Qualifying rounds
GROUP
A
Brazil
Mexico
Switzerland
Yugoslavia
GROUP
B
England
Chile
United States
Spain
GROUP
C
Sweden
Italy
Paraguay
GROUP
D
Uruguay
Bolivia
FINAL
POOL
Uruguay
Brazil
Sweden
Spain
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FINAL
Rio de Janeiro,
July 16th - Estadio Maracana
2 (0) URUGUAY
Schiaffino
66
Ghiggia
79
Maspoli, M.Gonzales,
Tejera, Gambetta, Varela, Andrade, Ghiggia, Perez, Miguez, Schiaffino,
Moran.
1 (0) BRAZIL
Friaca
47
Barbosa, Augusto,
Juvenal, Bauer, Danilo, Bigode, Friaca, Zizinho, Ademir, Jair, Chico.
Referee:
George Reader (England)
Attendance:
199.854
A world record crowd greeted the teams and,
despite efforts to restrict the capacity to 150.000, the official attendance
was just short of 200.000, although the actual paying attendance was 172.772.
There were very few in the overcrowded stadium who expected anything but
a Brazilian success. Even the many Uruguayan fans present must have given
their team little chance.
Brazil came to what was effectively the World Cup final having scored 13
goals in their two final pool matches. Uruguay had scored a mere five against
the same opposition and had struggled on both occasions. Brazil were 1/10
on favourites to win and stood to collect mammoth bonuses of around £10.000
if they lifted the trophy.
Needing only a draw to win the title, Brazil could not resist the temptation
to attack, but the Uruguayans defended solidly and kept Ademir and company
at bay. After a goalless first half, Ademir slipped the ball to Friaca,
who put the hosts in front two minutes into the second half. Then came
a tactical error. Coach Flavio Costa gave instructions for Jair to drop
back into defence. The instructions never reached him and Brazil continued
to play in their usual way. Being one goal in front and only needing a
draw, Brazil were in a good position.
Uruguay's 34 year old captain Obdulio Varela refused to give up and kept
driving his team forward. Right winger Ghiggia was a dangerman and the
Brazilian left-half, Bigode, gave him too much room in the second half.
After one such lapse, the winger gathered a pass from his skipper Varela,
beat his man and crossed for Schiaffino
to head home the equallizer after 66 minutes.
Despite allowing Uruguay to level the scores, Brazil still attacked but
their efforts failed to produce any more goals. By now, Uruguay were attacking
more and more and wing-half Victor Andrade, whose uncle was in the 1930
winning team, set up many attacking moves. With 11 minutes remaining, Ghiggia
got round Bigode once more and this time, when the defence was expecting
another centre, he ran for the goal and slotted the ball in between the
near post and goalkeeper Barbosa.
A little more than 10 minutes later, the referee blew his whistle for full
time. The improbable and "impossible" had happened. Brazil had lost and
Uruguay joined Italy as two-times winners of the World Cup. The Brazilian
fans openly wept in the Maracana and in the streets of Rio. Despite their
anguish, the Brazilian fans inside the giant stadium nevertheless found
time to warmly applaude the victors as they paraded the trophy. It brought
an end to a three-week Brazilian carnival. The final result may not have
been what the home fans wanted, but it signalled the rebirth of the World
Cup after a 12-year absence.
NATION P
W D L Gls Pts
Uruguay 3
2 1 0 7-5
5
Brazil 3
2 0 1 14-4
4
Sweden 3
1 0 2 6-11
2
Spain
3 0 1 2 4-11
1 |
Uruguay
became champions, Brazil silvermedalists and Sweden
took
the bronze.
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Juan
Schiaffino - was one of the best players in the world in the 1950s
and was instrumental as Uruguay against all odds managed to beat Brazil
and win the World Cup. |
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