168 Soccer Trivia Questions & Answers

Whether you call it soccer or football, the world’s game is rich in history, heroes, tactics, and unforgettable moments.

This mega-pack of trivia moves from beginner-friendly questions to true aficionado brainteasers.

Dive into World Cups, clubs, laws of the game, and iconic players... perfect for quizzes, parties, or sharpening your fan credentials.

Men’s World Cup Milestones

Q: Which country hosted the first FIFA World Cup in 1930?
A: Uruguay—who also won it.

Q: Which nation holds the record for most men’s World Cup titles?
A: Brazil.

Q: Which team is the only one to have played in every men’s World Cup?
A: Brazil.

Q: Who is recognized as scoring the first World Cup hat-trick?
A: Bert Patenaude (USA) in 1930.

Q: Which player is the youngest goalscorer in men’s World Cup history?
A: Pelé, at 17 in 1958.

Q: Who is the oldest goalscorer in men’s World Cup history?
A: Roger Milla (Cameroon) at 42 in 1994.

Q: What’s the “Maracanazo” shorthand for?
A: Uruguay’s shock 2–1 win over Brazil in 1950’s decisive match at the Maracanã.

Q: Which World Cup final was the first decided by a penalty shootout?
A: 1994 (Brazil vs Italy).

Q: In which year did the men’s World Cup expand from 24 to 32 teams?
A: 1998.

Q: What’s the difference between the Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards?
A: Boot = top scorer; Ball = best player.

Q: Who scored the fastest goal in a World Cup match?
A: Hakan Şükür (Turkey) after 11 seconds in 2002.

Q: Which European nation won its first World Cup on home soil in 1966?
A: England.

Q: Which South American country won consecutive titles in 1958 and 1962?
A: Brazil.

Q: Which nation won consecutive titles in 1934 and 1938?
A: Italy.

Q: What is the highest-scoring men’s World Cup final to date?
A: 1958 (Brazil 5–2 Sweden; seven goals).

Q: Which Asian nation became the first to reach the men’s World Cup semifinals?
A: South Korea, in 2002.

Q: Which African nation became the first to reach the men’s World Cup semifinals?
A: Morocco, in 2022.

Q: Where was the inaugural World Cup final played?
A: Estadio Centenario, Montevideo.

Q: Who scored the “Goal of the Century” at the World Cup?
A: Diego Maradona vs England in 1986.

Q: What is the standard distance of the penalty mark from the goal line?
A: 11 meters (12 yards).

Q: Which tournament introduced on-field video assistance to the World Cup stage?
A: VAR debuted at the 2018 World Cup.

Women’s Football & the Women’s World Cup

Q: Which country hosted the first FIFA Women’s World Cup (1991)?
A: China PR.

Q: Who won the inaugural Women’s World Cup in 1991?
A: The United States.

Q: Which country won the Women’s World Cup in 2023?
A: Spain.

Q: Which nation has the most Women’s World Cup titles?
A: The United States.

Q: Who holds the Women’s World Cup all-time goals record?
A: Marta (Brazil).

Q: Who was the first player—of any gender—to score in five World Cups?
A: Marta.

Q: Which Asian nation is the only Women’s World Cup champion from the continent?
A: Japan (2011).

Q: The 2023 Women’s World Cup expanded to how many teams?
A: 32 teams.

Q: Which two countries co-hosted the 2023 Women’s World Cup?
A: Australia and New Zealand.

Q: Who scored the winning goal in the 2023 final?
A: Olga Carmona (Spain).

Q: Who won the Golden Ball at the 2023 Women’s World Cup?
A: Aitana Bonmatí (Spain).

Q: Which club competition was the UEFA Women’s Cup rebranded into?
A: The UEFA Women’s Champions League.

Q: Who won the inaugural UEFA Women’s Cup in 2001–02?
A: 1. FFC Frankfurt (Germany).

Q: Who won the first UWCL after the rebrand in 2009–10?
A: Turbine Potsdam (Germany).

Q: What does NWSL stand for?
A: National Women’s Soccer League.

Q: Which iconic U.S. forward is renowned for dominant heading and clutch goals?
A: Abby Wambach.

Q: Which U.S. star won both Golden Ball and Golden Boot at the 2019 World Cup?
A: Megan Rapinoe.

Q: Who is Australia’s all-time leading international goalscorer?
A: Sam Kerr.

Q: Which midfielder won back-to-back Ballon d’Or Féminin awards in 2021 and 2022?
A: Alexia Putellas.

