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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Andrew Beasley

Numbers game: stats that tell stories from the first 24 World Cup matches

Lionel Messi celebrates against Algeria; Democratic Republic of the Congo players dance; and Cape Verde’s Dailon Livramento raises a boot against Spain.
Lionel Messi celebrates against Algeria; Democratic Republic of the Congo players dance; and Cape Verde’s Dailon Livramento raises a boot against Spain. Composite: Getty/ Action Images/ PA

The first round of fixtures at the World Cup is in the bank so we’ve finally seen all 48 teams. But what have we learned? Who was good, bad, lucky or fired after one game? A dig into the Opta data has revealed some facts that may not have been immediately apparent from the scorelines.

Mexico 2–0 South Africa

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