Arsenal stars breaking records at 2026 World Cup | International | News

Gabriel Martinelli’s late goal against Japan helped Brazil into the last 16 of the World Cup, and broke a tournament record in the process.

Deep into stoppage time, our winger showed superb composure to tuck a late chance into the net, sending his team into the next round, with the goal timed at 95 minutes exactly.

That means that it was the latest winning goal in normal time of the knockout stages of the World Cup on record (since 1966):

Gabi also became only the second Gunner to score a last-minute winner in a World Cup match, after Dennis Bergkamp did so in incredible fashion for the Netherlands against Argentina in 1998.

A number of other feats have also been achieved already at this tournament from an Arsenal perspective.

Kai Havertz’s equaliser for Germany in their penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay means that he’s scored nine goals across each of the last four major international finals, while his tally of three at this tournament matches the best-ever tally from any Gunner at a World Cup.

As well as Bergkamp in 1998, Thierry Henry hit three goals at the 2006 finals, while four years ago Bukayo Saka hit the same figure during England’s run to the quarter-finals in Qatar. Saka has the chance to move to the top of our all-time scorers at the World Cup should he net just once in these finals.

If he, or many of the other Gunners still vying for the trophy in North America, managed to get on the scoresheet, then it’ll also break our record for the most Arsenal players to score at a single edition of the competition.

In 2006, Henry, Freddie Ljungberg, Philippe Senderos and Robin van Persie all struck, but those feats have been equalled this summer already thanks to Viktor Gyokeres, Leandro Trossard, Martinelli and Havertz all hitting the target.

Only Paris Saint-Germain and Sunderland can boast more goalscorers than our quartet so far in the competition:

When it comes to assists though, we have already set a new club-high. Gabriel’s delivery for Casemiro’s leveller for Brazil against Japan meant that he was the fifth Gunner to set up a goal at these finals already, joining Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Saka and Gyokeres.

That surpasses our best total of four at France 98 when Marc Overmars, Emmanuel Petit, Patrick Vieira and Bergkamp all laid on goals for teammates. 

When you combine goals and assists, only players from Real Madrid and Liverpool have provided more goal involvements than our Gunners at the World Cup so far:

With 14 of our stars still in with a chance of winning the trophy, expect these numbers to continue to climb, and more history to be made.