The second World Cup in history unfolded under the shadow of fascist governance in Italy. Benito Mussolini pressed to have FIFA move the event to his country, exerting pressure on Jules Rimet, then head of the governing body, and on Sweden, the other candidate nation, as Europe prepared for its pivotal football showcase.
From Mussolini’s perspective, hosting the tournament was a stage to present Italy’s regimen to the world. Italy’s victory was overwhelming, and under local conditions the host assembled some of the era’s finest players. Players such as Argentine Luis Monti, Atilio Demaría, Enrique Guaita, Raimundo Orsi, and Brazilian Anfilogio Guarisi were placed at the disposal of coach Vittorio Pozzo to craft a team capable of delivering results on home soil.
Uruguay’s decision to abstain favored Italy. The defending champions chose not to participate, a response to earlier boycotts of European nations. Argentina expressed solidarity with its neighbor but ultimately sent an amateur squad. Aside from Total (Argentina), the other non-European teams to participate in Mussolini’s World Cup were Brazil, the United States, and Egypt, marking the first African nation to reach the World Cup final stage.
There were notable absences among European teams as well. Teams like England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales stayed away, in part due to disagreements with FIFA’s directions.
Even with Italy as host, the Italians faced a draw that kept their path favorable. They opened against Greece, who withdrew after a 4-0 defeat on Italian soil. The tournament used a direct-elimination format, and the draw favored Italy as they routed the United States 7-1, displaying a commanding performance.
Florence’s war against Spain
As the tournament intensified, officiating drew scrutiny and accusations of bias toward Italy. Beginning with the quarter-finals against Spain, a playoff was required because the rules of the day had not yet resolved penalties for tied games.
The first match, ending 1-1, became infamous as the Battle of Florence. Spain left the field with seven injuries, including Ricardo Zamora, Ciriaco Errasti, Fede Saiz, Guillermo Gorostiza, José Iraragorri, Ramón de la Fuente, and Isidro Lángara, while the Belgian referee Louis Baert allowed the Italian equalizer to stand, overlooking a prior foul. Controversies persisted as players contested calls that affected crucial moments, including a disallowed goal and a controversial offside decision.
Spain eventually forced a tiebreaker and won 1-0 after nine Spaniards were hurt during incidents on the field. Crisanto Bosch, Alejandro Torres Chando, Luis Regueiro, and Jacinto Quincoces sustained injuries as the match progressed. A goal earlier disallowed for offside, and another foul turned play into a heated prelude to extra time. Swiss referee René Mercet’s performance sparked strong reactions that echoed in the broader football community.
In the semi-finals, the clash featured a notable moment as Sweden’s Ivan Eklind avoided a contentious foul against Austrian goalkeeper Guaita. The Czech team ultimately claimed victory in the final with a 2-1 scoreline after a tense run, and penalties were a topic of discussion that influenced subsequent matches.
Threats and pressure on the Italian coach
Faced with strategic disagreements with the Czechs, Mussolini made an unambiguous move by entering the Italian dressing room midway through a session and delivering a stark message. The press quoted that the leader told Pozzo, in no uncertain terms, that the coach bore sole responsibility for success yet warned that failure would bring severe consequences.
By the 70th minute, a Czech lead emerged, only to be countered by a Pozzo-Orsi goal that shifted momentum. As extra time arrived in some periods, Angelo Schiavo rose to prominence, finishing as the second-highest scorer of the tournament with four goals, just one behind the leader, Oldrich Nejedly of Czechoslovakia.