Rome, June 10th - Stadio PNF
After extra time - 45 mins (0-0), 90 mins (1-1), 120 mins 2-1
2 (1) ITALY
Orsi 82
Schiavio 95
Combi, Monzeglio, Allemandi, Ferraris IV, Monti, Bertolini, Guaita, Meazza, Schiavio, Ferrari, Orsi.

1 (1) CZECHOSLOVAKIA
Puc 70
Planicka, Ctyroky, Zenisek, Kostalek, Cambal, Krcil, Junek, Svoboda, Sobotka, Nejedly, Puc.

Referee: Ivan Eklind (Sweden)
Attendance: 55.000
 

     The Political use of the World Cup was working wonders for Mussolini and with one match remaining, victory for Italy would put the seal on a memorable tournament for the dictator. But Czechoslovakia had played stylish football in the Austrian mould to reach the final and now looked quite capable of providing an upset. Both sides were captained by their goalkeepers - Italy by Giampero Combi, playing his 47th and last international, Czechoslovakia by the equally experienced Frantisek Planicka.

     The Czechs opened with determination and pushed the ball around to better effect than in any of their previous matches. Their attacking centre half, Cambal, and Italy's stopper, Monti, had some fierce battles in the Italian half of the field, but Italy showed more flair when attacking.

     Despite both team's positive approach, however, it was 70 minutes before a goal was scored. Then the Czech left winger Antonin Puc took a corner and when the ball came back to him, he fired home a powerful shot from an acute angle to crown a great individual performance.

     Czechoslovakia should have put the issue beyond doubt, but Sobotka missed a great chance and then a Svoboda shot hit the post. The Czechs would have reason to rue those misses, for, as the game went into the last 10 minutes, the Italians scored a remarkable equallizer. Orsi gathered a pass from his fellow Argentinian, Guaita. He ran through the Czech defence and dummied a shot with his left foot, instead shooting with the outside of his right boot to send a curling, dipping ball over the hands of Planicka.

     The teams had been evenly matched in a furious 90 minutes. Now it was down to stamina. Italy were the fitter of the two sides, but were handicapped by an injury to Meazza. Nevertheless, his injury was turned into Italy's advantage in the 95th minute. The Czechs were not bothering to mark him and when he got the ball on the wing, he crossed to Guaita, who fed the tired Schiavio. The centre-forward rounded a defender and beat Planicka with a shot which crept in just under the crossbar. Vittorio Pozzo's team were world champions!

     For centerhalf Luis Monti who added a winner's medal to the runners-up award with Argentina four years earlier, there was the added distinction of becoming the first man to win successive World Cup medals with different nations.