament's best player twice. - Which Brazilian striker scored both goals in the 2002 World Cup final against Germany?
Ronaldo Nazário Ronaldo struck twice in the second half in Yokohama to beat Germany 2-0, finishing as the tournament's top scorer with eight goals after years of serious knee injuries. Ronaldo later admitted his odd triangular haircut at that tournament was a deliberate ploy to distract the press from a thigh injury. - Which German captain lifted the World Cup trophy at the Maracanã in 2014?
Philipp Lahm Lahm captained Germany to a 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina, with Mario Götze scoring the winner, and retired from international football days later. Germany's 7-1 semi-final win over hosts Brazil at the same tournament remains the heaviest defeat in a World Cup semi-final. - Which Italian defender is famous for being bitten by Luis Suárez at the 2014 World Cup?
Giorgio Chiellini Suárez bit Chiellini's shoulder during Uruguay's 1-0 group win in Natal, and FIFA banned the striker for nine international matches and four months from all football. It was the third biting incident of Suárez's career, after ones at Ajax in 2010 and Liverpool in 2013. - Which Dutch striker scored a famous volley in the Euro 88 final and later played at the 1990 World Cup?
Marco van Basten Van Basten's volley from an almost impossible angle against the Soviet Union sealed Euro 88, but injuries meant Italia 90 was his only World Cup. Van Basten won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1988, 1989 and 1992, before an ankle injury forced him out of the game at 28. - Which Croatian playmaker won the Golden Ball at the 2018 World Cup?
Luka Modrić Modrić drove Croatia through three straight knockout games that went to extra time and on to their first final, which they lost 4-2 to France. Modrić also won the Ballon d'Or in 2018, ending a ten-year run of the award going to either Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. - Which Mexican goalkeeper became a cult hero for his performances at the 2014 World Cup?
Guillermo Ochoa Ochoa made a string of stunning saves in a 0-0 draw with hosts Brazil, including a one-handed stop from Neymar, and was named man of the match. Ochoa was named in five World Cup squads, and in 2022 he saved a penalty from Robert Lewandowski against Poland. - Which legendary forward scored the winning goal for Spain in the 2010 World Cup final?
Andrés Iniesta Iniesta volleyed home in the 116th minute against the Netherlands in Johannesburg, giving Spain their first World Cup. Iniesta celebrated by revealing a shirt honouring Dani Jarque, his friend and Espanyol captain who had died the previous year. - Which Cameroon striker scored four goals at the 1990 World Cup at the age of 38?
Roger Milla Milla came off the bench to score twice against Romania and twice against Colombia, taking Cameroon to the quarter-finals, the first African side to get that far. Milla returned in 1994 and scored against Russia aged 42, still the oldest goalscorer in World Cup history. - Which French star was sent off in his final professional match during the 2006 World Cup final?
Zinédine Zidane Zidane headbutted Marco Materazzi in the chest during extra time of the 2006 final in Berlin and was shown a red card, ending his career on a dramatic note. Despite the dismissal, Zidane was still voted the tournament's best player and awarded the Golden Ball. - Which coach led the Netherlands to the 1974 World Cup final and is regarded as the father of "Total Football"?
Rinus Michels Michels built the fluid, position-swapping Dutch side that reached the 1974 final, and he later won Euro 88 with many of the same ideas. FIFA named Michels its Coach of the Century in 1999, ahead of Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Matt Busby. - Which Argentinian captain lifted the trophy at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar?
Lionel Messi Messi scored twice in the final against France and converted in the shootout as Argentina won 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw in Lusail. Argentina returned to the final in 2026 but lost 1-0 to Spain after extra time.
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