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Background |
The 1954 FIFA World Cup, the fifth staging of the World Cup, was held in
Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July.
Switzerland were chosen unopposed as hosts
to hold the 1951 World Cup Finals,
at the 24th FIFA Congress in Luxembourg on 26 July 1946
(along with the 1950 World Cup). A day later, Congress decided to
delay the World Cup Finals for three years, deciding it should take place in
1954.
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The Draw |
These Finals used a unique format. The sixteen qualifying
teams were again divided into four groups of four at the draw in Zürich,
30 November 1953. But each group
contained two seeded and two unseeded teams. Only four matches were
scheduled for each group, with a seeded team versus an unseeded
team. Extra time would then be played if the teams were level after
ninety minutes, but a draw would result if the scores were still
level after 120 minutes.
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Pot 1 |
Pot 2 |
Pot 3 |
Pot 4 |
|
Switzerland |
Austria (seeded) |
France (seeded) |
Belgium |
|
Uruguay (seeded) |
England (seeded) |
Italy (seeded) |
Mexico |
|
Brazil (seeded) |
West Germany |
Czechoslovakia |
Korea Republic |
|
Hungary (seeded) |
Yugoslavia |
Turkey (seeded) |
Scotland |
The fixtures were
drawn up on 1 February 1954. Because it had yet to be
decided whether England or Scotland would win their group,
both teams were paired with each other's opponents.
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The Build-Up |
16
November 1953: The World Cup Organising Committee decide that no injured
player can be replaced during the World Cup Finals.
1 February
1954: The following fixture list is made for Wednesday, 16 June -
Austria vs. England or Wales or Scotland in Zurich. Thursday, 17 June -
Belgium vs. England or Scotland in Basle. Saturday, 19 June - Uruguay
vs. England or Scotland or Wales in Basle. Sunday, 20 June - Switzerland
vs. England or Scotland in Berne.
7 April: The FA selectors
nominate 32 players for the World Cup, that will at first be tested on
the continental tour in May.
22 April: As one drops out, another
nine players are added to the party to make forty players.
24
May: The England party return from their disastrous continental tour,
losing both matches (1-0 to Yugoslavia and 7-1 to Hungary).
"There is no question of withdrawal because we lost so
heavily. We will give our best in the World Cup and do all we can to
restore English prestige. The Hungarians were a miraculous team."
- Walter Winterbottom
1 June:
England party began two days of training at Roehampton, prior to the
announcement of the World Cup squad.
"So far
27 players have been named, but only 25 will take part in the training
which starts to-day. Matthews and Finney will not be there. Matthews has
asked for a rest following his tour of the continent with his club,
Blackpool, and Finney is having treatment for a thigh injury."
- The Times
"The
annual general meeting of the Football Association lasted twelve
minutes. Not a word was said about England's recent heavy defeat by
Hungary in Budapest."
- The Guardian
3 June:
The
Football Association announced the squad of 17 players that were to
travel to Switzerland for the tournament.
8 June: The
Football Association announced the five reserves, who were to remain at
home on standby. All of the 22-man squad returned to Roehampton for a
further three days of training. Matthews and Finney were given the third
day off. They were all asked to train on their club grounds for the next
two days.
11 June: England's
team for the opening game, against Belgium, was announced.
14 June: The
England squad arrived in Lucerne, their base for the tournament.
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First Phase
Pool D |
|
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
Pts |
|
England |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
4 |
+2 |
3 |
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Italy |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
3 |
+2 |
2 |
|
Switzerland |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
-1 |
2 |
|
Belgium |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
8 |
-3 |
1 |
|
17 June 1954 -
all CET |
5:50pm -
Switzerland
2 Italy 1
[1-1]
Stade Olympique de La Pontaise,
Lausanne (43,000) |
Ballaman, Hügi
Boniperti |
6:10pm -
Belgium 4 England 4 [1-2]ᴭᵀ
Sankt Jakob Stadium, Basel
(14,000) |
Anoul (2), Coppens,
Dickinson OG
Broadis (2), Lofthouse
(2) |
ENGLAND THROW VICTORY AWAY
"England...were like those rare children of light who can pass through
any experience protected by a sheath of impenetrable innocence.
