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History of the FIFA World Cup™
No other sporting event captures the world's imagination like the FIFA World Cup ™. Ever since the first tentative competition in Uruguay in 1930, FIFA's flagship has constantly grown in popularity and prestige.
A group of visionary French football administrators, led in the 1920s by the innovative Jules Rimet, are credited with the original idea of bringing the world's strongest national football teams together to compete for the title of World Champions. The original gold trophy bore Jules Rimet's name and was contested three times in the 1930s, before the Second World War put a 12-year stop to the competition.
When it resumed, the FIFA World Cup™ rapidly advanced to its undisputed status as the greatest single sporting event of the modern world. Held since 1958 alternately in Europe and the Americas, the World Cup broke new ground with the Executive Committee's decision in May 1996 to select Korea and Japan as co-hosts for the 2002 edition.
Since 1930, the 16 tournaments have seen only seven different winners. However, the FIFA World Cup™ has also been punctuated by dramatic upsets that have helped create footballing history - the United States defeating England in 1950, North Korea's defeat of Italy in 1966, Cameroon's emergence in the 1980s and their opening match defeat of the Argentinean cup-holders in 1990....
Today, the FIFA World Cup™ holds the entire global public under its spell. An accumulated audience of over 37 billion people watched the France 98 tournament, including approximately 1.3 billion for the final alone, while over 2.7 million people flocked to watch the 64 matches in the French stadia.
After all these years and so many changes, however, the main focus of the FIFA World Cup™ remains the same - the glistening golden trophy, which is the embodiment of every footballer's ambition.
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Credit: www.fifa.com
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1930 FIFA World Cup - Uruguay
The tournament was played in Uruguay, as the country was celebrating the centenary of its independence and the Uruguay national team had successfully retained their football title at the 1928 Olympic Games. As well as being the first ever hosts, Uruguay also became the inaugural champions, beating Argentina in the final, 4-2. The first World Cup was the only one without qualification. However, only thirteen teams ended up participating.
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1934 FIFA World Cup - Italy
It was the first football World Cup for which teams would have to qualify in order to take part. taly became the second World Cup champions, beating Czechoslovakia in the final, 2-1.
The influence of Benito Mussolini, the Italian prime minister, is said to have extended to the choice of referees for Italy's matches. Some referees ruled so much in Italy's favour that they were suspended by their home nations after the tournament.
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1938 FIFA World Cup - France
The 1938 Football World Cup was played in France, the second tournament in a row to be played in Europe. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4-2 in the finals.
The decision of FIFA in 1936 during the celebration of the 1936 Summer Olympics to hold the tournament in France caused outrage in South America where it was believed that the venue would alternate between the two continents.
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World War 2 - Play Interupted |
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The 1950 FIFA World Cup - Brazil
The only World Cup not decided by a knockout final. It was also the first year that the cup itself would be referred to as the Jules Rimet Cup, to mark the 25th anniversary of Rimet's presidency of FIFA. It was won by Uruguay, who had won the inaugural competition in 1930.
Because of World War II, the World Cup had not been staged since 1938; the planned World Cups of 1942 and 1946 were both cancelled.
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The 1954 FIFA World Cup - Switzerland
For the first time there was television coverage, and special coins issued to mark the event.
The Wankdorf Stadion in Berne saw 60,000 people cram inside to watch the Final between West Germany and Hungary, a rematch of a first round game, which Hungary had won 8-3. Shortly before the match it had started raining - in Germany this was dubbed "Fritz-Walter-Wetter" (Fritz Walter Weather) because the German team captain Fritz Walter was said to play his best in rainy weather. The Final saw the legendary Ferenc Puskás playing even though he was not fully fit. |
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1958 FIFA World Cup - Sweden
In June 1954, the FIFA congress in Bern, Switzerland decided to award the right to host the 1958 Football World Cup to Sweden. It was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5-2 in the final for their first title. The World Cup marked the debut on the world stage of 17-year-old Pelé, who would grow to be considered one of the greatest footballers of all time.
This World Cup also saw the entry of the Soviet Union for the first time and the qualification of all the United Kingdom's "home" nations (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) for the first time.
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1962 FIFA World Cup - Chile
In 1962 the Football World Cup returned to the continent of South America. It was held in Chile in accordance with FIFA's decision in Lisbon in June 1956, and won by Brazil, who retained the championship by beating Czechoslovakia 3-1 in the final.
In May 1960, as the preparations were well under way, Chile suffered one of the largest earthquakes (9.5 mag) Stadia and other infrastructure were rebuilt at record speed and the tournament occurred on schedule with no major organizational flaw.
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1966 FIFA World Cup - England
1966 was a year of triumph for the host nation, England, which won the final beating West Germany 4-2. The tournament's leading goalscorer was Eusébio of Portugal with nine goals. The event was awarded by FIFA in 1960 to England to celebrate the centenary of the codification of football in England, beating the West German candidacy.
It was the first World Cup to choose a mascot and an official logo for marketing purposes: The mascot was a lion called World Cup Willie. His image appeared in the official poster.
