An ancient handsome man in a fit body as a proud bearer of the legacy of great Rome. This is how the Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini envisioned the ideal image of a man created to dominate other inferior races. And the title of world champions in football, already in the 1930s of the last century the most widespread and popular sport on the planet, suited him very well.
He welcomed proof of the success of nationalist ideology.
There were prerequisites for this. Italian football was one of the best, stars like Giuseppe Meazza, Luigi Allemandi, Angelo Schiavio and goalkeeper Gianpiero Combi literally shone. In addition, Luis Monti, Attilio Demaria, Raimundo Orsi or Enrique Guaita from Argentina and Anfilogino Guaresi from Brazil were renaturalized as reinforcements.
Referee instructions
But anything can happen on the field. That is why the Duce (the leader) personally received the chief referee before the matches of the Italian team in the bed of honor to remind him in whose favor the championship was held. And it worked.
Stories from history: 1930 Uruguay
The Squadra Azzurra easily defeated the USA in the first round (elimination system was used), and struggled in the quarter-finals until they defeated Spain by a single goal in a replay, when goalkeeper Ricardo Zamora pulled down an almost insurmountable blind.
Before the semi-final against Austria (again 1:0) with the Czech attacking star duo Matyáš Šindelář and Josef Bican, the Swedish referee Ivan Eklind, at twenty-nine the youngest member of the team at the championship, went to the box for instructions. He understood what was required of him.
The disharmony between the two great aspirants for gold was very strong, they did not vent their grudge even after many years.
Brave defiance
The Swedish referee also got the final against the Czechoslovak team under control for his exemplary service. And again he rendered good service. It was not about the traditional laments of the defeated or the talked-about Praguers (Czechoslovakia’s final team consisted of eight players from Slavia and three from Sparta), Eklinda’s tendentious verdicts were documented.
The course of the match has been described perhaps a million times. Excellent goalkeeper František Plánička, unpunished raw play of the Italian center half Monti. A shocking goal by Antonín Puč shortly before the end, but the home team was still able to equalize and their winning goal came in extra time. And again, a big upset from an inclined plane in favor of the Italian team.
The ideology of the ancient handsome has come to fruition.
Shot taken
However, the racial subtext did not end with the final whistle. Striker Oldřich Nejedlý scored five times, but for a long time only four hits were recorded in the official statistics. The crown of the king was thus shared with him by representatives of a higher race, the Italian striker Schiavo and the German Edmund Conen. He did not sit on the throne alone.
Stories from the history of the World Cup
Politics does not belong in football, says the age-old rule. It’s really just wishful thinking. Seznam Zprávy brings you a series from the history of all world football championships from 1930 to the present day.
- 1930 – Uruguay: No one wanted for the ocean
- 1934 – Italy: In the Shadow of the Duce
- 1938 – Francie: Complications named Pepi Bican
- 1950 – Brazil: For the first time since the war
- 1954 – Switzerland: The biggest scam in history?
- 1958 – Sweden: Birth of Pelé
We are preparing other parts.
He was denied a shot in the semi-final against Germany, where he scored a hat-trick. However, the goal to make it 2:1 was attributed to midfielder Rudolf Krčil. “I have spoken to him several times on this subject. He suffocated that even a hint could not be the author, Nejedlý scored,” historian Miloslav Jenšík teased the truth.
After 72 years, in November 2006, after the intervention of the commission for history and statistics and documenting the facts, his goal was recognized by the FIFA authorities and he is now led as the king of the gunners.
However, the title of the world champions was protected by Duce, no one will take it away from the Italian hall of fame.
World Cup 1934 – Italy
Participants (16): Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Argentina, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria, France, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Hungary, Egypt, Spain, Brazil, Italy, USA
Semifinals: Czechoslovakia – Germany 3:1, Italy – Austria 1:0
For 3rd place: Germany – Austria 3:2 (3:1)
Finals: Italy – Czechoslovakia 2:1 pp (0:0, 1:1)
See rare images from the history of the World Cup:
Photo: ČTK / imago sportfotodienst