Q: Which English team is known as the “Lionesses”?
A: England’s women’s national team.

Q: In England, a ban restricted women’s football from 1921 until which year?
A: 1971.

Clubs & Domestic Leagues

Q: In what year did the English Premier League begin?
A: 1992.

Q: What is Spain’s top division commonly called?
A: La Liga.

Q: Italy’s top division is known by what name?
A: Serie A.

Q: What nickname describes Barcelona vs Real Madrid?
A: El Clásico.

Q: What do fans call Celtic vs Rangers in Scotland?
A: The Old Firm derby.

Q: What is Germany’s top flight?
A: The Bundesliga.

Q: What is France’s top division called?
A: Ligue 1.

Q: Which English club completed a domestic league–FA Cup–Champions League treble in 1998–99?
A: Manchester United.

Q: Which English club matched the treble feat in 2022–23?
A: Manchester City.

Q: Which London club went unbeaten through the 2003–04 Premier League season?
A: Arsenal (“The Invincibles”).

Q: What is the famous Argentine derby between River Plate and Boca Juniors called?
A: The Superclásico.

Q: What is the German nickname for Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund?
A: Der Klassiker.

Q: Which U.S. league launched in 1996?
A: Major League Soccer (MLS).

Q: Who won the first MLS Cup in 1996?
A: D.C. United.

Q: Which English competition is the world’s oldest national football tournament?
A: The FA Cup.

Q: Who won the first FA Cup final in 1872?
A: The Wanderers.

Q: Which historic club (founded 1857) is often cited as the world’s oldest?
A: Sheffield FC.

Q: Which club is nicknamed “The Red Devils”?
A: Manchester United.

Q: Which club is nicknamed “The Gunners”?
A: Arsenal.

Q: What trophy name do Bundesliga champions receive?
A: The Meisterschale.

Q: In most European leagues, what system moves teams between divisions each season?
A: Promotion and relegation.

Continental Club Competitions

Q: What was the European Cup renamed in 1992?
A: The UEFA Champions League.

Q: Which club has won the Champions League the most times?
A: Real Madrid.

Q: Which club won the Champions League three seasons in a row from 2016 to 2018?
A: Real Madrid.

Q: Who scored the fastest goal in a Champions League final?
A: Paolo Maldini (50 seconds, 2005).

Q: What is South America’s premier club competition?
A: The Copa Libertadores.

Q: Which club holds the record for most Copa Libertadores titles?
A: Independiente (Argentina).

Q: What is the South American equivalent of the UEFA Europa League?
A: The Copa Sudamericana.

Q: Which European competition was formerly called the UEFA Cup?
A: The UEFA Europa League.

Q: What UEFA competition launched in 2021–22 as a third tier?
A: The UEFA Europa Conference League.

Q: Who won the first Europa Conference League in 2022?
A: AS Roma.

Q: Which African club has the most CAF Champions League titles?
A: Al Ahly (Egypt).

Q: What is the main North American club competition currently called?
A: The CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Q: Which two teams met in a relocated 2018 Copa Libertadores final played in Madrid?
A: River Plate and Boca Juniors.

Q: What’s the “away goals rule” status in UEFA club ties?
A: Abolished—tied aggregates go to extra time, then penalties.

Q: Which club won the first Champions League of the modern era (1992–93)?
A: Marseille.

Q: Which two clubs contest Mexico’s big-city rivalry often seen in continental play?
A: América and Cruz Azul (the Clásico Joven).

Q: What’s CONMEBOL’s “Recopa” contested between?
A: Winners of the Libertadores and Sudamericana.

Q: Which Brazilian giants have multiple Libertadores crowns and colossal fanbases—“Mengão” and “Timão”?
A: Flamengo (“Mengão”) and Corinthians (“Timão”).

Q: What is the club world trophy that pits continental champions against each other?
A: The FIFA Club World Cup.

Q: Which nation’s clubs have historically dominated the CAF Champions League along with Egypt?
A: Tunisia.

Q: Which MLS club became the first to win the modern CONCACAF Champions League (since 2008)?
A: Seattle Sounders (2022).

Legends & Records (Men)

Q: Which Brazilian icon is the only male player with three World Cup winner’s medals?
A: Pelé.

Q: Who scored the “Hand of God” and “Goal of the Century” in 1986?
A: Diego Maradona.

Q: Which player holds the men’s international goals record?
A: Cristiano Ronaldo.

Q: Who captained Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title?
A: Lionel Messi.

Q: Who holds the record for most Ballon d’Or awards?
A: Lionel Messi.

