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1934 FIFA World Cup
Campionato Mondiale di Calcio
WorldCup1934poster
Tournament details
Host countryFlag of Italy Italy
Dates27 May – 10 June (14 days)
Teams16 (from 4 confederations)
Venue(s)(in 8 host cities)
Final positions
ChampionsFlag of Italy Italy (1st title)
Runner-upFlag of Czech Czechoslovakia
Third placeGermany Germany
Fourth placeFlag of Austria Austria
Tournament statistics
Matches played17
Goals scored70 (4.12 per match)
Top scorer(s)Flag of Czechoslovakia Oldřich Nejedlý (5 goals)
1930
1938

The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934.

The 1934 World Cup was the first for which teams had to qualify to take part. Thirty-two nations entered the competition, and after qualification, 16 teams participated in the finals tournament. Reigning champions Uruguay did not enter. Italy became the second World Cup champions, beating Czechoslovakia 2–1 in the final.

Host selection[]

After a lengthy decision-making process in which FIFA's executive committee met eight times, Italy was chosen as the host nation at a meeting in Stockholm on 9 October 1932. The decision was taken by the executive committee without a ballot of members. The Italian bid was chosen in preference to one from Sweden; the Italian government assigned a budget of 3.5 million lire to the tournament.

Qualification and participants[]

Main article:1934 FIFA World Cup qualification

32 countries applied to enter the tournament, so qualifying matches were required to thin the field to 16. Even so, there were several notable absentees. Reigning World Cup holders Uruguay declined to participate, in protest at the refusal of several European countries to travel to South America for the previous World Cup, which Uruguay had hosted in 1930. As a result, the 1934 World Cup is the only one in which the reigning champions did not participate. The British Home Nations, in a period of self-imposed exile from FIFA, also refused to participate. Football Association committee member Charles Sutcliffe's view was: "the national associations of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland have quite enough to do in their own International Championship which seems to me a far better World Championship than the one to be staged in Rome".

Despite their role as hosts, Italy were still required to qualify, the first and only time the host nation was not granted automatic qualification. The qualifying matches were arranged on a geographical basis. Withdrawals by Chile and Peru meant Argentina and Brazil qualified without playing a single match.

Twelve of the 16 places were allocated to Europe, three to the Americas, and one to Africa or Asia (including Turkey). Only 10 of the 32 entrants, and four of the 16 qualified teams (Brazil, Argentina, United States and Egypt, the first African team to qualify for a World Cup finals tournament), were from outside Europe. The last place in the finals was contested between the United States and Mexico only three days before the start of the tournament in a one-off match in Rome, which the United States won.

The majority of the 16 teams were making their first World Cup appearance. These included nine of the 12 European teams (Italy, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Austria, and Switzerland) together with Egypt. Egypt were the first team from Africa in the finals and would not qualify again until the next time the competition was held in Italy, in 1990.

Italy as hosts[]

Like the Berlin Olympics two years later, the 1934 World Cup was a high-profile instance of a sporting event being used for overt political gain. Benito Mussolini was keen to use the tournament as a means of promoting fascism.

Squads[]

For a list of all squads that appeared in the final tournament, see 1934 FIFA World Cup squads.

Participants[]

Africa[]

Europe[]

North and Central America[]

South America[]

Results[]

First round Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
                           
27 May – Rome            
 Flag of Italy Italy  7
31 May – Florence
(replayed 1 June)
 Flag of the United States United States  1  
 Flag of Italy Italy  1 (1)
27 May – Genoa
   Flag of Spain Spain  1 (0)  
 Flag of Spain Spain  3
3 June – Milan
 Brazil Brazil  1  
 Flag of Italy Italy  1
27 May – Turin
   Flag of Austria Austria  0  
 Flag of Austria Austria (aet)  3
31 May – Bologna
 Flag of France France  2  
 Flag of Austria Austria  2
27 May – Naples
   Flag of Hungary Hungary  1  
 Flag of Hungary Hungary  4
10 June – Rome
 Flag of Egypt Egypt  2  
 Flag of Italy Italy (aet)  2
27 May – Trieste
   Flag of Czech Czechoslovakia  1
 Flag of Czech Czechoslovakia  2
31 May – Turin
 Romania Romania  1  
 Flag of Czech Czechoslovakia  3
27 May – Milan
   Switzerland rectangle Switzerland  2  
 Switzerland rectangle Switzerland  3
3 June – Rome
 Netherlands Netherlands  2  
 Flag of Czech Czechoslovakia  3
27 May – Florence
   Germany Germany  1   Third place
 Germany Germany  5
31 May – Milan 7 June – Naples
 Belgium Belgium  2  
 Germany Germany  2  Germany Germany  3
27 May – Bologna
   Flag of Sweden Good one Sweden  1    Flag of Austria Austria  2
 Flag of Sweden Good one Sweden  3
 Flag of Argentina Argentina  2  

