waroffutbol

 The 1950 World Cup was the first to be held after the end of the Second World War. This edition was remembered above all for a catastrophe that left an indelible scar on the host nation: the Maracanazo . This fourth edition of the tournament was originally scheduled for 1949. With the world still reeling from a war that had devastated much of Europe, it came as little surprise that FIFA swiftly approved Brazil’s bid to host when it was submitted in 1946. Brazil were the reigning Copa América champions, South America had been far less affected by the war, and FIFA also felt the need to pay their due to CONMEBOL after staging two consecutive World Cup s in Europe. At the same time, many European nations were still focused on post-war reconstruction rather than organising or competing in major sporting events. Facts and Figures Brazil 1950 featured several quirks that set it apart from other editions. Here are some notable facts from the first World Cup after the war: * A n...

  Legendary manager Helmut Schön remains the high profile one with the highest number of wins in World Cup history. When discussing World Cup records, Helmut Schön’s name is impossible to ignore. He is the man who holds the record for the most victories in the history of football’s greatest tournament. Appointed as West Germany head coach starting at the 1966 World Cup , Schön collected a remarkable 16 wins with Die Mannschaft. The Dresden-born tactician also holds the record for the most matches coached at the World Cup, overseeing a total of 25 games between the 1966 and 1978 editions. World Cup Record With such an outstanding win record, it is little surprise that Germany emerged as one of the most formidable sides from the late 1960s through the 1970s. Schön, who previously served as Sepp Herberger’s assistant at the 1958 and 1962 World Cups, began his own World Cup journey in emphatic fashion by thrashing Switzerland 5–0 in West Germany’s opening match at England 1966. ...

  The 1938 FIFA World Cup was held in a Europe standing on the edge of catastrophe. Hosted by France, the tournament took place just a year before the outbreak of the Second World War, and the growing political tension across the continent was impossible to ignore. Fascism was on the rise, international relations were deteriorating, and football — once again — found itself entangled with global politics. France was chosen as host over Argentina, a decision that angered South American nations. As a result, Uruguay once again refused to participate, while Argentina also stayed away in protest. Italy, meanwhile, arrived as defending champions under Benito Mussolini’ s regime, with the dictator eager to see his national team retain the trophy as proof of fascist superiority. Key Notes from the 1938 World Cup France became the first country to host the World Cup without qualifying automatically — hosts still had to take part in the knockout draw. The reigning champio...

  A number of father-and-son footballers have surprisingly not played for different national teams due to a various number of reasons. Football often runs in the family. Ideally, they all shine and have a chance to play for the same national team. Unfortunately, in some families, it is not always the same. The father sometimes becomes the star while the son barely can match the father’s stardom, or the other way around. Having a father who was also a famous footballer does not always give you an advantage. On the contrary, it can put huge pressure on the son, which eventually has an impact on their form. Such could lead to their failure to earn a cap in his father’s national team. Let alone thrive with them. That is what Luca Zidane experiences. He is the son of Zinedine Zidane, Les Blues' hero in the 1998 FIFA World Cup and EURO 2000. His father was undoubtedly one of the greatest footballers of all time with three FIFA Best awards in hand. On the other hand, Luca has neve...

  The 1934 World Cup will forever be associated with the political climate surrounding it. Italy, the host nation, was under the rule of dictator Benito Mussolini, who saw the tournament as an opportunity to showcase fascist power and prestige. Il Duce was determined not only for Italy to win, but to make sure the world took notice — even if that meant influencing decisions behind the scenes, including the choice of referee for the final. To be fair, Italy already entered as one of the favourites. Alongside home advantage, the Azzurri boasted a strong squad led by star forward Giuseppe Meazza and reinforced by four players originally from Argentina, among them winger Raimundo Orsi and midfield anchor Luis Monti— the latter having been key to Argentina’s run to the 1930 final. Meanwhile, Uruguay, the defending champions, declined to participate in protest at the lack of European representation four years earlier. Key Notes from the 1934 World Cup * For the first time, *every* ...

  The Maracanã is undeniably one of the most iconic stadiums in world football, including in FIFA World Cup history.  Ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup, a number of piece will be regularly published on historic stadiums, legendary managers and classic big teams encounters in the tournament's history. Such would complete the story on the previous FIFA World Cup editions, which will have been published regularly too.  Maracana is undoubtedly one of the most historic stadium in world cup history. Since its launch,it has hosted crowds of more than 100,000 on over 200 occasions — a staggering statistic that underlines its legendary status. Yet for all its grandeur, the Maracanã has proved an unforgiving venue for World Cup hosts when it matters most. That harsh truth was laid bare in Brazil’s two home World Cups. In 1950, a heavily favoured Seleção were stunned 2–1 by Uruguay in the decisive match, an event forever etched into football folklore as the Maracanazo. Sixty-four years l...

  The 1930 World Cup was the very first in history yet held in much different era as it is today.  It was staged at a time when football was still far from fully professional and seen largely as a rival to the Olympic tournament, which remained the sport’s most prestigious stage. Questions surrounding player status heavily shaped the birth of this inaugural World Cup — and convinced many major European nations to stay away. Most footballers were still semi-professionals, reluctant to jeopardise their day jobs by spending weeks sailing across the Atlantic for a new, untested competition. FIFA’s choice of host wasn’t arbitrary. Uruguay was selected not only to commemorate its centenary of independence, but because La Celeste had won Olympic gold in 1924 and 1928, making them the most dominant team of the era. Fun Facts about 1930 FIFA World Cup Every World Cup has its quirks — and the first edition had more than most: * There were no qualifiers. FIFA simply invited its m...