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World Cup

A Brief History Of The FIFA World Cups (Part One)

A Brief History Of "Uruguay 30"

 

 

The world cup "Uruguay 30" was the first ever organized with only 13 teams participating in a tournament which was by invitation. This in contrast to today's world cups which are by qualification. As for the 13 teams which participated, two were from North America (USA and Mexico), seven were from South America (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Peru, Chile and Paraguay) while only four were from Europe; given the fact that costs of traveling in those days were very costly.

 

Uruguay was chosen as the host for the first world cup given that they were the defending Olympic champions at time. As for the tournament itself it was held exclusively in Montevideo and in three stadiums though most of the games were played in the "Centenario". This stadium being constructed specially for this world cup and named "Centario" (meaning one hundred years) in honor of Uruguay's 100 years of independence.

 

The world cup in Uruguay was organized by putting the 13 teams in to four groups with the winners of each group going in to the semifinals and eventually in to the final and unlike today there was no match played for third place. Of course due to the odd number of teams one group had four countries while the other three had only three.

 

Italy was among one of the countries that did not participate in this world cup despite having a strong team at the time which left Uruguay and Argentina, as the ones who would be most likely to win the tournament which started it all with moments such as these.

 

1. France 4 Mexico 1 (First Round)

In this game France's L. Laurent scored the first ever goal in world cup history yet France was not really the first team to win a game, given that that at the same time the USA was playing Belgium in a match which was won by the team from North America by 3-0.

 

2. Argentina 1 France (First Round)

In this game France's goalkeeper was the first to leave a match injured (20 minutes in to the game) yet given the rules of the day France could not enter a substitute player in his place. This meaning France found itself in a difficult situation which was made more so when Argentina's Monti injured Laurent, who stayed on the field but did little other than limp through out the match. This game will also be remembered for the referee ending the match 6 minutes early and just as France had a man in a clear position to score a goal. As for the game, it would be restarted. France for its part had been forced to play two games in a period of 48 hours.

 

3. Argentina 6 Mexico 3 (First Round)

This game was the first one to feature a penalty as well as being the highest scoring match of the tournament. Argentina's Stabile also became the first South American player to score three goals in a final though not the first to do so, as was originally thought.

 

4. USA 3 Paraguay 0 (First Round)

In this game the USA's Patenaude became the first player to score three goals in a world cup match while the USA became the first and so far only team from North America to qualify as far as the semifinal.

4. Romania 3 Peru 1 (First Round)

In this game Peru's Galindo became the first player ever sent off the field while the crowd in attendance is said to have been the smallest ever at a world cup match. It officially being 2,459 though the generally accepted figure is said to have been 300.

 

5. Argentina 6 USA 1 (Semifinal)

This was the first ever semifinal encounter. The United States for its part was declared as having come in third in this world cup though the reasons were never made clear as to why; given that a match for third place was not played.

 

6. Uruguay 4 Argentina 2 (Final)

This was the first ever final with Dorado for Uruguay scoring the first goal. As for a curious note regarding this first final. The first half was played with a ball from Argentina which ended 2-1 in favor of Argentina while the second half was played with a Uruguayan ball which ended in a 4-2 victory for Uruguay.

 

The first world cup was held in the winter which led to some of the games being played in the snow yet despite these factors; it can honestly be said that Argentina and Uruguay were the best teams in not only this world cup but of the time. As would be proven in this first tournament. It being Uruguay to claim the title while Argentina's Stabile was top goal scorer with eight goals to his credit. In conclusion one can say though the first world cup lacked in organization and other aspects, it was the first world cup ever to be played as well as being the one that started it all so many years ago.

 

 

A Brief History Of "Italy 34"

 

 

Italy 34 was the second world cup to be played as well as the first one to be hosted by a European country. It being Italy who won their first championship in a tournament which they also had to qualify for along with 15 other teams. This factor making Italy the first and last nation to have to qualify for a world cup which they, themselves organized. Uruguay however in this second world cup refused to participate, feeling the need to get even with Italy and other European nations who did not participate in Uruguay 30. It being this factor which makes Uruguay the first and so far last nation not to participate in a world cup when they were defending champions. South America however despite Uruguay's absence would not go unrepresented in Italy 34 as Brazil and Argentina did not fail to make their presence along with 14 other teams in what would be the first world cup with 16 nations.

