History of FIFA World Cup™

Popular Culture of Football

Winter Study 2002
Jelani Perry and David Fontes
 ORIGINS
• FIFA formed as early as May 21, 1904 in Paris, but no national competition
except for Olympics
• As the highest football authority, FIFA made its claim as the organizers of
the competition
• 1920’s – French football administrators, including Jules Rimet, are credited
with bringing together the world’s strongest national teams to compete for a
world championship of football.
• Decided that 1930 would be the first international competition for the what
was being called the “World Cup” and “La Coupe de Monde”
• Much debate as to who would host first World Cup
– FIFA felt it necessary for the first host nation to pay for travel expenses
of all referees and national teams; a clearly expensive proposition, but
many European and South American nations showed interest; the likes
of football powerhouses: Italy, Spain, Holland, Hungary, Sweden and
Uruguay
URUGUAY 1930
• Uruguay - First Host of World
Cup™
• In Uruguay’s 100th Year of
Independence the world of
football sounded “Uruguay Here
We Come”
• 13 original teams invited
– 4 European teams, 8 South American
teams and a United States
representative
– Originally only 1 European team had
signed up, but the efforts of Rimet
helped move three more nations to
the competition
 URUGUAY 1930

• Europeans arrived in early July, 1930 after a long and harsh

crossing of the Atlantic by ship
• The world of football believed the European would not fare well
vs. the South American clubs, but the European held their own and
played at the highest levels leading to some victories and close
defeats
First World Cup ™ Championship
• Centenario Stadium was the setting for
the first championship to be played
between South American teams
Argentina and host Uruguay in front of
a capacity crowd of 100,000 spectators
 • After a hard fought comeback from a 2-1 deficit
in the first half of play, Uruguay topped
Argentina 4-2 as the final whistle sounded to
become the first world championships and first
winners of the Jules Rimet trophy
“Jules Rimet Cup” • Celebrations in Montevideo continued for days
1930-1970 and football’s international competition had
been proclaimed
ITALIA 1934
• Italy was chosen as the second
host of the World Cup™
• 32 teams competed, forcing a
preliminary qualifying round to
cut the field down to 16
• Of these teams, only few were
South American and defending
world champions Uruguay
chose to compete to defend
their title
 ITALIA 1934
• Grueling play, day after day took
a toll on teams
• 3 and maybe 4 games could be
played on consecutive days
• None of the South American
teams qualified for the round of
16 and a European champ was to
be crowned
• The final was to be played
between another host Italy and
Czechoslovakia
• Czechoslovakia struck first late in
the game with only minutes
remaining, but an equalizing goal
was scored by the Italians moments
following to tie the score and send
the game into extra time
• In extra time, Italy regained the
efforts of its injured impact player
Meazza (pictured top left) who
assisted on the go ahead goal to
award the Italians their World
Championship
FRANCE 1938
• France chosen as third host
• Many nations kept away from
competition due to consequences of
upcoming World War; examples
include Spain, Austria, Argentina
and once again Uruguay
• For the first time the host nation was
automatic qualifier, a privilege that
has carried on up to present World
Cup™ play
 FRANCE 1938
• Brazil was only South American team
to make journey to France and put on
one of the most memorable
performances
• Host France was first host nation not to
win championship
• Semi-final game of Brazil vs. Italy was
“the final before the event”

• Questionable coaching moves on the

part of the Brazilians cost them their
ticket to the final resulting in Italy’s
return to the final game vs. Hungary
who easily defeated Sweden in the other
Semi-final game
 Final in France

