III. Semifinals: June 16th, 1938
Italy 2-Brazil 1
-Italy and Brazil faced one another, on Thursday, June 16th,
1938, at Antibes’ ‘Stade
du Fort Carré’ at 18:00 PM.
-This was the first time that Italy faced a South American Nation
in the World Cup.
-Italy named an unchanged squad from the France match as Pozzo had
settled on his strongest squad.
 |
Photo
From: III Fussballweltmeisterschaft 1938 Frankreich, Author Robert Franta
(Team
captains, June 16, 1938, World Cup, Italy 2-Brazil 1)
|
 |
Photo
From: Coupe Du Monde 1938-La Coupe du Monde Oubliee, Author Victor Sinet
(Both
teams, June 16, 1938, World Cup, Italy 2-Brazil 1)
|
 |
Photo
From: Azzurri, Storia della Nazionale di calcio tre volte campioni del Mondo,
1910-1983
(Italy
squad, June 16, 1938, World Cup, Italy 2-Brazil 1)
|
-Adhemar
Pimenta had considered using Niginho, but Jose Maria Castello Branco, the head
of the delegation, vetoed Niginho’s selection to avoid any irregularities and
chose not to risk playing him.
‘Leonídio Fantoni’, Niginho’ had played for Lazio in
Italy. He broke his contract and fled back home following
Italy’s invasion of Ethiopia in 1935.
The Italian Federation had not released the player from
his contract and was therefore ineligible.
Italy had informed FIFA of Niginho’s suspect
eligibility.
Brazil were informed of FIFA’s decision upon their
arrival in France. Niginho needed a written authorization from Lazio to be
released from his contract.
 |
Photo
From: Placar Especial 2006
(June
16, 1938, World Cup, Italy 2-Brazil 1)
|
-The narrative had been that Adhemar Pinto had rested Leonidas and
Tim to have them rested for the Final, as a show of overconfidence.
The reason was because he had boasted that “We are keeping them
for the Final”.
Pimenta had also said “Italy is just one step in our
route to triumph”.
Peracio and Romeu would deputize for the pair.
However, it has since came to light that Leonidas was injured from
the Czechoslovakia replay.
In fact Leonidas and Tim had been worn out from their efforts vs.
Czechoslovakia.
However,
Leonidas was slightly injured from the Czechoslovakia match and that was the
reason he was rested. He was forced to play in the replay due to Niginho’s
dubious position.
Leonidas
wrote to the Carioca magazine Sport Ilustrado, “I played this game
because Niginho is not in a regular situation. But I was unhappy, I got hurt
and I can not play”
 |
Photo
From: Guerin Sportivo, Issue 988 (Number 12),March 23-29, 1994
(June
16, 1938, World Cup, Italy 2-Brazil 1)
|
-In Sao Paulo, more than 1,000 people went to the
Patriarch Square to listen to the game on the Record radio speakers.
-Italy Manager Vittorio Pozzo had learned that Brazilians
had requisitioned the only plane from Marseille to Paris for the following day
after the match. Pozzo approached the
Brazilian delegation at ‘La Ciotat’ at Côte d'Azur and asked them to give the
tickets to the Italians in case they won.
The Brazilians responded that they were confident of
reaching the Final. They offered a place on the plane for Pozzo to go watch the
Final along with them.
Pozzo used this incident to spur and motivate his team on.
Afterwards, Brazilians refused to sell the tickets to the
Italians and the Italians were forced to go back to Paris by train.
 |
Photo
From: L’Equipe-La Coupe Du Monde, Volume 1, 1930-1970
(June
16, 1938, World Cup, Italy 2-Brazil 1)
|
-Gino Colaussi gave Italy the lead in the 51st
minute from a pass by Piola.
Giusepe
Meazza doubled Italy’s lead from the penalty spot in the 60th
minute. The penalty kick had been awarded after Domingos Da Guia had fouled
Piola in the box, though the ball was out of play and out of bounds.
In many interviews in the following years Domingos never
denied having kicked Piola, but always insisted that the ball was out of
bounds. This was the third penalty kick that Domingos had given away in the
World Cup.
In general Piola had provoked Domingos throughout the
match and the kick was in retaliation.
*
Repetitions from a previous entry in the blog relevant to 1938:
During
the 1938 World Cup Semi-Final between Italy and Brazil (won 2-1 by Italy),
Italian Captain Giuseppe Meazza had his shorts’ elastic ripped by a Brazilian
defender.
Therefore,
he took his penalty kick while holding his shorts up with one hand.
While celebrating, his teammates made a circle around him so
that he could change shorts.
 |
Photo
From: Azzurri, Storia della Nazionale di calcio tre volte campioni del Mondo,
1910-1983
(Cartoon
showing Giuseppe Meazza scoring from the penalty spot while holding his shorts
up, June 16, 1938, World Cup, Italy 2-Brazil 1)
|
-Romeu
scored a consolation goal for Brazil in the 87th minute.
-The Brazilian Announcer Gagliano Neto felt the penalty
had taken place. This would lead some to question his patriotism and he would
receive the derogatory nickname of "Itagliano Nato".
