First World Cup: 13 teams, 1930
The first World Cup in Uruguay had only 13 teams because Egypt literally missed the boat that was carrying the competing nations.
Where this was said
Sepp Blatter's Rise: From Swiss Watch Executive to FIFA's Power Broker
At 13:36 · chapter starts 12:40
If Pelé embodied the grace and joy of the game, Sepp Blatter was his total opposite: a Swiss watch executive with a taste for the limelight who joined FIFA in 1975 and quietly grasped something that would make him indispensable. As Joshua Robinson explains, Blatter understood that FIFA wasn't selling football — it was selling pure entertainment, and the money was in television rights, not ticket sales. Over the 1980s, he carved FIFA's broadcasting empire into the most commercially maximised version of itself, parcelling rights to as much of the world as possible. By the time he left in the 2010s, FIFA was sitting on more than $1.5 billion in cash. He also understood FIFA's political structure with surgical precision: every country — regardless of size — gets one vote, so he built his power base in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean by channelling development money to build pitches, stands, and training facilities in nations that had never had them. More than one federation director told Clegg and Robinson: 'We don't see Mr. Blatter as a politician. Mr. Blatter is a great humanitarian.'
Blatter joined FIFA in 1975
Sepp Blatter began his FIFA career in 1975 as technical director, rising through Secretary General before becoming president in 1998.
FIFA cash reserves: $1.5B+
By the time Sepp Blatter left FIFA in the 2010s, the organization was sitting on more than $1.5 billion in cash reserves, up from very little when he joined.
FIFA's One-Country-One-Vote Democracy — and How Blatter Weaponised It
Every country in FIFA gets one vote regardless of size — and Blatter built his power base by funneling development money to small nations in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. They didn't see him as a politician; they called him a great humanitarian.
FIFA has 211 member nations
FIFA's member base consists of 211 national associations, each with one vote — a democratic structure Blatter exploited to build his political power base.
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Stopped after the bell
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Glory Kickboxing uses 5 judges rather than boxing's 3, which Joe Rogan argues reduces the chance of a corrupt or incompetent minority swinging the result.
1 professional boxing match before Usyk
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15 years of boxing training
Despite having just one pro boxing match, Rico Verhoeven had been training boxing for 15 years alongside his kickboxing career.
6-month boxing transition camp
Rico used a full 6 months to transition from kickboxing stance to a proper boxing stance under trainer Peter Fury, calling it essential rewiring.