 

Italy 34 was also organized in a different fashion than Uruguay 30 as it was in this tournament where teams were made to play each other in 8 games with the winners going on to the next round which was the quarterfinals. It being there where once more teams played each other in direct matches with winners going on to the semifinals where they again played one another; with the winning teams going on to the final while the loosing teams played for third place. It in fact being a system like the one which is used now a days, only that they started from what today is the round of 16. As a curious note regarding the games of Italy 34, they were all played simultaneously; in the sense that all first round matches were played on the same date and time. This also the case with quarterfinal matches as well as those in the semifinal.

 

For Italy this was the first world cup which they won as well as the one which established them as one of the dominating teams in world football. It being till this day that Italy is amongst the top four nations in the sport. As for Italy 34, it had many a fine moment such as.

 

1. Hungary 4 Egypt 2 (First Round)

Egypt was in fact not only the first African team to qualify for a world cup but was also the first one to do so which was neither from Europe or the Americas.

 

2. Austria 3 France 2 (First Round)

This game ended 1-1 after the regular 90 minutes which made it the first one in world cup history to go in to overtime.

 

3. Italy 1 Spain 1 (Quarterfinals)

This was the first ever game to end in a draw which required these two teams to replay the match. This was also one of the first quarterfinal games ever played in a world cup though it would be hard to say it was the first due to the fact that all four quarterfinal matches were played simultaneously.

 

4. Italy 1 Spain 0 (Quarterfinals)

Because the first encounter finished in a 1-1 draw, Italy and Spain had to replay their match which made this the first one ever to have to be replayed.

 

Germany 3 Austria 2 (For Third Place)

This was the first game ever to take place for third place.

 

Italy 2 Czechoslovakia 1 (Final)

This was the first final in which the loosing team scored the first goal as well as being the first one to go in to overtime. As for Italy, they became the first European team to win a world cup. Czechoslovakia for their part despite coming in second did have Nejedly on their team; who because of his five goals was top goal scorer of the tournament. This being similar to Argentina in 30 who also lost in the final but had the top goal scorer.

 

As a footnote regarding Italy, they had a player on their team by the name of Monti; who not only was born in Argentina but even played for them in the previous world cup. Monti becoming the first player ever to not only play in two world cups for two different teams but to reach two finals with different teams. Monti regarding his having played for two different teams is not alone however in having done so in two finals for two different teams is, as no other player in history has accomplished this feat and no other ever will; as this is now strictly forbidden by FIFA.

 

Italy won the second world cup in a tournament noted for brutality that would see many an injury, specially in both its matches against Spain yet in spite of it all; Italy did prevail at end. Italy also became the first world champion to have to play two games that went in to overtime as well as a replay. In conclusion one could say that Italy 34 was a tournament that included many a foul and kick as such was the game back then in a time before it was known for the finesse and skill most people now associate it with.

 

 

A Brief History Of "France 38"

 

 

France 38 was the third world cup ever to be played and though it was organized in the exact same manner in which Italy 34 was, it did have factors which made it unique yet some being as a result of the politics of the time which was soon to lead the world in to another world war. Austria in fact did qualify to this world cup and would have played in the first round against Sweden had it not been for the fact that Nazi Germany annexed it to form part of the third Reich. This meaning that Austria was unable to present a team to play against Sweden who received a walkover in their first match.

 

Italy for its part won their second world cup and became the first nation to claim this title for the second time. This being the case while France became both the first host nation to not only not win the world cup but be eliminated in quarterfinals in a tournament that included the following highlights.

 

1. Sweden Vs Austria (First Round)

This match was never played given that Austria no longer existed as an independent nation which meant that they were forced to forfeit. Sweden received a walkover which was the first and so far last time this has ever occurred in a world cup.

 

2. Brazil 6 Poland 5 (First Round)

This match which after regulation time ended at four goals a piece, set a record for most goals scored in a game yet it did not beat the Italy Vs USA of the previous world cup for goals scored during regulation time. In this game Poland's Wilimowski also became the first player ever to score four goals in a world cup match though one was in overtime and so far he is the only player to do so in a loosing effort. Brazil became the first South American team to play in three world cups as well as having the first South American player (Leonidas) to score in two world cups.

 

3. Switzerland 4 Germany 2 (Replay In The First Round)

In this match Switzerland's Lörtscher became the first player to score an own goal in a world cup.

 

4. Italy 3 France 1 (Quarterfinal)

When France lost this match it became the first host nation ever to loose in a world cup.