• Italy defeated Hungary 4-2 in the final to make the Squadra

Azurra the first two-time champions and make Italy’s mark
as a powerhouse in the world of football
• After this World Cup™, the world would have to wait
another 12 years for a new champion to be crowned due to
the threat of World War
Brazil 1950
• Throughout the Second
World War the Italian
Vice-President of FIFA,
Dr. Ottorino Barassi, hid
the FIFA World Cup
trophy in a shoe-box
under his bed and thus
saved it from falling into
the hands of occupying
troops. It was back in
1950 and hosted by Brazil.
The planets biggest stadium
• Football in Brazil had become so
popular that it was decided to build a
brand new stadium with a capacity of
220,000 in the suburbs of Rio de
Janeiro to host this world cup.
• Host Brazil qualified with three other
teams, Spain, Uruguay and Sweden,
not for the semi-finals, but for a final
series of matches in round robin
format, in which England and Italy
were surprising absentees.
The planets biggest stadium
• Football in Brazil had become so
popular that it was decided to build a
brand new stadium with a capacity of
220,000 in the suburbs of Rio de
Janeiro to host this world cup.
• Host Brazil qualified with three other
teams, Spain, Uruguay and Sweden,
not for the semi-finals, but for a final
series of matches in round robin
format, in which England and Italy
were surprising absentees.
Uruguay crowned champions
• A mini-league format was
used and Brazil, Sweden,
Spain and Uruguay were the
final contestants. Brazil
needed only a draw in their
clash with Uruguay to clinch
the trophy, but lost 2-1 in
front of a crowd of 174,000 in
Rio's Maracana Stadium.
 Switzerland 1954

• The fifth world cup which was played in Europe in a more

subdued atmosphere was known for it’s high scoring games.(In
24 matches an unbelievable 140 goals were scored making the
avg. 5.38/game)
Beginning of an Era
• This world cup was the first
time in history in which we
could distinguish who a player
was by the number they wore
on their backs.
• With the formation of the
AFC in 1954 the event
became truly global b/c now
several teams from Asia and
Africa were now included.
This allowed for the
qualifying rounds featured a
higher number of nations
than ever before.
West Germans Surprise the
World

• With a captivating come from behind upset of Hungary

the West German’s proudly hoisted the trophy.
SWEDEN 1958
• Memorable World Cup with loss of
founding father Jules Rimet
• First World Cup to be televised for
the world to view the brilliance of
the best players in the game
• 55 Countries took part and the likes
of Switzerland, Belgium, Uruguay,
Spain and most notably Italy failed
to qualify; many new nations
emerged including the likes of
Wales, N. Ireland and USSR
SWEDEN 1958
• France was the team to beat after its
performance in the first round;
attacking trio of players mounted 11
goals in just the first round and
including Fontaine’s (pictured left)
incomparable performance of 13 goals
single-handedly in the tournament
which
• France was knocked out in the semis
by Brazil and an emerging young
talent that would capture the hearts of
football fans for all times
 A Star is Born: Pel Hits the
World Stage

• 17 year-old Brazilian youngster Pel was a huge factor

in Brazil’s victory over Sweden and 6 goals in the
overall tournament en route to Brazil’s first World
Championship of Football
 Chile 1962

• This World Cup is remembered because this

is the occasion in which futbol became more
physical.
More teams…more upsets
• A new record 56
teams took part in the
qualifying rounds.
• This new format
caused many of the
powerhouse teams to
be eliminated before
the tournament.
 Brazil does it Again

• Despite playing without Pele, Brazil wins

it’s second cup.
• Brazil joined Uruguay and Italy as the
only two countries to have have won the
Jules Rimet trophy on two occasions.
ENGLAND 1966
• New record 70 nations
competing
• Controversy over African
regional champ having to play
against Asia or Oceania zone
to qualify
• Many African nations dropped
out before qualifying rounds
• Qualifying: 10 teams from
Europe, 4 from South
America, 1 from each of Asia,
North America and Central
America
New Nations Emerge, Old Fall

• Powerhouse Brazil failed to

pass the first round as
phenom Pel was victim of
physical play
• Portugal (Eusebio pictured
bottom), N. Korea and host
England were impressive in
early rounds
 Another Host Victory

• Host England defeats Germany 4-2 in extra-time to

win its first World Cup™ and is presented the World
Cup Trophy
Mexico 1970
• World Cup became a
television spectacle.
• This was the first year
substitutes were
allowed.
• Also, yellow and red
cards were introduced
at this time.
Participating nations up to 75

• Many well respected teams such as Hungary,

Portugal, France, Spain , and Argentina did not
qualify, while less heralded teams like Morroco and
Israel made their debut.
 Pelé’s return pays off

• Although Péle vowed never to play in another FIFA world cup, he was there when
Brazil walked away with it’s third trophy.( This would be Pelé’s final world cup)
• Brazil triumphed 4-1 against Italy
 Germany 1974

Another host country triumph

 On to the World Cup Trophy
1. The first round group
system followed by
knock-out in the second
round was replaced by a
group system in both
rounds.
2.The second change was
the replacing of the
Jules Rimet trophy with
a new solid gold
statuette known as the
world cup
West German’s Capture 2 Title nd

• Despite the number of qualifying teams being at 98 W.

