FIFA World Cup 1938

The 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third staging of the World Cup. It was held in France from June 4 to June 19. France was chosen as hosts by FIFA in August 1936. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4-2 in the final.

Qualification

FIFA’s decision during the celebration of the 1936 Summer Olympics to hold the tournament in France caused outrage in South America where it was believed that the venue would alternate between the two continents. Instead, it was the second tournament in a row to be played in Europe. As a result neither Uruguay nor Argentina entered the competition. Spain had the record to be the first country to be out of the World Cup because of a war (the Spanish Civil War).

It was the first time that the hosts (France) and the title holders (Italy) qualified automatically. Title holders were given an automatic entry into the World Cup until 2006 when this was abolished.

Originally 16 nations were going to take part. Austria had qualified but after the Anschluss to Germany in March, they withdrew, leaving 15 teams to take part. FIFA didn’t offer participation to the runner-up of the qualification group, that Austria played in, Latvia.

Summary

The tournament was again held in a knockout format, similar to 1934. This was the last tournament that there was not a group stage.

Germany, France, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Cuba and Brazil were seeded for draw taking place in Paris, on March 5, 1938.

Five of the first round matches required extra time to break the deadlock; two games still went to a replay. The replays saw Switzerland oust the team of Germany, to which some Austrian players had been added for political reasons, with a score of 4-2, while Cuba managed to advance to the next round at the expense of Romania.

The final itself took place at the Stade Olympique de Colombes in Paris. Vittorio Pozzo ’s Italian side took the lead early, but Hungary equalised within two minutes. The Italians took the lead again shortly after, and by the end of the first half were leading the Hungarians 3-1. Hungary never really got back into the game. With the final score favouring the Italians 4-2, Italy became the first team to successfully defend the title and were once more crowned World Cup winners.

Due to World War II, the World Cup would not be held for another 12 years, until 1950. As a result, Italy were the reigning World Cup holders for a record 16 years, from 1934 to 1950. The Italian Vice-President of FIFA, Dr. Ottorino Barassi, hid the trophy in a shoe-box under his bed throughout the Second World War and thus saved it from falling into the hands of occupying troops.

Venues

Ten cities hosted the tournament:

• Antibes , Stade du Fort Carré
• Bordeaux , Parc Lescure
• Le Havre , Stade Cavée Verte
• Lille , Stade Victor Boucquey
• Lyon , Stade Gerland (the only match there was cancelled)
• Marseille , Stade Vélodrome
• Paris , Parc des Princes and Stade Olympique de Colombes
• Reims , Vélodrome Municipal
• Strasbourg , Stade de la Meinau
• Toulouse , Stade Chapou

First round

1938 – 06-04 Germany 1 – 1 ( a.e.t. ) Switzerland

Parc des Princes , Paris
Attendance: ~30,000
Referee: Langenus ( Belgium )

Gauchel 29′ (Report) Abegglen 43′

1938 – 06-05 Hungary 6 – 0 Dutch East Indies

Vélodrome Municipal , Reims
Attendance: ~8,000
Referee: Conrié ( France )

Kohut 14′ Toldi 16′ Sárosi 25′ 88′ Zsengellér 30′ 67′ (Report)

1938 – 06-05 Sweden walkover Austria withdrew [4] Austria

Stade Gerland , Lyon

1938 – 06-05 Cuba 3 – 3 ( a.e.t. ) Romania

Stade Chapou , Toulouse
Attendance: ~6,000
Referee: Scarpi ( Italy )

Socorro 44′ Fernández 87′ Tuñas 117′ (Report) Bindea 35′ Baratky 88′ Dobay 105′

1938 – 06-05 France 3 – 1 Belgium

Stade Olympique de Colombes , Paris
Attendance: ~32,000
Referee: Wüthrich ( Switzerland )

Veinante 1′ Nicolas 16′ 69′ (Report) Isemborghs 38′

1938 – 06-05 Italy 2 – 1 ( a.e.t. ) Norway

Stade Vélodrome , Marseille
Attendance: ~18,000
Referee: Beranek ( 1 ) ( Germany )