First round[]

27 May 1934
16:30 (CEST)
Spain Flag of Spain 3–1 Brazil Brazil Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa
Attendance: 21,000
Referee: Alfred Birlem (Germany)
Iraragorri Goal 18' (pen.)25'
Lángara Goal 29'
Report Leônidas Goal 55'

27 May 1934
16:30 (CEST)
Hungary Flag of Hungary 4–2 Flag of Egypt Egypt Stadio Giorgio Ascarelli, Naples
Attendance: 9,000
Referee: Rinaldo Barlassina (Italy)
Teleki Goal 11'
Toldi Goal 27'61'
Vincze Goal 53'
Report Fawzi Goal 31'39'

27 May 1934
16:30 (CEST)
Switzerland Switzerland rectangle 3–2 Netherlands Netherlands Stadio San Siro, Milan
Attendance: 33,000
Referee: Ivan Eklind (Sweden)
Kielholz Goal 7'43'
Abegglen Goal 69'
Report Smit Goal 19'
Vente Goal 84'

27 May 1934
16:30 (CEST)
Italy Flag of Italy 7–1 Flag of the United States United States Stadio Nazionale PNF, Rome
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Rene Mercet (Switzerland)
Schiavio Goal 18'29'64'
Orsi Goal 20'69'
Ferrari Goal 63'
Meazza Goal 90'
Report Donelli Goal 57'

27 May 1934
16:30 (CEST)
Czechoslovakia Flag of Czech 2–1 Romania Romania Stadio Littorio, Trieste
Attendance: 9,000
Referee: John Langenus (Belgium)
Puč Goal 50'
Nejedlý Goal 67'
Report Dobay Goal 11'

27 May 1934
16:30 (CEST)
Sweden Flag of Sweden Good one 3–2 Flag of Argentina Argentina Stadio Littoriale, Bologna
Attendance: 14,000
Referee: Eugen Braun (Austria)
Jonasson Goal 9'67'
Kroon Goal 79'
Report Belis Goal 4'
Galateo Goal 48'

27 May 1934
16:30 (CEST)
Austria Flag of Austria 3–2
(a.e.t.)
Flag of France France Stadio Benito Mussolini, Turin
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: Johannes van Moorsel (Netherlands)
Sindelar Goal 44'
Schall Goal 93'
Bican Goal 109'
Report Nicolas Goal 18'
Verriest Goal 116' (pen.)

27 May 1934
16:30 (CEST)
Germany Germany 5–2 Belgium Belgium Stadio Giovanni Berta, Florence
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Francesco Mattea (Italy)
Kobierski Goal 25'
Siffling Goal 49'
Conen Goal 66'70'87'
Report Voorhoof Goal 29'43'

Quarter-finals[]

31 May 1934
16:30 (CEST)
Austria Flag of Austria 2–1 Flag of Hungary Hungary Stadio Littoriale, Bologna
Attendance: 23,000
Referee: Francesco Mattea (Italy)
Horvath Goal 8'
Zischek Goal 51'
Report Sárosi Goal 60' (pen.)

31 May 1934
16:30 (CEST)
Italy Flag of Italy 1–1
(a.e.t.)
Flag of Spain Spain Stadio Giovanni Berta, Florence
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Louis Baert (Belgium)
Ferrari Goal 44' Report Regueiro Goal 30'

31 May 1934
16:30 (CEST)
Germany Germany 2–1 Flag of Sweden Good one Sweden Stadio San Siro, Milan
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Rinaldo Barlassina (Italy)
Hohmann Goal 60'63' Report Dunker Goal 82'

31 May 1934
16:30 (CEST)
Czechoslovakia Flag of Czech 3–2 Switzerland rectangle Switzerland Stadio Benito Mussolini, Turin
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Alois Beranek (Austria)
Svoboda Goal 24'
Sobotka Goal 49'
Nejedlý Goal 82'
Report Kielholz Goal 18'
Jäggi Goal 78'
Replay
1 June 1934
16:30 (CEST)
Italy Flag of Italy 1–0 Flag of Spain Spain Stadio Giovanni Berta, Florence
Attendance: 43,000
Referee: Rene Mercet (Switzerland)
Meazza Goal 11' Report

Semi-finals[]

3 June 1934
16:30 (CEST)
Italy Flag of Italy 1–0 Flag of Austria Austria Stadio San Siro, Milan
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Ivan Eklind (Sweden)
Guaita Goal 19' Report

3 June 1934
16:30 (CEST)
Czechoslovakia Flag of Czech 3–1 Germany Germany Stadio Nazionale PNF, Rome
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Rinaldo Barlassina (Italy)
Nejedlý Goal 19'71'80' Report Noack Goal 62'

Third-place match[]