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1970 FIFA World Cup - Mexico
The decision was made by FIFA in October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan, with Mexico beating out Argentina's bid to organize the event. The 1970 World Cup was won by Brazil, who beat Italy 4-1 in the final. This tournament saw the return of free-flowing, attacking play after the physical battles of 1962 and 1966, and is still considered by many fans to be the finest World Cup in history. The event featured the first ever use of red and yellow cards for misconduct by players, although no red cards were actually issued in the competition.
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1974 FIFA World Cup - West Germany
The host nation won the title beating Netherlands in the final, 2-1. The victory was the second for West Germany, who had won in 1954.
Elected by FIFA in June 1966, the tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded.
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1978 FIFA World Cup -
Argentina
The 1978 FIFA World Cup was held in Argentina between June 1 and 25, 1978. FIFA awarded the 1978 World Cup to Argentina in London on July 6 1966. (Argentina was a candidate to host the 1970 World Cup, but since Mexico City was hosting the 1968 Summer Olympics and had constructed new football stadia, it went to Mexico.) The 1
One of the few World Cups not to make a profit, the tournament 's losses stood amounted to $750 million[3].
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1982 FIFA World Cup - Spain
The 1982 Football World Cup was held in Spain by decision of FIFA in July 1966, in the same session where FIFA gave the right to host the 1974 and 1978 tournaments to, respectively, West Germany and Argentina. It was won by Italy, who beat West Germany 3-1 in the final. With its third World Cup title (after 1934 and 1938), Italy drew level with record champions Brazil. This World Cup was marked by a series of great matches (most famously the epic semifinal between West Germany and France) and is widely regarded as the second-best ever after the legendary 1970 tournament.
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1986 FIFA World Cup - Mexico
The 1986 FIFA World Cup was held in Mexico from May 31 to June 29. It was won by Argentina, who beat West Germany 3-2 in the final at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca.
The 1986 tournament was originally scheduled in 1974 to be hosted by Colombia, but after the Colombian authorities declared in late 1982 that they could not afford to host the World Cup under the terms that FIFA demanded, Mexico was selected in May 20th,1983 in Stockholm, beating the bids of Canada, and the United States.
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1990 FIFA World Cup - Italy
The 1990 FIFA World Cup was designated by FIFA in 1984 to be held in Italy, making it the second country to host the event twice. It was won by West Germany, who in a rematch of the 1986 World Cup final beat Argentina 1-0 to lift the trophy.
The World Cup 1990 is widely regarded as one of the least spectacular and most cynical World Cups ever. It generated a record-low goals-per-game average and (at the time) record 16 red cards. Most teams relied heavily on defensive play and hard tackling, as well as aggressive intimidation of the referee.
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1994 FIFA World Cup - USA
The 1994 FIFA World Cup was held in the USA and was won by Brazil who beat Italy with 3-2 in a penalty shootout after the game ended 0-0 after extra-time.
FIFA's decision in 1988 to hold the event in the United States over the bids of Morocco and Brazil surprised many considering the perception that the United States had a relative lack of soccer fans. Despite these misgivings, in terms of attendance the event was a rousing success. The average attendance of nearly 69,000 shattered a record that had stood since 1950.
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1998 FIFA World Cup - France
The 1998 Football World Cup was held in France, by the FIFA decision in July 1992 beating a bid by Morocco to host the event. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final. The official theme song for the event was La Copa de la Vida by Ricky Martin.
This was the first Cup title for France, who became the seventh world champions, the other six being Brazil, Uruguay, Italy, Germany, England and Argentina. The format of the competition was different from 1994: it was expanded from 24 (six groups of four teams) to 32 teams, divided into eight groups of four. Sixteen teams: eight group winners and eight second place finishers would qualify for the knockout competition.
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2002 FIFA World Cup - Korea/Japan
The 2002 FIFA World Cup (Official name: 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan) was held in South Korea and Japan from May 31 to June 30. It was the 17th tournament. As decided by FIFA in May 1996 in Zurich, for the first time in its history, the World Cup was organised by two countries. It was also the first time it was held outside Europe or the Americas.
The co-hosting also meant that for the first time, three teams (South Korea and Japan as co-hosts and 1998 World Cup champion France) received automatic places in the tournament. This auto-qualifying benefit for the previous champion was abolished after this tournament.
The tournament was won by Brazil for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2-0 in the final.
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2006 FIFA World Cup - Germany
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th staging of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international association football world championship tournament. It was held from June 9 to July 9, 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Italy won its fourth world championship, defeating France 5–3 in a penalty shootout after extra time finished in a 1–1 draw. Germany defeated Portugal 3–1 to finish third.
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2010 FIFA World Cup - South Africa
The next FIFA World Cup which is in 2010 will be hosted in South Africa. It will become the 16th nation to host the tournament. The slogan for the 2010 tournament is 'Win with Africa in Africa'. The logo for the 2010 World Cup is an african map, with the stripes of the South African flag. |
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