 

5. Brazil 4 Sweden 2 (Match For Third)

Brazil became the first South American team to come in third in a world cup.

 

6. Italy 4 Hungary 2

Italy became the first team to repeat as champions as well as the first to have two players (Colaussi and Piola) score two goals a piece in a final.

 

In France 38, Italy won the world cup for the second time yet events were leading the world to war and it would not be till 1950 that another world cup was held. It being a whole generation of players that was lost to the game yet return football would with not only more world cups but great games.

 

 

A Brief History Of "Brazil 50"

 

 

Brazil 50 was an important tournament in many regards. One of them being that it was the first world cup to be held after world war II which brought back the interest of many nations. Italy being one of them, who not only was recovering from World War II but in fact had little if any desire to participate in the world cup, this perhaps due to how most of the players on their national team also played for the club "Torino" who suffered a plane crash that killed all the members of their team. Italy however were the defending world champions at the time and though it has not been proven, it is believed that one of the arguments FIFA used to convince Italy; was the offer of paying for all their traveling expenses.

 

To a certain extent Brazil 50 will be largely remembered for the teams that did not play. Germany being amongst them since they had been suspended because of the war. Argentina for its part had a great team at that time which had won several South American champions yet it was because of problems with Brazil that they chose to not even participate in the eliminations leading up to the world cup.

 

Brazil 50 was also a strange world cup from another aspect and that being the unique way it was organized. It being a tournament in which 16 teams were originally supposed to play in yet India, Scotland and Turkey withdrew before competition even started. This even leading to FIFA installing a rule that forced teams to participate in a world cup, if they had qualified or face sanctions; naturally FIFA making exceptions if a country for financial or political reasons or a natural disaster is unable to participate.

 

As for Brazil 50 itself, it was staged in the following manner, teams were placed in to four groups of four teams each with the winner of each group going on to not even the semifinals like had been the case in Uruguay 30 but another round robin group to determine the first four places in the tournament. This in fact meaning that Brazil 50 not only did not have quarterfinals but not even semifinals or a final for that matter or not one in the way which was played in every single world cup before or since. As for matches of interest, I would say the following are the ones which should be looked at.

 

1. Brazil 2 Switzerland 2 (First Round)

This was the first time a host nation drew in a match.

 

2. USA 1 England 0 (First Round)

This match was compared to the "shot heard round the world" of the American war of independence. It allowing the English to see that their football was not as great as they had believed, it being to the extent that when many in England read about this match in the paper; they thought the headline "USA 1 England 0" had been a misprint.

 

3. Italy 3 Sweden 2 (First Round)

This was the first match in which a defending champion lost yet for Italy it also meant elimination in the first round though if they had at least drawn; it would have been them who would have gone on to the next round. Italy's group was one of only three teams as India withdrew from the competition when they were told they could not play barefoot.

 

4. Uruguay 8 Bolivia 0 (First Round)

This match in fact was the smallest group in world cup history. As it was the one that decided which team from this group of two would end up among the top four teams of the tournament.  This being the situation since Scotland and Turkey were originally supposed to be in this group but both withdrew before the world cup started. Scotland not wanting to participate since they would not represent the UK as the first team. Of course for my part, I wonder why didn't they just put other teams from the tournament in to this group.

 

5. Sweden 3 Spain 1 (Second Round)

This match settled which one of these two teams would come in third place though it would be unfair to say this was a third place encounter, due to the fact that if it had finished in a draw it would have been Spain to claim this position. This match as a curious point was played at the exact same time and day as the one which decided between Uruguay and Brazil who would win the Jules Rimet trophy which before this tournament was not officially referred to as such.

 

6. Uruguay 2 Brazil 1 (Second Round)

This match was hailed as the final of the tournament though in reality it was not. As it would be fairer to say it was the last game in a league played amongst only four teams. Uruguay for its part however thanks to their win became champion for the second and so far last time in their history while Brazil in all honesty, one could say finished second; this as opposed to merely being a looser of the final. Of course this game was particularly painful for Brazilians given the facts that they were playing at home and that all they needed to be declared champions was a draw. Another strange factor about this so called final was that to get to it Uruguay only had to play three games while Brazil had to play five games.

 

In conclusion it would be fair to say that Uruguay deserved their championship as they did defeat Brazil on their home soil to take it yet they did play two matches less. As for Italy they lost great players because of the war yet in spite it all were able to get together a wonderful team which would have been able perform well yet it was not to be. This being the case as most of their players died in the plane crash suffered by Torino. All in an accident which brought more tragedy on to Italian football and it would not be till many years that Italy was able to get a team to compete at the top again.

