Before i talk about how to score in a world cup final, let me tell you that  today, soccer is the global game, and it offers no greater glory than scoring a goal in the World Cup final. If you hit the net in the biggest game of them all, you’ll never have to buy a drink again. So lace up those golden boots, and prepare for immortality.

Your first step is to become good enough so that your national coach plays you – and while not all World Cup goalscorers play as strikers, this position traditionally offers the most opportunity for glory.

You should be fit, speedy and physically robust. Develop the mythical ‘good first touch’ that allows you to immediately bring the ball under control. Master heading the ball, and shooting with both feet, and definitely make sure you can take penalties – some great players, and indeed entire teams, have been found wanting in this department (for instance, Italy’s Roberto Baggio, the best player in the world at the time, famously missed in the 1994 World Cup final). Above all, don’t be a shrinking violet – no great striker ever is.

Having thus reached international standard, what else should you consider? Choose your country wisely – if your passport dictates that you play for Tonga or the Faroe Islands, kiss goodbye to your World Cup dream. Thirty two countries qualify for the finals from an initial field of more than 200 national teams. Once at the finals, a country must fight its way through a mini league, with 16 teams progressing to a knockout format comprising a second round, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final. Since the first final in 1934, only 12 countries have appeared in the showcase match, and it’s extremely rare for a new nation to break into that exclusive gang.

Once you’ve reached the final, hold your nerve. Not only will there be tens of thousands of fans in the stadium, but you can also expect a TV audience in excess of 700 million. You will not get many chances, so make the most of anything that falls to you – few World Cup final goals are things of beauty.

Prepare a suitable celebration for your moment of glory – these days celebrating a goal involves more choreography than you’ll see at a disco convention. And remember to wear your smartest pants – Brazilian legend Jairzinho recalls being stripped to his underwear by enthusiastic fans at the end of the 1970 final!