Q: Who scored a record 91 top-level goals in the 2012 calendar year?
A: Lionel Messi.

Q: Who broke Gerd Müller’s single-season Bundesliga record with 41 goals in 2020–21?
A: Robert Lewandowski.

Q: Which only goalkeeper has won the Ballon d’Or?
A: Lev Yashin (1963).

Q: Which Dutch master popularized the “Cruyff turn”?
A: Johan Cruyff.

Q: Who scored the iconic left-foot volley for Real Madrid in the 2002 UCL final?
A: Zinedine Zidane.

Q: Who is known as “Der Kaiser” and pioneered the libero role?
A: Franz Beckenbauer.

Q: Which Hungarian scored 13 goals in a single World Cup (1958), a men’s record?
A: Just Fontaine (France-born Moroccan heritage misconception aside; he played for France).

Q: Which player scored the fastest World Cup hat-trick (as a substitute) in about seven minutes?
A: László Kiss (Hungary, 1982).

Q: Which Portuguese legend starred for Real Madrid and is often called “Saeta Rubia”?
A: Alfredo Di Stéfano (The “Blond Arrow”).

Q: Which Spain midfielder scored the extra-time winner in the 2010 World Cup final?
A: Andrés Iniesta.

Q: Which African striker is the continent’s only Ballon d’Or winner (1995)?
A: George Weah (Liberia).

Q: Which Uruguayan is famed for relentless pressing and clinical finishing at club and country level?
A: Luis Suárez.

Q: Which Swedish forward is known for acrobatic goals and a larger-than-life persona?
A: Zlatan Ibrahimović.

Q: Which winger scored a hat-trick in 2016 to carry Portugal into the Euro final?
A: Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t—this is a trick: Portugal beat Wales 2–0 (Ronaldo & Nani).
A: No one; there was no hat-trick—Ronaldo scored once and assisted once.

Q: Which Senegalese forward set the fastest Premier League hat-trick (2:56)?
A: Sadio Mané (2015, for Southampton).

Q: Which Italian defender spent a storied career at AC Milan and captained club and country?
A: Paolo Maldini.

Legends & Records (Women & Pioneers)

Q: Who is the all-time leading international goalscorer (men or women)?
A: Christine Sinclair (Canada).

Q: Which U.S. midfielder scored a hat-trick in the 2015 Women’s World Cup final?
A: Carli Lloyd.

Q: Which Brazilian forward owns the Women’s World Cup goals record?
A: Marta.

Q: Which German star won world titles in 2003 and 2007 and dominated for Frankfurt and Germany?
A: Birgit Prinz.

Q: Which Japan legend won the 2011 Women’s World Cup Golden Ball and Golden Boot?
A: Homare Sawa.

Q: Which Norwegian striker won the first Ballon d’Or Féminin in 2018?
A: Ada Hegerberg.

Q: Which Spanish playmaker won the 2023 Women’s World Cup Golden Ball?
A: Aitana Bonmatí.

Q: Which England coach won Euro 2022 after winning Euro 2017 with the Netherlands?
A: Sarina Wiegman.

Q: Which U.S. goalkeeper won Golden Gloves at both the 2011 and 2015 World Cups?
A: Hope Solo.

Q: Which Brazilian midfielder/forward played in seven Women’s World Cups (1995–2019)?
A: Formiga.

Q: Which club has dominated the UWCL era with a stack of titles and a famed youth setup?
A: Lyon Féminin (Olympique Lyonnais).

Q: Which Spanish club surged to multiple recent UWCL crowns with a possession-heavy style?
A: Barcelona Femení.

Q: Which U.S. forward’s tea-sipping celebration became a 2019 World Cup talking point?
A: Alex Morgan.

Q: Which English striker starred at Euro 2022 and is nicknamed “Wiegman’s No. 9”?
A: Ellen White.

Q: Which trailblazing women’s team from an English factory drew huge crowds in the 1910s–1920s?
A: The Dick, Kerr Ladies.

Q: Which French referee became the first woman to take charge of a men’s World Cup match?
A: Stéphanie Frappart (2022).

Q: Which Nigeria team, nicknamed the Super Falcons, dominate the African women’s game?
A: Nigeria’s women’s national team.

Q: Which Australian goalkeeper captained the Matildas at times and was key in penalty shootouts?
A: Lydia Williams (longtime stalwart; captaincy shared over years).

Q: Which U.S. winger won the Best FIFA Women’s Player in 2019?
A: Megan Rapinoe.

Q: Which Dutch forward, nicknamed “Lieke,” dazzled at Euro 2017 and Barcelona?
A: Lieke Martens.