 

As a footnote, we might say that this world cup had two defending champions. As Uruguay had not really lost its title since they won it in 1930 because they had not defended it in either Italy 30 or France 38 while Italy had won the previous edition of this tournament.

 

A Brief History Of "Switzerland 54"

 

 

 

The world cup in Switzerland was probably one of the greatest ever played if statistics are anything to go by and though there is a no footage (or at least none that I know of) of any matches in their entirety but only of a few highlights, most of which are unclear; I believe it must have been something truly worth watching. As how else can a semifinal match like Hungary Vs Uruguay be described when a team that is twice world champion and undefeated in the world cup meets the one that was innovating football at the time. It being this game which ended 4-2 in favor of the Hungarians, who needed overtime to go on to the final yet to a certain extent matches like these were the norm in this world cup. This being the case in Switzerland 54 where three records for scoring were set with the first being the highest number of goals ever scored in a world cup (140) along with the highest number of goals ever scored in a world cup match (12) as well as the highest goal scoring average per game which was what today would be an unthinkable 5.38. Switzerland's record of 140 goals was eventually surpassed in Spain 82 where 142 goals were scored yet I believe that the goal per game average established in Switzerland 54 will probably never be broken.

 

Organization wise Switzerland 54 was strange in being a world cup where 16 teams were put in to four groups with four teams each yet for some reason not all the teams in the groups actually played against each other. It being a case where England and Italy were in the same first round group yet did not play against one another while Italy was made to play Switzerland twice. The system basically being one in which a team faced two of the other teams in the group and if they won they went straight to the next round. This being the case with Hungary, who in their first two matches defeated both South Korea and Germany and therefore did not have to play against Turkey; who was also in their group. Of course if a team lost their first two games like South Korea did against both Hungary and Turkey, then they were eliminated and were not required to play against the fourth team in their group. This the case for those that won or lost their first two games yet for those that finished tied on points; it was a third game that awaited them in order to progress to the quarterfinals. It being this which was required of Germany and Switzerland to get through the first round, as Germany beat Turkey for the second time in the tournament while Switzerland did like wise with Italy. After the first round it was as it would be today from the stage of the quarterfinals where teams face each other until there are two to play for third place and another two to play the final.

 

Italy in this world cup had not yet fully recovered from having lost most of their great team of the late 40's in a plane crash. This leading to their early exist from the world cup at the hands of Switzerland yet teams like Hungary, Uruguay and Germany made for a great spectacle that included truly outstanding matches such as these.

 

1. Brazil 1 Yugoslavia 1 (First Round)

For some very strange reason this game had overtime added to it despite the fact that a draw was sufficient for both teams to qualify while the other two teams (France and Mexico) had already been eliminated.

 

2. Hungary 9 South Korea 0 (First Round)

This match set the record for most goals scored by one team and for the biggest margin of victory by one team over another. South Korea lost both its games in this world cup by a combined 16-0 yet in spite of this; as the first Asian team to participate in the world cup made a favorable impression on the local fans who received their efforts with both friendship and respect.

 

3. Hungary 8 Germany 3 (First Round)

This match with 11 goals set a record for most goals scored in a single match. It also being in this game that Germany fielded mostly a team of substitutes while Puskas was injured and did not return to action till the final.

 

4. Germany 7 Turkey 2 (First Round)

This was the first time two teams played each other in the same tournament in a game that was not a replay but a play off encounter.

 

5. Switzerland 4 Italy 1  (First Round)

This game was played at the exact same time and date as the other play off match between Germany and Turkey. It also being the first and last time Italy lost two games in the same world cup to the same team.

 

6. Austria 7 Switzerland 5 (Quarterfinals)

With 12 goals this was and still is the highest scoring match of all time yet even more goals could have been scored as Austria missed a penalty.

 

7. Hungary 4 Brazil 2 (Quarterfinals)

In this game Hungary's Kocsis scored his 8th and 9th goal of the tournament which both tied and set the record for most goals scored in a single world cup.

 

8. Hungary 4 Uruguay 2 (Semifinal)

In this game Hungary's Kocsis scored his 10th and 11th goal of the tournament which both reset the record for most goals scored in a tournament and made him the top scorer in world cup history at the time. Kocsis also becoming the first player ever to score 10 goals or more in a single world cup. This a feat which till this day has only been accomplished by two other players; Fontaine (13 goals) of France in 58 and Muller (10) of Germany in 70. Kocsis however did not score in the final which left his tally at 11 for the tournament.

