World Cup quiz

Today marks the beginning of the centrepiece of world football. Of course, if you don't like football, it's the beginning of a month of hell, most likely, but I don't understand why anyone wouldn't enjoy the World Cup. Every nation's fans believing that this year just may be theirs. Passion, glory, flair all on show, coupled with renewed hopes that England may go on a decent run for once - OK, I'm well into the realms of the unrealistic now... Here are twenty-five questions I've written on the World Cup (1930-present):

1 Prior to the 1966 World Cup, the Jules Rimet trophy was stolen from Westminster Central Hall. Following ransom demands and police pursuits, what was the name of the black-and-white collie dog that found it at the bottom of a garden hedge while walking with its owner?

2 Contested by the finalists of the 1928 Summer Olympics football tournament, Uruguay and Argentina, what was the final score in the inaugural 1930 FIFA World Cup final?

3 An already-qualified nation chose to withdraw from the 1950 FIFA World Cup following FIFA's requirement that all players wear shoes during matches – the players from this country were accustomed to playing barefoot at the time. Which country?

4 During the final of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, French midfielder Zinedine Zidane became the fourth player to be sent off during a World Cup final when he headbutted which Italian defender's chest, supposedly after derogatory comments from the defender about Zidane's mother?

5 Considered one of the greatest Italian players ever, which centre-forward led his nation to two World Cup victories – in 1934 and 1938 – and has a long-standing legacy in the form of a major Italian football stadium being named after him. Which player?

6 Which Pole finished as top scorer at the 1974 FIFA World Cup, with seven goals?

7 Former Paraguayan centre-back Carlos Gamarra holds what notorious distinction in World Cup history?

8 Who will be England's representative referee at this year's World Cup?

9 Which country scored the first goal in World Cup history, doing so on July 13, 1930?

10 At the 1990 FIFA World Cup, England were placed in a group alongside the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, and which African country, who finished bottom of the group with just two points?

11 Doing so in 1990, which African nation was the first to reach a World Cup quarter-final?

12 A certain amount of controversy was caused prior to the 1978 World Cup final when which country accused the Argentinians they were facing of using stalling tactics to delay the match?

13 The Mexican goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal and which German international are the only two players to have appeared at five different World Cup tournaments?

14 An average of 2.52 per match, how many goals were scored – to the nearest ten – at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea?

15 What was peculiar about the 1958 World Cup quarter-finals?

16 Defeating Uruguay in the third-place play-off in 1954, which side won the 100th match in World Cup history?

17 In the 1938 World Cup, which nation fielded both the oldest and the youngest player of the entire tournament?

18 Amid controversy, in which European city was Qatar chosen to host the 2022 World Cup?

19 Who was voted “best goalkeeper” at the 2006 FIFA World Cup?

20 Jan Olsson was the defender that Johan Cruyff famously bamboozled with his namesake “Cruyff turn” at the 1974 FIFA World Cup. Which country was he playing for?

21 How old was Cameroon's Roger Milla when he became the oldest player to play and score at a World Cup, doing so at the United States staging of the event in 1994?

22 To within five, how many hat-tricks have been scored in World Cup history?

23 Which Argentine-Spanish footballer is regarded as the greatest player never to have played at a World Cup finals event?

24 Portugal's Eusebio was the top scorer at England's 1966 World Cup. How many goals did he score?

25 How many different nations have competed at World Cup finals tournaments so far (not including the upcoming 2014 staging)?

Answers:

1 Pickles

2 4-2 (to Uruguay)

3 India

4 Marco Materazzi

5 Giuseppe Meazza

6 Grzegorz Lato

7 Fastest own goal

8 Howard Webb

9 France

10 Egypt

11 Cameroon

12 Netherlands

13 Lothar Matthäus

14 161

15 None of the losing teams scored

16 Austria

17 Netherlands
18 Zürich

19 Iker Casillas

20 Sweden

21 42 

22 48 (43-53)

23 Alfredo Di Stefano

24 9 

25 76