Ball IQFootball Trivia Questions and Answers
A hand-picked set of harder football trivia questions — with answers and the story behind each one.
24 hand-picked football questions · every answer explained
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About this quiz
Think you know football? These are the questions that separate the diehards from the casuals — a hand-picked set of harder football trivia questions spanning the World Cup, the Premier League, the Champions League, the Euros and the game's all-time records and legends. Every one comes with the answer and a short explanation, so it works as much for learning as for testing yourself.
They're pulled straight from the Ball IQ question bank — the same questions our players face in the app — and kept deliberately tough. You'll find the famous moments (Liverpool's 4-0 comeback against Barcelona, Denmark's 1992 fairytale) next to the deep cuts (who managed Blackburn to the title, which club Ronaldo left to join Barcelona in 1996). Get most of these and you genuinely know your football.
Read them as a quiz or just for the stories behind the answers. When you want more — thousands of questions, a daily challenge, a Wordle-style football guessing game and live multiplayer — the full Ball IQ game is free.
19 football trivia questions & answers
Tap “Show answer” to reveal the answer and the story behind it.
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Who managed Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final?
- Dalić
- Čačić
- Kovač
- Bilic
Show answer
Answer: Dalić
Zlatko Dalić took over in late 2017 and guided Croatia through three extra-time knockout games to reach the final — their best-ever World Cup finish.
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Who scored France's third goal in the 1998 World Cup final — in stoppage time as France beat Brazil 3-0?
- Thuram
- Djorkaeff
- Guivarc'h
- Petit
Show answer
Answer: Petit
Petit scored a 90+1 minute low finish assisted by Patrick Vieira. Zidane had already scored two headers in the first half.
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In what year did Pelé make his World Cup debut and become the youngest WC scorer?
- 1954
- 1958
- 1962
- 1950
Show answer
Answer: 1958
Pelé was 17 at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, where Brazil won their first title. He scored a hat-trick in the semi-final.
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Which player scored England's consolation goal in their 2-1 defeat by Argentina at the 1986 World Cup — the 'Hand of God' quarter-final?
- Peter Beardsley
- Bryan Robson
- Steve Hodge
- Gary Lineker
Show answer
Answer: Gary Lineker
Lineker pulled one back late but couldn't spark a comeback. He still won the Golden Boot with 6 goals at that tournament.
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How many points did Man City accumulate in their record-breaking 2017-18 PL season?
- 102
- 100
- 98
- 95
Show answer
Answer: 100
100 points — the first team to hit the century mark. They scored 106 goals and finished 19 points ahead of Manchester United.
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In which season did Chelsea win the Premier League with the most points under Mourinho?
- 2006-07
- 2004-05
- 2003-04
- 2005-06
Show answer
Answer: 2004-05
2004-05 — Mourinho's first season. Chelsea won with 95 points, conceding only 15 goals all season.
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Which English club was relegated from the Premier League EARLIEST ever in 2024-25 — with seven games still to play?
- Everton
- Southampton
- Ipswich
- Leicester
Show answer
Answer: Southampton
Southampton's relegation was confirmed on 6 April 2025 after a 3-1 loss at Spurs — the earliest ever in PL history, with seven games to spare. They had just 10 points at that point, on course to challenge Derby's record-low tally (11 points in 2007-08).
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Who managed Blackburn Rovers when they won the Premier League in 1995?
- Bobby Gould
- Kenny Dalglish
- Ray Harford
- Jack Walker
Show answer
Answer: Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish — Blackburn pipped Manchester United to the title by a single point, with Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton's 'SAS' partnership up front.
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Who scored the crucial 4th goal for Liverpool vs Barcelona in the 2019 UCL semi-final second leg?
- Origi
- Firmino
- Wijnaldum
- Salah
Show answer
Answer: Origi
Divock Origi scored in the 79th minute to complete Liverpool's 4-0 comeback after a 3-0 first-leg loss — one of the greatest CL turnarounds ever.
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Which goalkeeper saved a crucial penalty for Chelsea in the 2012 UCL final shootout?
- Turnbull
- Hilário
- Cudicini
- Čech
Show answer
Answer: Čech
Chelsea won the shootout on Bayern's home ground in Munich; Drogba converted the winning kick after a late equaliser took the final to extra time.
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In which year did Ajax reach the UCL semi-finals, eliminating both Real Madrid and Juventus?
- 2019
- 2020
- 2018
- 2017
Show answer
Answer: 2019
2019 — young Ajax led by De Jong, De Ligt and Ziyech famously lost late to Spurs on away goals in the semi-final.
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Who scored the dramatic last-minute winner for Real Madrid vs Man City in the 2022 UCL semi-final?
- Ramos
- Modric
- Benzema
- Vinicius Jr
Show answer
Answer: Benzema
Rodrygo scored two goals in stoppage time to force extra time, then Benzema sealed it with a penalty.
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In which year did Zinedine Zidane win his only Ballon d'Or?
- 1998
- 1996
- 1997
- 2000
Show answer
Answer: 1998
1998 — the year he scored twice for France in the World Cup final win over Brazil.
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Who won the first ever Women's Ballon d'Or in 2018?
- Megan Rapinoe
- Alex Morgan
- Marta
- Ada Hegerberg
Show answer
Answer: Ada Hegerberg
Ada Hegerberg of Norway and Lyon — her acceptance speech was overshadowed by an inappropriate 'twerk' comment from the host.
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The Bosman ruling in 1995 changed football — what did it allow players to do?
- Change nationality
- Strike legally
- Move for free when contracts expire
- Earn unlimited wages
Show answer
Answer: Move for free when contracts expire
Move to another EU club for free once their contract expired. It transformed football's transfer market and ended clubs' stranglehold over players.
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Which club did Ronaldo (R9) leave to join Barcelona in 1996?
- Santos
- Cruzeiro
- PSV
- Flamengo
Show answer
Answer: PSV
PSV Eindhoven — he'd scored around 54 goals in 57 games for them. Barcelona paid a world-record fee before he moved to Inter a year later.
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Who managed Brazil to their 1970 World Cup victory — arguably the greatest international team ever?
- Mário Zagallo
- Aymoré Moreira
- João Saldanha
- Vicente Feola
Show answer
Answer: Mário Zagallo
Mário Zagallo — he'd also won in 1958 and 1962 as a player, making him the first to win the WC as both player and manager.
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Which two-nation pairing hosted Euro 2000 — the first ever co-hosted European Championship?
- Austria & Switzerland
- Belgium & Netherlands
- Spain & Portugal
- Poland & Ukraine
Show answer
Answer: Belgium & Netherlands
Belgium and the Netherlands co-hosted Euro 2000, won by France in the Rotterdam final.
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Which Portugal substitute scored a rebound in the 117th minute to sink Croatia in the Euro 2016 round of 16?
- Eder
- Quaresma
- Renato Sanches
- Nani
Show answer
Answer: Quaresma
Quaresma turned in Cristiano Ronaldo's parried shot in extra time to decide a cagey goalless stalemate.