Will and Guy’s World Cup Stories- 1938 Winners Italy (World Cup 3)
Final: Italy 4: 2 Hungary. Lucky Italy – Again.
Strange but True
Who held the World Cup the longest? Answer Italy 16 years from 1934 to 1950. Because of World War 2, there was no World Cup competition in 1942 or 1946, therefore after 1938 the next World Cup tournament was 1950. You may remember that Italy won the World Cup in 1934 and 1938.
Legend has it that the Italian Dr Ottorino Barassi kept the trophy under his bed throughout the war.
This strange but true story is a variation of the old Pompey chestnut – who held the English FA cup the longest. Answer: Portsmouth 1939-46 because of World War 2.
Elastic FailsItalian captain Meazza converted a penalty in the semi-final while holding up his shorts with his left hand. The conventional wisdom is that the elastic waistband had broken, but some say it was a tactic to distract the goal keeper.
Classic Game
Brazil 2: 1 Czechoslovakia
Average goals per game 4.7
Key Players
Vittorio Pozzo was born in Turin Italy in 1886. He became one of the greatest football coaches of all time: certainly the best coach that Italy has ever had. He led Italy to World Cup glory in 1934 and again in1938 and to Olympic victory in 1936. Known as il Vecchio Maestro [the old master] he was central in establishing many of the characteristics of Italian football; ‘ steely pragmatism melded with sophisticated precision.’
Leonidas (Brazil, however strangely rested for key game with Italy, which Brazil lost)
Silvio Piola (Italy)
Background
War was looming, politics was already affecting the Austrian team. As far as I can see, Brazil was the only South American country to enter, the others boycotted the World Cup because they felt it was the Southern Hemisphere’s turn to host the competition.