7 June 1934
18:00 (CEST)
Germany Germany 3–2 Flag of Austria Austria Stadio Giorgio Ascarelli, Naples
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Albino Carraro (Italy)
Lehner Goal 1'42'
Conen Goal 27'
Report Horvath Goal 28'
Sesta Goal 54'

Final[]

Main article:1934 FIFA World Cup Final
10 June 1934
17:30 (CEST)
Italy Flag of Italy 2–1
(a.e.t.)
Flag of Czech Czechoslovakia Stadio Nazionale PNF, Rome
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Ivan Eklind (Sweden)
Orsi Goal 81'
Schiavio Goal 95'
Report Puč Goal 71'

Goalscorers[]

With five goals, Oldřich Nejedlý is the top scorer in the tournament. In total, 70 goals were scored by 45 different players, with none of them credited as own goal.

5 goals
  • Flag of Czechoslovakia Oldřich Nejedlý

4 goals
  • Flag of Germany Edmund Conen
  • Flag of Italy Angelo Schiavio

3 goals
  • Flag of Italy Raimundo Orsi
  • Flag of Switzerland Leopold Kielholz
2 goals

  • Flag of Austria Johann Horvath
  • Flag of Belgium Bernard Voorhoof
  • Flag of Czechoslovakia Antonín Puč
  • Flag of Egypt Abdulrahman Fawzi

  • Flag of Germany Karl Hohmann
  • Flag of Germany Ernst Lehner
  • Flag of Hungary Géza Toldi
  • Flag of Italy Giovanni Ferrari
  • Flag of Italy Giuseppe Meazza

  • Flag of Spain José Iraragorri
  • Flag of Sweden Sven Jonasson
1 goal

  • Flag of Argentina Ernesto Belis
  • Flag of Argentina Alberto Galateo
  • Flag of Austria Josef Bican
  • Flag of Austria Anton Schall
  • Flag of Austria Karl Sesta
  • Flag of Austria Matthias Sindelar
  • Flag of Austria Karl Zischek
  • Flag of Brazil Leônidas
  • Flag of Czechoslovakia Jiří Sobotka
  • Flag of Czechoslovakia František Svoboda

  • Flag of France Jean Nicolas
  • Flag of France Georges Verriest
  • Flag of Germany Stanislaus Kobierski
  • Flag of Germany Rudolf Noack
  • Flag of Germany Otto Siffling
  • Flag of Hungary György Sárosi
  • Flag of Hungary Pál Teleki
  • Flag of Hungary Jenő Vincze
  • Flag of Italy Enrique Guaita

  • Flag of Netherlands Kick Smit
  • Flag of Netherlands Leen Vente
  • Flag of Romania Ștefan Dobay
  • Flag of Spain Isidro Lángara
  • Flag of Spain Luis Regueiro
  • Flag of Sweden Gösta Dunker
  • Flag of Sweden Knut Kroon
  • Flag of Switzerland André Abegglen
  • Flag of Switzerland Willy Jäggi
  • Flag of United States Aldo Donelli

FIFA retrospective ranking[]

In 1986, FIFA published a report that ranked all teams in each World Cup up to and including 1986, based on progress in the competition, overall results and quality of the opposition. The rankings for the 1934 tournament were as follows:

R Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts.
1 Flag of Italy Italy 4 3 1 0 11 3 +8 7
2 Flag of Czech Czechoslovakia 4 3 0 1 9 6 +3 6
3 Germany Germany 4 3 0 1 11 8 +3 6
4 Flag of Austria Austria 4 2 0 2 7 7 0 4
Eliminated in the quarter-finals
5 Flag of Spain Spain 2 1 1 0 4 2 +2 3
6 Flag of Hungary Hungary 2 1 0 1 5 4 +1 2
7 Switzerland rectangle Switzerland 2 1 0 1 5 5 0 2
8 Flag of Sweden Good one Sweden 2 1 0 1 4 4 0 2
Eliminated in the round of 16
9 Flag of Argentina Argentina 1 0 0 1 2 3 −1 0
Flag of France France 1 0 0 1 2 3 −1 0
Netherlands Netherlands 1 0 0 1 2 3 −1 0
12 Romania Romania 1 0 0 1 1 2 −1 0
13 Flag of Egypt Egypt 1 0 0 1 2 4 −2 0
14 Brazil Brazil 1 0 0 1 1 3 −2 0
15 Belgium Belgium 1 0 0 1 2 5 −3 0
16 Flag of the United States United States 1 0 0 1 1 7 −6 0

External links[]

1934 FIFA World Cup stadiums

Stadio Littoriale (Bologna) · Stadio Giovanni Berta (Florence) · Stadio Luigi Ferraris (Genoa) · Stadio San Siro (Milan) · Stadio Giorgio Ascarelli (Naples) · Stadio Nazionale PNF (Rome) · Stadio Littorio (Trieste) · Stadio Benito Mussolini (Turin)

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