With Europe more tense as fascist governments spread, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini hoped to use the 1934 World Cup to further the glory of his regime.
Sixteen teams -- 12 from Europe, three South Americans (though not holders Uruguay) and one African nation, Egypt -- lined up for the finals, which were this time conducted purely on a knockout basis.
For the second successive time, the host country took the spoils. Under the approving gaze of Mussolini, the Italians saw off Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the final, though only after extra-time.
The Czechs silenced the partisan 50,000 crowd when Antonin Puc scored with just 20 minutes of the match remaining.
The Argentine-born Raimundo Orsi scored a late equaliser for Italy with a brilliant goal. Angelo Schiavo scored the match-winner in the seventh minute of extra-time.
Final
June 10, 1934 - Italy 2 Czechoslovakia 1 (after extra time)
1934 WORLD CUP LEGEND
Giampiero COMBI
Italy: b. 1902, d. 1956
One of Italy's best ever goalkeepers. However it was only an injury to Carlo Ceresoli that allowed him to return for his 47th and last international when he captained Italy to victory in the 1934 final.
Combi let in seven goals against Hungary in his international debut in Budapest in 1924 and coach Vittorio Pozzo dropped him for the Olympics that year in Antwerp.
He won back his place the following year, when Italy scored seven goals against France and consolidated his position in the 1928 Paris Olympics.
Combi won five Italian championships with Juventus before retiring after the 1934 World Cup.
1934 WORLD CUP SCORERS
TOP SCORERS
Oldrich Nejedly (CZE) 5
Angelo Schiavo (ITA) 4
Edmund Conen (GER) 4
Raimundo Orsi (ITA) 3
Leopold Kielholz (SWI) 3
1934 WORLD CUP TRIVIA
- Uruguay refused to defend their world title in Italy, as a protest against the European nations' apparent snubbing of the 1930 tournament.
- For the first time there were qualifying rounds. From the initial entry of 32 nations, 16 reached the finals which were run on a knock-out basis. This meant that Brazil and Argentina, both beaten in the first round, had travelled almost 10,000 miles for just one game.
- In the opening match Angelo Schiavo became the first European player to score a World Cup hat-trick as the hosts Italy beat the USA 7-1.
- The first African nation to compete in the World Cup finals were Egypt. Fawzi scored both their goals in their 4-2 defeat by Hungary in Naples.
- In the final between Italy and the Czechs both captains were the goalkeepers -- Giampiero Combi for Italy and Frantisek Planicka for Czechoslovakia.
1934 WORLD CUP WINNING SQUAD
Italy
Goalkeepers: Guiseppe Cavanna, Giamperro Combi (capt), Guido Masetti
Defenders: Luigi Allemandi, Eraldo Monzeglio, Virginio Rosetta, Mario Varglien I
Midfielders: Pietro Arcari, Luigi Bertolini, Umberto Caligaris, Mario Castellazi, Attilio Ferraris IV, Luis Monti, Mario Pizziolo
Forwards: Felice Placido Borel, Attilio Emaria, Giovanni Ferrari, Enrique Guaita, Anfilogino Guarisi, Giuseppe Meazza, Raimundo Orsi, Angelo Schiavio
Coach: Vittorio Pozzo
1934 World Cup: Italy win in shadow of fascism
With Europe more tense as fascist governments spread, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini hoped to use the 1934 World Cup to further the glory of his regime.
Sixteen teams -- 12 from Europe, three South Americans (though not holders Uruguay) and one African nation, Egypt -- lined up for the finals, which were this time conducted purely on a knockout basis.
For the second successive time, the host country took the spoils. Under the approving gaze of Mussolini, the Italians saw off Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the final, though only after extra-time.
The Czechs silenced the partisan 50,000 crowd when Antonin Puc scored with just 20 minutes of the match remaining.
The Argentine-born Raimundo Orsi scored a late equaliser for Italy with a brilliant goal. Angelo Schiavo scored the match-winner in the seventh minute of extra-time.
Final
June 10, 1934 - Italy 2 Czechoslovakia 1 (after extra time)
1934 WORLD CUP LEGEND
Giampiero COMBI
Italy: b. 1902, d. 1956
One of Italy's best ever goalkeepers. However it was only an injury to Carlo Ceresoli that allowed him to return for his 47th and last international when he captained Italy to victory in the 1934 final.
Combi let in seven goals against Hungary in his international debut in Budapest in 1924 and coach Vittorio Pozzo dropped him for the Olympics that year in Antwerp.
He won back his place the following year, when Italy scored seven goals against France and consolidated his position in the 1928 Paris Olympics.
Combi won five Italian championships with Juventus before retiring after the 1934 World Cup.
1934 WORLD CUP SCORERS
TOP SCORERS
Oldrich Nejedly (CZE) 5
Angelo Schiavo (ITA) 4
Edmund Conen (GER) 4
Raimundo Orsi (ITA) 3
Leopold Kielholz (SWI) 3
1934 WORLD CUP TRIVIA
- Uruguay refused to defend their world title in Italy, as a protest against the European nations' apparent snubbing of the 1930 tournament.
- For the first time there were qualifying rounds. From the initial entry of 32 nations, 16 reached the finals which were run on a knock-out basis. This meant that Brazil and Argentina, both beaten in the first round, had travelled almost 10,000 miles for just one game.
- In the opening match Angelo Schiavo became the first European player to score a World Cup hat-trick as the hosts Italy beat the USA 7-1.
- The first African nation to compete in the World Cup finals were Egypt. Fawzi scored both their goals in their 4-2 defeat by Hungary in Naples.
- In the final between Italy and the Czechs both captains were the goalkeepers -- Giampiero Combi for Italy and Frantisek Planicka for Czechoslovakia.
1934 WORLD CUP WINNING SQUAD
Italy
Goalkeepers: Guiseppe Cavanna, Giamperro Combi (capt), Guido Masetti
Defenders: Luigi Allemandi, Eraldo Monzeglio, Virginio Rosetta, Mario Varglien I
Midfielders: Pietro Arcari, Luigi Bertolini, Umberto Caligaris, Mario Castellazi, Attilio Ferraris IV, Luis Monti, Mario Pizziolo
Forwards: Felice Placido Borel, Attilio Emaria, Giovanni Ferrari, Enrique Guaita, Anfilogino Guarisi, Giuseppe Meazza, Raimundo Orsi, Angelo Schiavio
Coach: Vittorio Pozzo
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