The 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ is drawing ever nearer – with just 25 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.

25 - On 21 June 1978, Germany faced Austria in Cordoba at the FIFA World Cup™ in Argentina. It was Helmut Schon’s 25th World Cup match in charge of the national side at his fourth World Cup – more than any other coach in the history of the competition.

His record makes for remarkable reading, with 16 wins, four defeats and five draws across four tournaments (the matches lost after extra-time in the 1966 World Cup Final and 1970 World Cup semi-final are counted as defeats). His 1966 campaign only ended in defeat to the hosts after a legendary match with an even more legendary goal at Wembley.

Schon, who passed away in February 1996, is remembered today as one of the most successful coaches in German football history and one of the greatest ever to grace the beautiful game. He was recognised for his achievements in 1974 with the Silver Laurel Leaf, presented by the West German president, and the Federal Cross of Merit. As if that was not enough, he was named an honorary member of the German Football Association (DFB) in 1980 and received the FIFA Order of Merit in 1984, while Deutsche Post marked what would have been his 100thbirthday with a commemorative stamp of 1 September 2005.