1938: Italy retain crown

1938: Italy retain crown
As the world continued on its march towards the horror of global warfare, the third FIFA World Cup took place in France in June 1938. Already, though, there were casualties: Spain, suffering the tragedy of civil war, were absent, as were Austria, a country which, despite having qualified, no longer officially existed following the German Anschluss.

French farce
Less desperate reasons also saw the absence of all but three non-European nations, while the British continued to sit on the sidelines. Uruguay, undefeated in the World Cup due to their refusal to defend their title in 1934, were again absent, and their arch-rivals Argentina actually pulled out of the tournament twice, once in pique at not being picked to host the tournament and then again after they had re-entered and drawn Brazil.

Straightforward situation
Italy, the holders and favourites, and hosts France did not have to qualify, and as eight of the other 36 entrants withdrew without playing a match the qualifying competition was straightforward. Brazil, Cuba, the Dutch East Indies and Romania all qualified without kicking a ball and elsewhere the most notable occurrence was Hungary’s 11-1 win over Greece, the first time double figures had been reached in a World Cup match.

Conscientious objector
The tournament, which as in 1934 was a straight knockout, opened with a match between Germany and Switzerland. The Austrian withdrawal had not only given Sweden a first-round bye but also allowed the Germans to cherry-pick their best players. Indeed, four former Austrians lined up for Germany, a notable absentee being Matthias Sindelar, who to his eternal credit refused to play. There was consequently much delight in Paris when, after a 1-1 draw, the Germans crashed out 4-2 in the replay.

Spirited Norway
Italy also flirted with embarrassment when they struggled to overcome a spirited Norwegian team. Playing in their first World Cup, Norway hit the woodwork three times and had a goal disallowed before succumbing 2-1 in extra time. That, though, proved to be the only time the Italians looked anything but the best team in the tournament.

Perfect start
Elsewhere, France got their campaign off to a perfect start when Emile Veinante scored after 35 seconds of a 3-1 win against Belgium; Cuba provided a shock when they knocked out Romania after a replay; the Czechs beat the Dutch after extra-time and Hungary cruised past the Dutch East Indies 6-0.

Great spectacle 
However, the best match of the first round and one of the most amazing matches in World Cup history was between Brazil and Poland. A first-half hat-trick from Leonidas put the Brazilians -wearing their famous yellow shirts for the first time - 3-1 up. However, a downpour in the second half allowed the Poles, playing in their first World Cup, to hit back and take the match into extra-time at 4-4. Then Leonidas struck again, flinging off his boot to score barefoot in the mud, to take his tally to four, a feat equalled 15 minutes later by Ernest Willimowski who knocked in Poland’s fifth. However by then Pelliciari Romeu had already struck Brazil’s sixth. Breathless stuff – and Brazil’s love affair with the World Cup had begun.

Battle of Bordeaux
Sadly, they showed a more cynical side of their game in the quarter-final against Czechoslovakia. The match ended in a 1-1 draw but the 'Battle of Bordeaux' is remembered more for the three sendings-off, one broken leg and Czech goalkeeper Frantisek Planicka playing with a fractured arm. Two days later, with a different referee, Brazil won a much calmer replay 2-1.

Brazilian blunder
The semi-finals paired Brazil with the holders, Italy, who beat France 3-1 in their quarter-final. It was now that Brazil coach Ademar Pimenta made one of the biggest blunders in World Cup history. So confident of reaching the final he inexplicably rested both Leonidas and his striking partner Tim. Of course, it backfired and two goals in five minutes early in the second half, the latter a 60th-minute penalty from captain Giuseppe Meazza, sealed Italy’s 2-1 victory.

Hungry Hungary
Italy's opponents in the third World Cup final on 19 June in Paris were Hungary, who had only conceded one goal in getting to the final, and that was in a 5-1 thrashing of Sweden in the semi-finals which followed a 2-0 defeat of Switzerland in the quarter-finals.

Indomitable Italy
However, the Italians proved too strong in the final. They went 1-0 up after just six minutes when, after a lightening move, Gino Colaussi scored and although Pal Titkos equalised two minutes later, further strikes by Silvio Piola and a second by Colaussi after 35 minutes put Italy 3-1 up at the interval.

Meazza magic
In the second half Italy, superbly marshalled by Meazza, sat on their lead and Giorgi Sarosi managed to pull one back for Hungary 20 minutes from time. Roused from their slumber Piola scored a fourth for Italy to complete a 4-2 victory. Italy had retained their title, a second under Vittorio Pozzo, who is still the only man to have coached two World Cup-winning teams.