Records & Milestones - Leicester City At The FIFA World Cup

All News

Men

Women

Internationals

Interviews & Features

Heritage

Photos

Records & Milestones - Leicester City At The FIFA World Cup

As the football world prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which starts on Thursday, our history on the game's biggest stage provides plenty of stories worth revisiting.

2026-06-10T09:00+01:00

by Admin

Published

15 Hours 33 Mins Ago

Records & Milestones - Leicester City At The FIFA World Cup

As the football world prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which starts on Thursday, our history on the game's biggest stage provides plenty of stories worth revisiting.

Admin

2026-06-10T09:00+01:00

Records & Milestones - Leicester City At The FIFA World Cup

As the football world prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which starts on Thursday, our history on the game's biggest stage provides plenty of stories worth revisiting.

Admin

2026-06-10T09:00+01:00

Records & Milestones - Leicester City At The FIFA World Cup

As the football world prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which starts on Thursday, our history on the game's biggest stage provides plenty of stories worth revisiting.

Admin

2026-06-10T09:00+01:00

Records & Milestones - Leicester City At The FIFA World Cup

As the football world prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which starts on Thursday, our history on the game's biggest stage provides plenty of stories worth revisiting.

Admin

2026-06-10T09:00+01:00

From a World Cup winner to milestones that underline our international footprint, the Foxes have enjoyed an intriguing relationship with the tournament over the past seven decades.

Our greatest World Cup link arrived in 1966 when the late, great Gordon Banks helped England lift the Jules Rimet Trophy on home soil. Already established as one of the finest goalkeepers in world football during his time at Filbert Street, Banks became the first Leicester City player to win the World Cup, a record that remains unmatched to this day.

Banks' success was part of a growing Leicester presence on the international stage. Willie Cunningham represented Northern Ireland, while John O'Neill became the Club's first player to appear at multiple World Cups when he represented them at both Spain 1982 and Mexico 1986. O'Neill remains the only Fox to have played at two World Cups while contracted to the Club.

As football entered a new era, goalkeeper Kasey Keller represented the United States at France 1998. Four years later, Muzzy Izzet became Leicester's sole representative at the 2002 tournament, helping Turkey on their remarkable run to third place, playing in the semi-final against eventual winners Brazil.

Following the Club's return to the Premier League in 2014, our representation on the international stage expanded dramatically. Riyad Mahrez became the first Leicester City player in 12 years to appear at a World Cup when he represented Algeria in Brazil, helping his nation reach the Round of 16 – losing to that year's winners, Germany.

Russia 2018 proved to be a landmark tournament in City's World Cup history. No fewer than eight Foxes players travelled to the competition, setting a Club record for the most representatives at a single World Cup. Those players represented six different nations – another club record at the time.

The tournament also produced several significant firsts. Ahmed Musa etched his name into the Club's history books by becoming the first Leicester City player to score at a World Cup, finding the net against Iceland for Nigeria. He would score twice in that match, a feat which still leaves him as our leading World Cup goalscorer.

Harry Maguire made history of his own shortly afterwards. Representing the Three Lions alongside Jamie Vardy, his powerful header against Sweden in the quarter-finals made him the maiden Leicester player to score for England at a World Cup, helping Sir Gareth Southgate's side reach the last four for the first time since 1990.

Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was another central figure in Russia. The Danish goalkeeper played every minute of his country's run, not only saving a Luka Modrić penalty in the final stages of extra-time in the Round of 16, but also stopping two during the shootout.

Schmeichel's international achievements extend beyond the World Cup itself. During his Leicester career, he amassed 84 caps for Denmark, the most won by any player while contracted to the Club. Gordon Banks holds the equivalent England record, earning 37 caps for the Three Lions during his Leicester career.

Goalscoring records are similarly spread across generations. Departing striker Patson Daka holds the record for the most international goals scored while a Leicester City player, netting 15 times for Zambia, while Vardy's seven England goals remain the highest total recorded by a Foxes player for the national team while at the Club.

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar once again demonstrated Leicester City's international reach and, in total, 24 Leicester City players have now travelled to World Cups while at the Club (with 21 actually playing games).

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup now on the horizon, Foxes stars including Abdul Fatawu and Harry Souttar will have the opportunity to add new records, milestones and perhaps even new history.

LATEST HEADLINES

Remembering When The Foxes Wore White In 72/73, we adopted, for one season only, an all-white home kit with blue trim - a move away from the blue home kits which have been synonymous with Leicester City both before and after.

09 Jun, 2026

‘An Unforgettable Experience’ – Izzet’s FIFA World Cup Memories In one of several interviews over the years with Club Historian John Hutchinson, Muzzy Izzet, a star midfielder for Leicester City between 1996 and 2004, recalled playing for Turkey in the 2002 FIFA World Cup Semi-Final against eventual winners Brazil.

09 Jun, 2026

Remembering The Old First Division Title Bid Of 1929 Club Historian John Hutchinson revisits the 1928/29 season, when Leicester City finished runners-up in the old First Division, one point behind The Wednesday (now Shefield Wednesday).

08 Jun, 2026

Foxes See Women's International Action We're half-way through LCFC Women's representation during this latest international window, as Emily van Egmond was recognised as Australia's most-capped women's player before kick-off.

08 Jun, 2026