5 major records set in the Confederations Cup - which of these can be broken in 2017?
For some, the FIFA Confederations Cup is nothing more than a glorified friendly tournament played between the six champions of the various confederations, the World Cup champions and the host nation. It’s basically the UEFA Champions League of international football but the tournament fails to live up to the same lofty standards.
For others, it is a welcome relief during a summer where there is nothing more to do but wait for transfer stories. Any kind of football will do and, when some teams send their big stars, it does give the tournament some sort of allure.
Started in 1992, this will be the 10th edition of the Confederations Cup as Russia welcomes Germany, Portugal, Chile, Mexico, Australia, Cameroon and New Zealand. And along the way, a number of records have been set.
1) Most titles won
Teams participating in the 2017 edition can forget about trying to break this record. Brazil have won this tournament four times – more times than any other international team. The Selecao won the tournament in 1997, 2005, 2009 and the most recent one in 2013 (on home soil).
They have also reached the most number of finals (5 finals). The only time they failed to win the final was in 1999 when a second-string side lost 4-3 to Mexico in a game that swung like a pendulum thanks to six goals in 35 minutes.
Mexico is the only other participating team to have won the trophy. And even if they do win the competition, they will only tie France with two trophy wins. Les Bleus had won the title back in 2001 and 2003.
Verdict: Unbreakable