Questions

When it comes down to the raw material value of the most iconic trophies in sports, nothing comes close to the authentic FIFA World Cup Trophy. Standing at 14.5 inches, weighing 13.6 pounds and made up of 18-karat gold and semi-precious malachite, the one-of-a-kind World Cup Trophy has a value of $20,000,000.

This week, most people will be reading, talking and writing about Francesco Totti, who has now retired after playing his final game for Roma. But while everyone’s focused on Totti, let’s consider the rest of the season, indulging in one of the favorite pastimes of the calcio connoisseur: going over every detail of the previous 38 matches and putting people and teams in ranked lists.

There will be plenty of time to dissect Totti’s career in the future. Right now, we need to think about who has really impressed us this season and (more importantly) who has failed to impress.

Own goals: the bane of any defender’s existence, the joy of everyone else’s. When that ball is swung into the commentator’s corridor of uncertainty, you can’t blame a defender for sticking out a leg and burying the ball into the back of his own net…but yes you can. 

Here are some various records for own goals, their infamous scorers and other riotous events that are worth reading about.