World Cup 2018: Belgium shine, Uruguay unbeaten, Kane on fire – group stage in Opta numbers

With the group games complete, the serious business of the World Cup’s knockout rounds start on Saturday with a pair of heavyweight clashes.

France against Argentina will be followed by Uruguay’s meeting with Portugal as the last-16 ties stretch across four days during Russia 2018.

However, there is still time to look back before the action resumes. The opening stage offers a chance to pick out key points about the 16 nations that remain in with a chance of lifting the famous trophy on July 15.

Here, we have selected 10 of the key Opta numbers from the World Cup so far.

As the group stage ends, we say farewell to 16 teams from this year’s FIFA #WorldCup

Thanks for the memories! #KSA #EGY #IRN #MAR #PER #AUS #NGA #ISL #SRB #CRC #KOR #GER #TUN #PAN #SEN #POL pic.twitter.com/KPsa4RgTsI

— FIFA World Cup  (@FIFAWorldCup) June 29, 2018

5 – Harry Kane is the top scorer and leading the race for the Golden Boot, with five goals. The England captain was rested for the closing Group G loss to Belgium but remains one clear of Cristiano Ronaldo, Romelu Lukaku and surprise star Denis Cheryshev.

17 – At the other end of the pitch, Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa has made 17 saves, more than anyone else at the tournament so far. Denmark’s Kasper Schmeichel, though, has a better save percentage (92.3) compared to Ochoa (81).

17 – Neymar has been fouled more than any other player at the World Cup, the Brazil talisman winning 10 free-kicks alone in his side’s opening draw against Switzerland.

11 – On the flip side, Russia striker Artem Dzyuba’s 11 fouls conceded is the joint highest, level with Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano.

16 – No player has had more shots at goal than Neymar’s tally of 16, with the world’s most expensive player additionally pipping Ronaldo with eight shots on target compared to the Portugal captain’s total of seven.

0 – Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have never scored in the knockout stages of the World Cup; between both of them, they accumulated 1.090 minutes without scoring (666 Messi, 424 Ronaldo). Drought. pic.twitter.com/1crbUOfcBH

— OptaJavier (@OptaJavier) June 29, 2018

307 – The most passes completed by a player after three fixtures is 307, by Spain captain Sergio Ramos. His nearest rival is Toni Kroos, eliminated with Germany, who recorded 298 as the holders crashed out. Spain’s Jordi Alba and Isco have also managed over 200, helping their team post a collective total of 2,079 successful passes.

9 – The nine goals scored by Belgium is more than any team at Russia 2018, with eliminated Panama conceding 11 to claim the unwanted honour of owning the worst defensive record. Belgium’s 8.49 Expected Goals is also the highest at the World Cup – and by a distance, too.

72 – Germany recorded 72 shots during their three group stage games, but were still eliminated after losing to Mexico and South Korea. Joachim Low’s side also recorded 72 per cent possession in their games, second only to Spain (72.8 per cent).

3 – Just three teams finished the group stages with maximum points: Belgium, Uruguay and Croatia. Uruguay are yet to concede a goal at the finals, keeping clean sheets in all their games so far – a record that Portugal will test in the last 16.

24 – The 24 penalties awarded at Russia 2018 – the first World Cup to use VAR – has already smashed the previous record. Of those 24 spot-kicks, 18 have been scored. Argentina’s Lionel Messi is among those to miss from 12 yards out, as he saw his attempt against Iceland saved.