World Cup 2006 origins the first World Cup
By Sulla June 12 2005
In the months building up to Germany 2006, I thought I would take time reflecting on the ones that went before, here is my homage to the First ever World Cup.
By Sulla June 12 2005
In the months building up to Germany 2006, I thought I would take time reflecting on the ones that went before, here is my homage to the First ever World Cup.
It's 1930, the worst economic crisis the world is known, is underway and FIFA in their infinite wisdom that it would be a good idea to hold a World Cup. They then decided to invoke yet more head scratching by announcing it was in Uruguay.
This was instantly followed by uproar, most of the European teams would have to go without their best players for up to two months, most of the players going, did not actually know how to spell Uruguay, and Fifa had the only map to the person who thought it was a good idea.
There was no qualifying competition in those days, and 13 teams were duly entered by invitation, with the final draw not being made until they arrived in Uruguay.
The first ever match of the World cup saw France taking on Mexico, dressed in national costumes the French did not let their omnipresent strings of onion and garlic interfere and ran out 4-1 winners, with the Mexicans, left to pander a future as a wave.
The final was between Argentina and Uruguay, with Argentina taking a 2-1 lead, but Uruguay hit back to become the first ever world Champions winning the game 4-2.
Strangely interesting facts time
For the first ever World Cup there are no qualifying rounds - participation is by invitation only. Because of recession and the long voyage to Uruguay by ship, lots of European teams declined to take part. In Romania, a decree from King Carol gave the players three months off from their jobs and a guarantee that they will be re-employed on their return. The king himself is also active as coach, but after a great performance from the host country, the king's men have to pack their bags for an early trip home.
There still seems to be a difference of opinion on a statistical point of footballing interest: while FIFA and a number of other sources give America's Bertram Patenaude the honour of having scored the first World Cup hat trick (17 July 1930, against Paraguay), others say it was Guillermo Stabile of Argentina who was first, with three goals two days later against Mexico.
This was instantly followed by uproar, most of the European teams would have to go without their best players for up to two months, most of the players going, did not actually know how to spell Uruguay, and Fifa had the only map to the person who thought it was a good idea.
There was no qualifying competition in those days, and 13 teams were duly entered by invitation, with the final draw not being made until they arrived in Uruguay.
The first ever match of the World cup saw France taking on Mexico, dressed in national costumes the French did not let their omnipresent strings of onion and garlic interfere and ran out 4-1 winners, with the Mexicans, left to pander a future as a wave.
The final was between Argentina and Uruguay, with Argentina taking a 2-1 lead, but Uruguay hit back to become the first ever world Champions winning the game 4-2.
Strangely interesting facts time
For the first ever World Cup there are no qualifying rounds - participation is by invitation only. Because of recession and the long voyage to Uruguay by ship, lots of European teams declined to take part. In Romania, a decree from King Carol gave the players three months off from their jobs and a guarantee that they will be re-employed on their return. The king himself is also active as coach, but after a great performance from the host country, the king's men have to pack their bags for an early trip home.
There still seems to be a difference of opinion on a statistical point of footballing interest: while FIFA and a number of other sources give America's Bertram Patenaude the honour of having scored the first World Cup hat trick (17 July 1930, against Paraguay), others say it was Guillermo Stabile of Argentina who was first, with three goals two days later against Mexico.
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