The 2018 World Cup in Russia is nearly here. In the build-up to the most eagerly anticipated tournament in football, we're looking at a whole host of incredible records, players and moments.

In our first piece counting down to Russia 2018, we look back at what happened four years ago in Brazil, and all the records which were broken during the 2014 tournament.

Brazil 2014 saw a whole host of records set: from incredible individual and team records to landmark firsts and even those achievements some would rather forget.

In total there were 17 new records set during June and July 2014. Some will be extended again this year, such as as Most FIFA World Cup finals goals by a team (unless Germany fail to score a single goal in the tournament, which is extremely unlikely) while others like Miroslav Klose's Most FIFA World Cup finals goals by a player are less likely to be broken this time around.

And if Russia 2018 eclipses Brazil 2015 and France 1998's Most goals scored in a single FIFA World Cup - 171 - then we'll have had a very entertaining tournament.

On pitch

Most FIFA World Cup finals goals by a player: 16, Miroslav Klose (Germany)

Most appearances in the FIFA World Cup final by a team: 8, Germany

Most saves in a FIFA World Cup match: 16, Tim Howard (USA v Belgium)

Oldest player in a FIFA World Cup: Faryd Mondragon, Colombia (43 years 3 days)

Most goals scored in a single FIFA World Cup: 171 goals (level with France 1998)

Most penalty shoot-out victories in a FIFA World Cup finals: 4, Germany/Argentina

Highest margin of defeat by the host nation in a FIFA World Cup match: 6 goals, Brazil (Brazil 1-7 Germany)

Most FIFA World Cup finals as captain: 4, Rafael Marquez (Mexico)

Most FIFA World Cup finals goals by a team: 224, Germany

Most FIFA World Cup finals appearances: 20, Brazil

Shortest time to score two goals in a FIFA World Cup match: 69 seconds, Toni Kroos (Germany)

Fastest own goal in a FIFA World Cup match: 2 minutes 8 seconds, Saed Kolisinac (Bosnia and Herzogovina)

First full squad to appear in a FIFA World Cup tournament: The Netherlands

First FIFA World Cup finals to use Goal-Line Technology

First FIFA World Cup finals to use vanishing spray

Off pitch

It wasn't just on the pitch where records fell during Brazil 2014. 

The first World Cup held in the South American country since 1950 achieved two big social media records, as football fans around the globe had their say on what they were watching.

First event to reach 1 billion interactions on Facebook

Most tweets per minute: 618,725 (during Argentina v Germany final)