"...dominated
the central hour with some pure cultured football to take a lead that
should have given them a worthy victory.
"...too much
artistry at the time of their domination." - The Times, 18
June 1954
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20 June 1954 -
all CET |
5:00pm -
Italy
4 Belgium 1
[1-0]
Stadio Cornaredo, Lugano (26,000) |
Pandolfini (pen), Galli,
Frignani, Lorenzi
Anoul |
5:10pm -
England 2 Switzerland 0 [1-0]
Wankdorfstadion, Bern (43,119) |
Mullen,
Wilshaw |
FORMIDABLE PROSPECT
AHEAD
"...torrid
heat of over a hundred degrees under a cloudless sky...
"England, in a
world sense, represent a Third Division side that has found its way into
the last eight of the FA Cup.
"...must start
thinking intelligently ahead of the pass.
"Yet
England...deserved to win a match of extreme mediocrity.
"...dominating
influence of Wright..." - The Times, 21 June 1954
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23 June 1954
- 6:00pm CET |
Switzerland
4 Italy 1
[1-0]
Sankt Jakob Stadium, Basel (14,000) |
Hügi (2), Ballaman, Fatton
Nesti |
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Play-off
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Second Phase |
Another feature of the 1954 format was that the four
group-winning teams were drawn against each other in the knockout
stages to provide one finalist, and the four runners-up played
against each other to provide the second finalist. The draw took
place on 21 June.
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26 June 1954 -
both 5:00pm CET |
Austria 7 Switzerland 5
[5-4]
Stade Olympique de La Pontaise, Lausanne (32,000) |
Wagner (3),
A.Körner (2), Ocwirk, Probst
Ballaman (2), Hügi (3) |
Uruguay 4 England 2 [2-1]
Sankt Jakob Stadium, Basel (28,000) |
Borges, Varella,
Schiaffino, Ambrois
Lofthouse,
Finney |
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ENGLAND ARE ELIMINATED |
ENGLAND'S FOOTBALL PRIDE REGAINED
"...departed defiantly with
all flags flying and all their guns firing...
"...England so nearly could
have won.
"...Uruguayan defence began
to shudder before an articulate English answer made pointed by the
inspiration of the evergreen Matthews.
"...limping Uruguayans at
the end who were most relieved to hear the whistle blow...
"...higher degree of
mobility, imagination, accuracy, and spirit than one has seen from an
English side for some time.
"The Uruguayans played the
whole second half with only eight fully effective men."
- The Times, 28 June 1954
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27 June 1954 -
both 5:00pm CET |
Hungary
4 Brazil 2
[2-1]
Wankdorfstadion, Bern (40,000) |
Hidegkuti,
Kocsis (2), Lantos (pen)
D.Santos (pen), Julinho |
West
Germany 2 Yugoslavia 0
[1-0]
Le Stade de Charmilles,
Genève (17,000) |
Horvat
OG, Rahn |
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Quarter Finals |
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Semi
Finals |
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30 June 1954
-
both 6:00pm CET |
West
Germany 6 Austria 1
[1-0]
Sankt Jakob Stadium, Basel (57,000) |
Schäfer,
Morlock, F.Walter (2 pens), O.Walter (2)
Probst |
Hungary 4 Uruguay 2
[1-0]ᴭᵀ
Stade
Olympique de La Pontaise, Lausanne (45,000) |
Czibor,
Hidegkuti, Kocsis (2)
Hohberg (2) |
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Third Place Play-off |
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3 July 1954
-
5:00pm CET |
Austria 3 Uruguay 1
[1-1]
Hardturm Stadion,
Zürich (32,000) |
Stojaspal
(pen), Cruz OG,
Ocwirk
Hohberg |
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The
1954 Final |
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4 July 1954
-
5:00pm CET |
West
Germany 3 Hungary 2
[2-2]
Wankdorfstadion, Bern (62,472) |
Morlock,
Rahn (2)
Puskás, Czibor |
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