92 years ago, the first ever World Cup was held in Uruguay, and it’s fair to say that to look at footage from that time is to see a very different game from the one that graces our television screens in the present age.
As Uruguay defeated Argentina 4-2 in the final, few could have predicted that the tournament would mark the humble beginnings of what would become one of the world’s most iconic sporting events.
With the 2022 edition on the near horizon, and fans analysing the World Cup odds with increasing interest, it’s a good time to look back to that 1930 World Cup and explore the significance of those few weeks in Uruguay.
The background
With football at the highest level still in its formative years, up until 1930 there had been no dedicated international tournament for countries across the world. Indeed, football was played at the Olympic Games, with this being seen as the pinnacle of the sport on the international stage.
However, after it was decided that football would not be played at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, FIFA invited all its member nations to compete at a special tournament to be held in Montevideo. This remains the only World Cup without qualification, with every team offered the chance to play.
The nature of long-haul travel meant that a long and arduous journey by ship was the only way for the European nations to reach the tournament. As a result, many declined the opportunity to take part, but after much lobbying from various figures linked to FIFA, France, Yugoslavia, Romania and Belgium were all convinced to make the trip and take part. With 13 teams charting a course for Uruguay, the World Cup was born.
The action
With one group of four teams and three groups of three playing in a round-robin format, only the winners of each group would progress to the semi-finals, creating a rather cut-throat environment for the nations who had travelled so far to be there.
Indeed, of the European nations, only Yugoslavia made it out of their group, defeating Brazil in the process. The other group winners were Argentina, Uruguay and the United States.
The semi-finals were defined by two supremely one-sided affairs. Argentina crushed the United States 6-1, before Uruguay followed suit, beating Yugoslavia by the exact same scoreline.
That set up an all-South American final, with Uruguay taking on Argentina at the Estadio Centenario in front of a crowd of over 68,000. The first half provided plenty of entertainment, but the home fans were left disappointed at the break as Argentina claimed a 2-1 lead.
Uruguay came out for the second half in inspired form though, and three goals later they had turned the game around and sealed a 4-2 win, becoming the first team to lift the Jules Rimet Trophy.
The significance
Nearly a century on, the World Cup is one of the most anticipated sporting events in the world, but it all started with that small, seemingly insignificant tournament in Montevideo. It’s hard to believe that the 13-team competition in 1930 has blossomed into an event that will boast 48 participant nations in 2026.
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with its air-conditioned stadiums and carpet-like pitches, will feel a world away from the 1930 World Cup, but we mustn’t forget that the seeds of this incredible tournament were sowed that summer in Uruguay.