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1938 FIFA World Cup France ™

  • Teams: 15
  • When: 04 June 1938 to 19 June 1938
  • Final: 19 June 1938
  • Matches: 18
  • Goals Scored: 84 (average 4.7 per match)
  • Attendance: 376000 (average 20888)
      • Winner: Italy
      • Runners-Up: Hungary
      • Third: Brazil
      • Fourth: Sweden
      • Golden Shoe: LEONIDAS (BRA)

    Overview

    Pozzo the mastermind as Italy retain their crown
    Italy trainer Vittorio Pozzo made history by capturing a second successive title with a rebuilt team. With Silvio Piola's goals and Giuseppe Meazza's leadership, Italy beat Hungary in the Final having overcome in the semi-final a Brazil side missing top scorer Leonidas. Three of his strikes came in a 6-5 victory over Poland – the best match of a tournament notable for political tensions and the absence of some leading teams.

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    • Final: Italy 4-2 Hungary
    • Quarter-final replay: Brazil 2-1 Czechoslovakia
    • Quarter-final: Brazil 1-1 Czechoslovakia (A.E.T)
    • Quarter-final replay: Brazil 2-1 Czechoslovakia
    • Semi-final: Italy 2-1 Brazil
    • First Round: France 3-1 Belgium
    • First Round: Switzerland 1-1 Germany
    • Final: Italy 4-2 Hungary

    Did You Know?

    • Scoring a penalty in Italy's 2-1 win over Brazil came at a cost for Guiseppe Meazza - his shorts, which had been torn earlier in the game, fell down!
    • Cuba became the first side from outside of Europe or South America to progress from the first phase, before an 8-0 loss to Sweden sealed their exit.
    • Czechoslovakia and the Netherlands failed to score during 90 minutes, but three goals without reply in extra time sent the Czechs into the last eight
    • In his only appearance, Poland's Ernest Wilimowski scored four goals but still ended up on the losing side, Brazil winning 6-5 after extra time.
    • In their opener, Hungary eliminated the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), who are the only side to have played just one FIFA World Cup™ finals game.

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