The World Cup is the pinnacle of football but not every player can be a starter. They can make a huge difference off the bench though.
Hundreds of goals have been scored by substitutes at World Cups since the rule was first introduced to the tournament in 1970.
But who are the best super subs? Here’s our top 10.
10. Richard Morales – 2002
Starting us off is the definition of a super sub in Richard Morales. He’s the holder of the quickest goal scored by a substitute in World Cup history.
The striker was summoned at half-time with Uruguay trailing 3-0 to surprise side Senegal. He took just 16 seconds to make his mark, kickstarting a thrilling comeback with the game ending 3-3.
9. Denilson – 1998 & 2002
From the quickest goal from a substitute to the player with the most substitute appearances at the World Cup, Denilson.
The brilliant Brazilian made 11 of his 12 appearances at the tournament off the bench, playing an impact role in both 1998 and 2002.
He may have lost the final in 1998, but Denilson became the most-expensie player in the world after his big-money move to Real Betis. Four years later, Denilson became a world champion. Not bad.
8. Cesc Fabregas – 2010
Not too far behind Denilson is Cesc Fabregas. The Spaniard only started two games across three World Cups, coming off the bench in his other eight appearances.
The 2010 final is the greatest moment in Spanish national team history and Fabregas played a huge part in it. It was he who assisted Andres Iniesta for his extra-time winner, giving La Roja their maiden World Cup triumph.
7. David Platt – 1990
Italia 90 can be considered the rebirth of both English football team and English football in general as the doom and gloom of 1980s hooliganism and stadium disasters was left behind.
Rather fittingly, one of the most iconic goals was provided and scored by two players who went onto star in Serie A, with Paul Gascoigne chipping a free-kick in for David Platt to volley home in fine fashion.
That it happened in the final minute of extra-time with the score at 0-0 made it all the better.
6. Wout Weghorst – 2002
The giant striker came off the bench and to his country’s rescue against Argentina, scoring twice to force extra-time and penalties in a stunning quarter-final. It was as many goals as he scored in his subsequent loan spell at Manchester United.
Trailing 2-0, Louis van Gaal threw Wout Weghorst on and he delivered, glancing a header past Emiliano Martinez in the 83rd minute before finishing a brilliant set-piece routine in the 11th minute of added time.
He also netted in the shootout but the Netherlands were knocked out by the soon-to-be-champions in a quarter-final which also saw a World Cup record 18 yellow cards and a red.
5. Tim Krul – 2014
From one Dutchman to another. And from one end of the pitch to the other. Eight years before Weghorst, Tim Krul came off the bench in an even more inspired decision from Van Gaal.
As a penalty shootout loomed against Costa Rica, the Dutch manager changed his shot stoppers with Krul coming on for first-choice Jasper Cillessan. It was the first time in World Cup history a goalkeeper substitute had been made solely for penalties.
It paid off as the bigger Krul saved two penalties as the Dutch progressed in an iconic tournament moment.
4. Gianni Rivera – 1970
An AC Milan icon and runner-up in the 1969 Ballon d’Or, Gianni Rivera was surprisingly not a starter at the 1970 World Cup following a series of disagreements with management.
Regardless of Italian football politics, the striker still made his mark. And then some. Rivera scored the third and clinching goal in the quarter-final win over Mexico before netting the winner in a 4-3 semi-final “game of the century” with Germany.
He still didn’t start the final and Italy lost 4-1 to Brazil. Go figure.
3. Lazslo Kiss – 1982
Hungary didn’t even make it out of the group stage in 1982 but their 10-1 win over El Salvador in their final game created plenty of World Cup history.
It was and remains both the biggest win and the only time a side has scored 10 in the 96-year-history of the tournament.
It also saw the brilliantly named Lazslo Kiss come off the bench to score the one and only hat-trick by a substitute. Not to mention the quickest-ever World Cup hat-trick inside just seven minutes.
2. Roger Milla – 1990
Perhaps the most iconic substitute in World Cup history, Roger Milla was one of the stars of both the 1990 and 1994 tournaments, either side of his 40th birthday.
Milla started every game on the bench, aged 38, but came on at half-time in four matches and also scored four times.
Two apiece came against Romania and Colombia as Milla helped Cameroon create history, becoming the first African side to qualify for the quarter-finals.
1. Mario Gotze – 2014
Who else could it be? Not only is Mario Gotze the only player to ever score a World Cup final winner from the bench but his goal was also provided by another substitute.
With the final against Argentina goalless deep into extra-time, the then-Bayern Munich star expertly took down a floated cross from Andre Schurrle before clinically dispatching past Sergio Romero.
It clinched a fourth title for Germany and is indisputably the most famous goal scored by a substitute in World Cup history.