 

9. Germany 3 Hungary 2 (Final)

In this final Hungary became the first and so far last team to loose a final despite having led at one point of the game by two goals. This being the case as Hungary scored the first two goals of the game. Germany for its part became the first team to come back from a 2-0 deficit to win a final. This match was also the first time, two teams met each other twice in the same world cup and in two different stages of the tournament. As an extra comment to this final, it continued a pattern which had been set in the first world cup; that the high scorer of the tournament did not play for the team which won the tournament. This in fact being a trend which was broken in Chile 62 when Brazil had two players (Vava and Garrincha) who were tied with 4 other players for top goal scorer of the tournament.

 

In conclusion, one could say that the world cup in Switzerland was truly exceptional in many ways which not only included the highest goal scoring average per game but all those wonderful plays that had little if anything to do with defense; in a time which is most likely never to return.

 

 

A Brief History Of "Sweden 58"

 

 

 

The world cup in Sweden was the first and last one to which Italy did not qualify to. This perhaps making it unique in this aspect yet also in the fact that it was the first world cup in which every group had four teams with each one of these teams having to play one another regardless of weather they were already quailed to the next round or eliminated. Sweden 58 was also the last world cup in which play off games were needed to decide who would advance in to the quarterfinals between teams which finished level on points. It being in this world cup where three out of the four second place teams got through to the quarterfinals due to these games. This system would be replaced by goal difference which is the one being used today to decide who qualifies when two teams or more end up tied on points. Sweden 58 was also the first world cup ever televised though in black and white and without the benefit of instant replays.

 

Naturally, as with all other world cups; Sweden 58 also had its outstanding moments which are as follows.

 

1. Northern Ireland 2 Czechoslovakia 1 (First Round Play Off)

This was an extra game which even required overtime to decide which one of these two teams would qualify in to the quarterfinals. In today's system Czechoslovakia would have qualified due to goal difference.

 

2. Brazil 2 USSR 0 (First Round)

In this game Brazil's Pele at 17 became the youngest player ever to play in a world cup.

 

3. Brazil 1 Wales 0 (Quarterfinals)

In this game Brazil's Pele became the youngest player to ever score a goal in a world cup.

 

4. Brazil 5 France 2 (Semifinal)

In this game Brazil's Pele became the youngest player ever to score 3 goals not only in a semifinal but in a world cup game.

 

5. France 6 Germany 3 (Match For Third Place)

This was and still is the highest scoring match for third place ever played in a world cup. It also being in this match that France's Fontaine scored four goals which raised his total to 13 for the tournament. This total not only being to this day the highest ever scored in a world cup but also making Fontaine the highest goal scorer in world cup history. Sweden 58 however would be Fontaine's first and last world cup yet his 13 goals were enough to keep him as the highest goal scorer in the world cup till 74; when Germany's Muller broke his record. As an added note, in Sweden 58; Fontaine became the first player to score in six games.

 

6. Brazil 5 Sweden 2 (Final)

This was the first ever final played between a South American and European team with Brazil becoming the first and so far only South American team to win a world cup in Europe. This was and still remains as the highest scoring final ever played in the history of the world cups. In this final Brazil also became the first South American team to have two players (Pele and Vava) score two goals each. Pele became the youngest player not only to win a world cup but to score in a final. Sweden for its part became the first team to ever loose a final while playing in their own country. This the case since the world cup in 1950 did not really have a final in the formal sense of the word.

 

Sweden 58 was a world cup noted for not only Fontaine's 13 goals but for Brazil, who fielded such greats as Garrincha, Didi, Vava, Pele, Santos and Zagalo on a team which was unquestionable one of the greatest of all time. They even going to win the next world cup with basically the same team minus Pele, who due to injury in Brazil's second game was replaced by Amarildo for the rest of the tournament.  As a footnote Sweden 58 was also the first world cup in which all teams that finished in the top four were required to play at least six games. This being a change from Switzerland 54 where Hungary only played five games; including the final.

About the Author

My name is Gianni Truvianni, I am an author who writes with the simple aim of sharing his ideas, thoughts and so much more of what I am with those who are interested in perhaps reading something new. I also am the author of the book entitled "New York's Opera Society" which is now available on Amazon.

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