The 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ is getting closer – 37 days to go! Between now and the start of the World Cup, we will take a closer look at a different statistic from the history of the tournament each day.

37 corners were won by Germany on the way to their triumph at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™. They resulted in four goals: Mats Hummels against Portugal, Miroslav Klose against Ghana, Thomas Muller against Brazil and Muller again versus the USA – although the last of these goals was not scored directly from the corner kick.

"Set pieces are a great weapon for a team, as they can decide matches,“ Germany coach Joachim Low said during the tournament in South America, before revealing that his players and assistant Hansi Flick had insisted on practising corners and free-kicks in several secret training sessions at their pre-tournament training camp in South Tyrol. "I’m a big fan of rehearsing things."

This practice paid off, with five of Germany’s ten goals en route to their semi-final against the hosts coming from three corners, one free-kick and a penalty.