FIFA World Cup 1950 – Brazil’s woes at Maracana, Uruguay wins for the second time

FIFA World Cup 1950 saw Uruguay win the tournament with Alcides Ghiggia scoring late in the second half, turning the Brazilians’ joy into despair, as Uruguay won its second World Cup.

The Uruguay team at the start of the final FIFA Soccer World Cup Tournament at Rio De Janeiro on July 16, 1950. (L-R) Obdul, Varela, Trainer, Eusebio, Tejera, Two members of the Uruguay delegation, Schubert Gambetta, Marias Gonsalez, Roqur Maspoli, Victor Rodrigues, Andredeem. Front (left to right): Unidentified, Edgard Giggbia, Julio Perez, Omar Miguez, Juan Scheaffino, Ernesto Vidal. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

The newly built Maracana and its 200,000 noisy spectators were all geared up to celebrate Brazil’s expected first World Cup triumph in 1950.

FIFA World Cup 1950 Stats

Host – Brazil

Teams – 13

Matches – 22

Goals – 88

Format – 13 teams divided into 4 groups – each group winner into final group stage, playing in round-robin format to determine cup winner.

Winner – Uruguay

Runner-up – Brazil

Top Scorer – Ademir (Brazil) — 8 goals

Best Goalkeeper – Roque Maspoli (Uruguay)

Best Player – Zizinho (Brazil)

Best Match – USA vs England

It was smooth sailing for the home team in the final against Uruguay as Friaca put Brazil, playing in white, ahead. But Juan Schiaffino found an unlikely equaliser for the visitor, and 11 minutes from time Alcides Ghiggia turned the Brazilians’ joy into despair, scoring what turned out to be the winner.

So upset was the host that it forgot to give Uruguay the trophy and the crowd sat in a silence too difficult to bear. The national team refused to wear white ever again.

The brightest spot of the meet, though, was produced by an unknown Haitian Joe Gaetjens, who was drafted into the USA side and played only three internationals.

His solitary goal pushed out Walter Winterbottom’s England, playing in the competition for the first time following a self-imposed exile from FIFA for 17 years.

England, which had thrashed a combined European XI 6-1 ahead of the Cup, was considered the favourite, but went home early after two defeats to the USA and Spain.

Back in England, newspapers thought the result was a typing error by news agencies and changed it to 10-1.

The reality was that England — the team included Alf Ramsey, architect of its 1966 triumph — was bound for an embarrassingly early exit as the game’s founder had arrived ill-prepared and over-confident for such a high-profile competition.