Germans claimed the first World Cup.
 Argentina 1978
• The World • Winning
Cup was
played in on your
Argentina own soil
despite much is
controversy
surrounding becoming
General a habit!
Videla’s
totalitarian
regime and
it’s violation
of human
rights.
Mario Kempes rides high

• Kempes left this World Cup with the

coveted title of leading goal scorer while
leading Argentina to their first World Cup
victory. They had not been in the final
since 1930.
 Spain 1982
• Epic battles • Spain would
between Brazil host 24 teams
& Italy and whereas in the
France vs. previous years
West Germany countries only
are two games saw 16 teams.
that will be
remembered in
this world cup.
Alterations to the organization of
the tournament.
• With 24 teams now
advancing instead of 16
they had to rearrange the
structure. Three phases
were now in place: A
first round with six
groups of four where two
advanced from each, a
second round with four
groups of three where
the top team advanced,
then the semi-finals and
the finals.
 Dino Zoff leads Italy to the promise land

• Dino Zoff, Italy’s 40 year old captain was presented

with the Fifa World Cup trophy as Italy became only
the second country to win it’s third world cup.
Mexico 1986 – Once again
• Mexico was chosen as
a replacement host
because of financial
difficulties in
Colombia.
• Despite terrible
earthquakes as a
prelude to Fubol’s
main event the games
went on.
Controversial or not…Maradona is one
of the greatest!!!

• This goal was accurately dubbed a “goal

scored by the hand of God”. Maradona’s
other goal against England is
questionably the best goal ever.
 Argentina wins in front of vastly
growing crowds.

• Argentina beat defending world champion Italy as

well as Brazil in route to winning the World Cup
of 1986. They won in front of 115,000. 30 million
people partied in the streets of Argentina!!!
ITALIA 1990
• 112 Nations battled for the 14th
World Cup
• 10 Stadiums reconstructed and 2
newly built for the event
Surprise Appearances and Old Faces
• Cameroon, led by the “Old
Lion”, Roger Milla at age 38,
and Egypt were the surprise
teams to make it to the
Quarterfinal round
• Strong performances by the
host Italians, Argentineans
and W. Germans
demonstrated the invincibility
of the powerhouse nations
• Schillaci and Goyochea were
names that stood out through
the tournament
Two Powerhouses Do Battle

Argentina
vs.
W. Germany

West Germans win third

World Championship and
find themselves among elite
nations in football history
Italy and Brazil
United States 1994
• Much skepticism as to the
USA’s response to
“soccer” vs. its
mainstream sports
• 147 Countries Entered
Qualifying, of which 24
made it to America’s stage
• Record numbers of
spectators, with numbers
reaching over 3 million
• Commercial boom of
world’s most played sport
 Ups & Downs
• United States and rest of world had
household names as a result of such
widespread broadcast of the tournament:
Hagi, Bebeto, Romario, Milla, Tafarel were
all superstars
• The US team players Lalas, Kobi Jones,
Pope and Tony Meola all gained
international recognition
• With success also came tragedy as one of
the most memorable of household names
was Colombian national Andres Escobar
who was shot dead at his home in Colombia
after netting an own goal to eliminate
Colombia from the tournament at the hands
of the US
 ITALIA vs. BRAZIL

• With no time left on the clock, the World Cup would go to penalty
kicks for the first time ever in its 64 year history
• A championship lay on the shoulders and feet of stars such as
Romario, Bebeto, Dino Baggio and most memorably Roberto Baggio,
who sailed his penalty shot over the crossbar in an effort that greatly
tarnished his great play in the tournament
• Brazil emerged victorious and raised the World Cup Trophy once again
making them the first four time champions of the world
• This day and throughout the tournament, Brazil’s “Rocking Bebeto Baby”
would not be forgotten
FRANCE 1998
• 32 teams, 64 matches
played
• 4 teams were placed in
each of the eight groups,
with good diversity in all
but one of the groups with
one American, one Asian
or African and two
European teams
represented in each of the
groups
EPIC PLAY BY STARS
FRANCE’S DREAMS COME TRUE

• The efforts of France’s Zidane, Barthez, Desalilly, Thuram

bettered that of the Brazilian stars Ronaldo, Denilson,
Roberto Carlos and Tafarel to lift France to its dream
championship victory as host nation