-During the World Cup, it was forbidden for a coach to shout orders to
his players on the field. While he was being monitored by two commissioners
from FIFA, Vittorio Pozzo would give instructions in Piemontese dialect to his
assistant Luigi Burlando, who would then relay the messages to the players on
the field.
 |
Photo
From: Azzurri, Storia della Nazionale di calcio tre volte campioni del Mondo,
1910-1983
(Cartoon
showing Vittorio Pozzo communicating with his Assistant Luigi Burlando, June
16, 1938, World Cup, Italy 2-Brazil 1)
|
-The
takeaway from this match was Italy were still the best team in the World Cup
and the result bore that out.
There
was some controversy for the penalty kick decision.
It is possible that the referee made a mistake when
interpreting the International Board's rules of June 28,
1934, that read: "If the ball is out of the field
of play and a player kicks another one of the players, it shall
not be considered a foul, but the offender shall be
sent off". There was no expulsion, but the penalty kick
was awarded.
The following day it was reported that Brazil were
thinking about leaving the World Cup due to the controversial penalty kick
decision.
Brazil had even filed a formal complaint after the match
and were hoping for the ‘cancellation’ of the match but FIFA waved away the
complaint.
Brazilians accepted to play the third place match.
 |
Photo
From: Il Calcio Illustrato, Giugno 1950, Supplemento Al. No 24
(June
16, 1938, World Cup, Italy 2-Brazil 1)
|
Hungary 5-Sweden 1
-Sweden and Hungary faced one another, on Sunday, Thursday, June
16th, at Paris’ ‘Parc
de Princes’ at 18:00 PM.
-Swedish captain Tore Keller had declared:
"Today is the 80th birthday of our King Gustav V, we want to be a birthday
present for him to win.".
 |
Photo
From: L'Auto, Issue 13692, June 16, 1938
(Team
Formation, June 16, 1938, World Cup, Hungary 5-Sweden 1)
|
 |
Photo
From: Coupe Du Monde 1938-La Coupe du Monde Oubliee, Author Victor Sinet
(Team
captains, June 16, 1938, World Cup, Hungary 5-Sweden 1)
|
- For Hungary, Vincze and Kohut were spared for the
final.
-Sweden
took the lead after just 35 seconds through Arne Nyberg.
Hungary tied the match in the 18th minute
through an own goal by Sven Jacobsson pressured by Toldi. (It has also been
credited to Gyula
Zsengeller in many sources).
Pal Titkos gave Hungary the lead in the 26th
minute.
Gyula
Zsengeller scored Hungary’s third in the 38th
minute.
Gyorgy Sarosi scored Hungary’s fourth in the 61st
minute.
Gyula
Zsengeller rounded out the scoring in the 177th
minute,
 |
Photo
From: L'Auto, Issue 13693, June 17, 1938
(Diagram
of Hungary’s third goal, June 16, 1938, World Cup, Hungary 5-Sweden 1)
|
 |
Photo
From: III Fussballweltmeisterschaft 1938 Frankreich, Author Robert Franta
(June
16, 1938, World Cup, Hungary 5-Sweden 1)
|
 |
Photo
From: år med Svensk Fotboll 1904-84, Author Glanell Thomas red
(Sweden
squad, June 16, 1938, World Cup, Hungary 5-Sweden 1)
|
-The
Takeaway from this match was that the Hungarians were too strong for the
Swedes.
They
totally outplayed the Swedes after falling behind so quickly and could have
scored more goals.
Many
would question Sweden’s easy passage up to that point. A walkover in the first
Round (Austria forfeit), followed by Cuba in the quarterfinals.
 |
Photo
From: Il Calcio Illustrato, Giugno 1950, Supplemento Al. No 24
(June
16, 1938, World Cup, Hungary 5-Sweden 1)
|
 |
Photo
From: Mondial, New Series, Hors Serie 14, 1982, La Glorieuse Epopee De la Coupe
Du Monde
(June
16, 1938, World Cup, Hungary 5-Sweden 1)
|
IV. Third Place: June 19th, 1938
Brazil 4-Sweden 2
- Brazil and Sweden faced one another, on Sunday, June 19th,
1938, at Bordeaux’s ‘Parc de Lescure’ at 17:00 PM.
-For
Brazil, Batatais started in goal instead of Walter.
Leonidas
was also back in the squad and promoted as Captain in Martim’s absence.
-Sweden
took the lead in the 18th minute through Sven Jonasson.
Sweden doubled the lead in the 38th
minute through Arne Nyberg.
Romeu pulled a goal back fro Brazil just before
halftime in the 43rd minute.
Leonidas scored for Brazil in the 63rd
minute to tie the match.
Leonidas gave Brazil the lead in the 73rd
minute.
Peracio scored Brazil’s fourth in the 80th
minute.
-The takeaway from this match was that Brazil were on the World
stage.
Once again Sweden were unable to hold onto an early lead and
capitulated.
This was the first time that Brazil had finished on the podium in
the World Cup.
It paved the way for future success.
Leonidas ended up as top goalscorer.
On the return at Brazil, thousands of fans
awaited them at their landing. Politicians wanted to be posing for photographs
alongside players like Leonidas, elected the most popular Brazilian player in a
contest conducted by the Magnolia Cigarette. |
Photo
From: L’Equipe-La Coupe Du Monde, Volume 1, 1930-1970
(June
19, 1938, World Cup, Brazil 4-Sweden 2)
|
No comments:
Post a Comment