Fifa announced on Thursday there had been no positive drugs tests during the World Cup - again.

The governing body confirmed 626 urine, blood and serum samples had had been collected from players since its flagship event began, including 108 on non-matchdays.

With 62 of the 64 games played, that meant each game saw an average of more than eight players tested - double the minimum required by Fifa of two from each team.

However, the 108 tests on non-matchdays meant that at least 85 per cent of players did not undergo a single no-notice test during the tournament.

Fifa said 90 per cent of all tests at the event had been targeted, although it provided scant further detail having already refused last month to reveal how many it had conducted on Russia’s World Cup squad following their staggering start to the tournament.

It did reveal every player from the four remaining teams - England, France, Belgium and Croatia - had been tested 4.41 times since January, with some tested eight times.

And it said a total of 2,037 tests had been conducted over that period, producing 3,985 samples (1,928 urine, 1,031 whole blood, 1,026 serum), with 2,761 of them collected directly by Fifa in unannounced controls prior to the competition and 626 during it.