Ferraris 2′ Piola 94′ (Report) Brustad 83′

1938 – 06-05 Brazil 6 – 5 ( a.e.t. ) Poland

Stade de la Meinau , Strasbourg
Attendance: ~16,000
Referee: Eklind ( Sweden )

Leônidas 18′ 93′ 104′ Romeu 25′ Perácio 44′ 71′ (Report) Scherfke 23′ ( pen. ) Wilimowski 53′ 59′ 89′ 118′

1938 – 06-05 Czechoslovakia 3 – 0 ( a.e.t. ) Netherlands

Stade Cavée Verte , Le Havre
Attendance: ?
Referee: Leclerq ( France )

Koštálek 93′ Nejedlý 111′ Zeman 118′ (Report)

Replays

1938 – 06-09 Germany 2 – 4 Switzerland

Parc des Princes , Paris
Attendance: ~22,000
Referee: Eklind ( Sweden )

Hahnemann 8′ Lörtscher 22′ ( o.g. ) (Report) Walaschek 42′ Bickel 64′ Abegglen 75′ 78′

1938 – 06-09 Cuba 2 – 1 Romania

Stade Chapou , Toulouse
Attendance: ~5,000
Referee: Birlem ( Germany )

Socorro 51′ Oliveira 57′ (Report) Dobay 35′

Second Round

1938 – 06-12 Switzerland 0 – 2 Hungary

Stade Victor Boucquey , Lille
Attendance: ~14,000
Referee: Barlassina ( Italy ) (Report)

Sárosi 40′ Zsengellér 89′ [7]

1938 – 06-12 Sweden 8 – 0 Cuba

Stade du Fort Carré , Antibes
Attendance: ~6,000
Referee: Krist ( Czechoslovakia )

Keller 9′ 80′ , 81′ Wetterström 32′ , 37′ 44′ Nyberg 84′ Andersson 90′ (Report)

1938 – 06-12 France 1 – 3 Italy

Stade Olympique de Colombes , Paris
Attendance: ~58,000
Referee: Baert ( Belgium )

Heisserer 10′ (Report) Colaussi 9′ Piola 51′ 72′

1938 – 06-12 Brazil 1 – 1 ( a.e.t. ) Czechoslovakia

Parc Lescure , Bordeaux
Attendance: ~25,000
Referee: von Hertzka ( Hungary )

Leônidas 30′ (Report) Nejedlý 65′ ( pen. )

Replay

1938 – 06-14 Brazil 2 – 1 Czechoslovakia

Parc Lescure , Bordeaux
Attendance: ~20,000
Referee: Capdeville ( France )

Leônidas 57′ Roberto 62′ (Report) Kopecký 25′

Semi-finals

1938 – 06-16 Hungary 5 – 1 Sweden

Parc des Princes , Paris
Attendance: ~22,000
Referee: Leclerq ( France )

Zsengellér 19′ 39′ 85′ Titkos 37′ Sárosi 65′ (Report) Nyberg 1′

1938 – 06-16 Italy 2 – 1 Brazil

Stade Vélodrome , Marseille
Attendance: ~30,000
Referee: Wüthrich ( Switzerland )

Colaussi 55′ Meazza 60′ ( pen. ) (Report) Romeu 87′

Third place match

1938 – 06-19 Sweden 2 – 4 Brazil

Parc Lescure , Bordeaux
Attendance: ~20,000
Referee: Langenus ( Belgium )

Jonasson 28′ Nyberg 38′ (Report) Romeu 44′ Leônidas 63′ 74′ Perácio 80′

Final

1938 – 06-19 Hungary 2 – 4 Italy

Stade Olympique de Colombes , Paris
Attendance: ~60,000
Referee: Capdeville ( France )

Titkos 8′ Sárosi 70′ (Report) Colaussi 6′ 35′ Piola 16′ 82′

Awards

1938 FIFA World Cup Winners
Italy
Second title