FIFA.com looks at the numbers behind the stories on an evening that witnessed Thomas Muller excel as the third-place play-off maintained its tradition for producing goals by the bucket-load.
years and 43 days was the age at which Hans-Jorg Butt became the sixth-oldest player to represent Germany at the FIFA World Cup. The Bayern Munich keeper ranks behind Andreas Kopke, Jens Lehmann, Oliver Kahn, Lothar Mattaus and Fritz Walter, who holds the record at 37 years and 236 days.
goals for Uruguay have taken Diego Forlan clear of Angel Romano as his country's second all-time leading scorer. The Atletico Madrid striker only needs two more to equal the most prolific marksman in La Celeste's history, Hector Scarone. With his sixth FIFA World Cup goal, Forlan also moved into outright second on the list of Uruguayan goalscorers at the global showpiece. Only Oscar Miguez (eight) has scored more.
years had passed since the last third-place play-off contested by two former world champions. On that occasion, Italy claimed bronze on home soil with a 2-1 win over England.
goals will ensure that, barring a five-goal show from Netherlands tomorrow, Germany will leave South Africa as the tournament's top scorers. The last time Die Nationalmannschaft managed this many at a FIFA World Cup was in their bronze-winning 1970 campaign.
of the previous 16 third-place play-offs have been followed by a Final victory for the team that vanquished the bronze medallists. The Netherlands beware...
goals from five shots on target is the deadly record with which Thomas Muller departs this FIFA World Cup. In continuing his 100 per cent success rate, the Germany forward – the only 20-year-old to score at South Africa 2010 – became the second-youngest player to reach five FIFA World Cup goals. Only Pele, 17 years and 249 days old when he achieved this feat at Sweden 1958, was younger. Muller, who now has five goals from just eight international appearances, has been directly involved in eight goals at South Africa 2010 – more than any other player. If he wins the adidas Golden Boot, the Germany star will become the tournament’s second-youngest top scorer, 32 days older than Hungary's Florian Albert, who was 20 years and 268 days old when he shared the award in 1962.
third-place play-offs have been contested by Germany – more than any other side. The Germans, who have claimed bronze on four occasions, have also become the third country to contest this match in successive editions, following Brazil (1974, 1978) and France (1982, 1986). Uruguay's record in third-place matches, meanwhile, now stands at played three, lost three.
goals per match is the impressive average established by third-place play-offs down the years. To put that figure into context, the average for all FIFA World Cup matches is 2.86.
players – Diego Forlan, Thomas Muller, Wesley Sneijder and David Villa – have now scored five goals at South Africa 2010. The record for most players with at least five goals in one FIFA World Cup is six, having been set at 1994 by Oleg Salenko, Hristo Stoichkov, Kennet Andersson, Roberto Baggio, Jurgen Klinsmann and Romario.
of the 43 goals during the knockout stage have been scored by substitutes. The last player to score after coming off the bench was Chile's Rodrigo Millar, who hit the final goal of the group phase in his side's 2-1 defeat by Spain.
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