The 1950 FIFA World Cup was the first after WWI. Much of Europe was in ruins and no bids to host were presented. But FIFA wanted to get back with the tournament as soon as possible, deciding that the next one would be in 1949. That’s when Brazil offered to host it on the condition that it took place in 1950. FIFA agreed and Brazil was going to host the 4th FIFA World Cup.
Brazil (host) and Italy (defending champions) were already qualified. For the other fourteen, FIFA allocated 7 places to Europe, 6 to the Americas and 1 for Asia. Germany and Japan, still occupied, were unable to participate. Most teams behind the Iron Curtain like the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and Hungary refused to participate. Yugoslavia was the only team from Eastern Europe to compete. Argentina, Ecuador and Peru withdrew after the qualification round because of a political dispute between the Brazilian and Argentinean football confederations. And it was the first time United Kingdom teams would take part in the World Cup.
After the qualification round, Scotland and Turkey withdrew. Portugal, Republic of Ireland and France were then invited but only France initially accepted. In the end, when it came time to draw the groups, only 15 teams would participate. But, after the draw, India and France decided to not travel to Brazil.
The format for the 1950 FIFA World Cup was also different. It wasn’t going to be a knockout tournament. Teams would be divided in four groups where they would play all teams from their group. With 2 points awarded for winning, and 1 point awarded for tying, the team with the most points of each group would advance to the final round. The final round was played the same way. The four qualified teams would play each other and the champion would be the one with the most points in the end.
The last game is usually mistaken as the final because it was the last round of the finals and was played between Brazil and Uruguay, who occupied first and second place in the finals. In other words, the champion would emerge from this game. Brazil, which had dominated until then with two victories (6×1 and 7×1), was playing for a draw. Uruguay had won just one match, with a draw in the other.
And it was the biggest upset of all for Brazilians. The Brazilian team, after starting off winning 1-0, conceded two goals and ended up losing the game in front of more than 170 thousand fans in the Maracanã stands.
List of the teams that competed in the final tournament: Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, England, Italy, Mexico, Paraguay, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United States, Uruguay, Yugoslavia.
Champions: Uruguay
2nd place: Brazil
3rd place: Sweden
Top scorer player: Ademir, Brazil – 9 goals
Top scorer team: Brazil – 22 goals
Total of goals: 88 goals
Average per match: 4
List of all the tournaments
- 1930 FIFA World Cup – Uruguay
- 1934 FIFA World Cup – Italy
- 1938 FIFA World Cup – France
- 1950 FIFA World Cup – Brazil
- 1954 FIFA World Cup – Switzerland
- 1958 FIFA World Cup – Sweden
- 1962 FIFA World Cup – Chile
- 1966 FIFA World Cup – England
- 1970 FIFA World Cup – Mexico
- 1974 FIFA World Cup – West Germany