1962: Brazil rise above the mire

1962: Brazil rise above the mire
After the festival of football that was the 1958 tournament, the seventh FIFA World Cup in Chile saw the game display a darker side. Dominated by dour, defensive tactics and overshadowed by excesses of violence it was, perhaps, the most disappointing of all the World Cups.

Pelé injured
The competition was further devalued when Pelé - the best player in the world - was injured early on leaving his ageing Brazilian team-mates to carry the torch for positive football.

Goal difference
Things did not augur well when both Sweden, beaten finalists in 1958, and France both failed to qualify. Indeed, Czechoslovakia only just made it - beating Scotland after extra time in a play-off. However, the latest change in format made progressing in the tournament easier with play-offs at the group stage being dropped in favour of goal difference.

Violent conduct
Sadly, the violence broke out early. After 12 games there had already been four sendings off, 37 serious injuries including breaks to one leg, two ribs and one nose. Headline writers around the world agreed - it was war.

'Battle of Santiago'
The worst instance - and the lowest point in World Cup history  - was the infamous 'Battle of Santiago' between Chile and Italy. Fighting broke out almost immediately and after eight minutes the English referee, Ken Aston, sent off Giorgio Ferrini. However, the Italian refused to go and it was only after ten minutes of mayhem that he left the field. With football rarely interrupting the violence another Italian, Mario David, was also sent off, minutes after his victim Leonel Sánchez had floored another Italian with a left hook. For the record Italy's nine men lost 2-0 but football was the real loser.

Ultra-defensive play
And if the violence was not bad enough, the ultra-defensive nature of many matches cast further gloom with England's 0-0 draw against Bulgaria - in their first World Cup - being described as the most boring match of all time. What the World Cup was crying out for was a spot of Brazilliance. The competition had started with Pelé beating four men to score a superb goal in a 2-0 win over Mexico, but sadly Brazil's next match - a 0-0 draw with Czechoslovakia  - saw Pelé laid low after tearing a thigh muscle.

Spanish elegance
Brazil's final group match was against Spain, and the teams still produced the game of the tournament. Spain took the lead through Rodriguez Adelardo before Brazil, inspired by Garrincha, fought back with goals by Pelé's replacement, Amarildo - the second just four minutes from time.

Superb goalkeeping
The quarter-finals paired Brazil with England and in a pulsating match it was Garrincha's two goals which proved the difference as the champions progressed 3-1. Elsewhere the Yugoslavians - playing the West Germans for the third World Cup quarter-final in a row - finally prevailed thanks to an 86th-minute goal by Petar Radakovic. Czechoslovakia also reached the semi-finals after an heroic performance by their goalkeeper, Viliam Schrojf, who protected a slim 1-0 lead against Hungary, who hit the woodwork three times.

Chile surprise
The most surprising semi-finalists were the hosts, Chile. Given no chance before the competition they beat the Soviet Union in their quarter-final. The Russians had started the tournament in imperious form but, handicapped by some eccentric goalkeeping from the legendary Lev Yashin, notably in a 4-4 draw with Colombia after they led 4-1, they seemed to get worse with every game. Indeed it was two further errors from Yashin that handed Chile a 2-1 win.

Garrincha inspired
The semi-finals could not have been more different. Only 5,890 turned up at the Estadio Nacional to watch the Czechs beat Yugoslavia 3-1 while the next day at the same ground a capacity 76,594 witnessed the hosts' attempt to master Brazil. However, it was not to be. Brazil, again inspired by Garrincha, outclassed the Chileans. Two first-half goals by the 'Little Bird' put Brazil in control and two more in the second half by Vavá guided the champions to a 4-2 triumph. The victory, however, was marred by Garrincha's late sending off. For a while it looked like the star of the tournament would miss the final but - unlike every other player dismissed - his card was rescinded and he was allowed to play.

Ageing side
As they lined up for the World Cup final in Santiago on 17 June, the Brazilians might have been without Pelé but were still strong favourites. They included eight of the team who appeared in the 1958 final but, significantly perhaps, only Amarildo was under 28.

Stylish Czechs
However, the Czechs - also in their second final - started the brighter. Ultra-defensive earlier in the tournament they now showed they could also play with style and Josef Masopust fired them ahead after 15 minutes. The lead lasted just two minutes before Amarildo beat three defenders and then, feinting to cross, shot home from an acute angle.

Evenly poised
The match was then evenly poised until the last half-hour when, with Garrincha finally taking charge, the Brazilians imposed themselves with goals from Zito, who headed home after 69 minutes, and Vavá, who pounced 12 minutes from time after Schroif had fumbled a high ball to make it 3-1. The Old Masters had won their second crown and signed off with a flourish but, after the shameful incidents of earlier in the tournament, had they also taken the beautiful game with them?