Q: Which Scotland great scored a record number of international goals for her country and starred for Arsenal?
A: Julie Fleeting.

Laws of the Game & Refereeing

Q: How many players per team are on the field in a standard match?
A: Eleven.

Q: How long is a standard match, excluding added time?
A: 90 minutes (two 45s).

Q: What are the basic dimensions of a full-size goal?
A: 7.32 m × 2.44 m (8 yd × 8 ft).

Q: What is the ball’s allowed circumference range in adult play?
A: 68–70 cm.

Q: Offside is judged at what moment?
A: When the ball is played by a teammate.

Q: Name three restarts where offside does not apply.
A: Throw-ins, goal kicks, corner kicks.

Q: What’s the distance defenders must respect at free kicks?
A: 10 yards (9.15 meters).

Q: What color cards can the referee show team officials (e.g., coaches)?
A: Yellow or red.

Q: How long can a goalkeeper hold the ball in hand?
A: Up to six seconds.

Q: What 1992 rule change banned goalkeepers from handling deliberate back-passes with the foot?
A: The back-pass rule.

Q: What is the difference between direct and indirect free kicks?
A: Direct can be scored directly; indirect must touch another player.

Q: What are the four main VAR categories?
A: Goals, penalties, direct red cards, mistaken identity.

Q: What is “advantage” in refereeing?
A: Letting play continue if it benefits the fouled team.

Q: What’s the penalty area arc (the “D”) for?
A: Keeping players 10 yards from the spot at penalties.

Q: Can handball be called if the ball accidentally hits an arm in a natural position and no goal results?
A: Generally no; intent and arm position/context matter.

Q: What happens if the ball hits the referee and possession changes promisingly?
A: Dropped ball to the team last in possession (per modern law).

Q: What’s the restart if the goalkeeper handles a deliberate back-pass?
A: Indirect free kick to the attackers.

Q: How many substitutions are commonly allowed in top competitions today?
A: Up to five (competition rules vary).

Q: What is DOGSO an acronym for?
A: Denying an Obvious Goal-Scoring Opportunity.

Q: Do penalty shootout goals count toward a player’s goal tally?
A: No; they’re separate from match goals.

Q: Who governs the Laws of the Game?
A: The International Football Association Board (IFAB).

Tactics, Stadiums & Rivalries

Q: What formation is associated with classic Dutch “Total Football”?
A: 4-3-3 (fluid, interchangeable roles).

Q: What term describes defending deep with compact lines near your own box?
A: A low block.

Q: What’s the tactical idea behind “gegenpressing”?
A: Immediate high pressing after losing possession.

Q: What is a “false nine”?
A: A nominal striker who drops into midfield to create overloads.

Q: What role do “inverted full-backs” play?
A: They move inside to form extra midfielders in build-up.

Q: In a 3-5-2, what are the wide players typically called?
A: Wing-backs.

Q: What does xG stand for in analytics?
A: Expected Goals.

Q: What is a “double pivot”?
A: Two holding midfielders sharing build-up/defensive duties.

Q: Which London stadium is nicknamed “The Home of Football”?
A: Wembley Stadium.

Q: What is Barcelona’s iconic stadium commonly called?
A: Camp Nou (Spotify Camp Nou by sponsorship).

Q: Which Mexico City stadium hosted two men’s World Cup finals (1970, 1986)?
A: Estadio Azteca.

Q: What is the common name for Milan’s shared stadium (Inter & AC)?
A: San Siro (Stadio Giuseppe Meazza).

Q: Which German ground is famed for its Yellow Wall?
A: Borussia Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park (Westfalenstadion).

Q: Which Buenos Aires stadium is known for its steep stands and bouncing atmosphere?
A: La Bombonera (Boca Juniors).

Q: What is the rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United called?
A: The North-West Derby (often simply Liverpool–Manchester United).

Q: What do fans call the city derby between Inter and AC Milan?
A: Derby della Madonnina.

Q: Which English city hosts the Merseyside derby?
A: Liverpool (Liverpool vs Everton).

Q: Which Roman clubs contest the Derby della Capitale?
A: Lazio and Roma.

Q: What’s Istanbul’s heated “Intercontinental Derby”?
A: Fenerbahçe vs Galatasaray.

Q: What is a “sweeper-keeper”?
A: A goalkeeper who aggressively defends space behind the back line and aids build-up.

Q: What’s a common pressing “trigger” teams use?
A: A poor first touch or a backward pass to a defender/keeper.