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World Cup 1950

Winner

Uruguay

Highlights

The first World Cup played after the Second World War, the 1950 edition was held in Brazil with thirteen teams, several qualified nations having declined to travel. Its format is unique in the tournament's history: there was no final, the title being decided in a four-team final group. England took part for the first time and suffered one of the competition's greatest upsets, losing 1-0 to the United States in Belo Horizonte.

Brazil swept through the final group, crushing Sweden 7-1 and Spain 6-1, led by Ademir, the tournament's top scorer. The fixture list turned the last match, against Uruguay, into a de facto final: a draw would be enough for the Brazilians to be crowned.

On 16 July 1950, in front of more than 170,000 spectators at the Maracanã, Friaça put Brazil ahead just after half-time. Juan Alberto Schiaffino equalised, then Alcides Ghiggia won the match for Uruguay (2-1) with about ten minutes to go. Uruguay's second title, felt as a national tragedy in Brazil, has gone down in history as the "Maracanazo".

Statistics

Total goals
88
Matches played
22
Goals/match
4.00
Best attack (goals scored)
22
Brazil
Best defense (goals conceded)
2
England

First round

Qualified for the next round

Group 1

Team PtsPldWDLGFGAGD
1.Brazil 5 3 2 1 0 8 2 +6
2.YUGYugoslavia 4 3 2 0 1 7 3 +4
3.Switzerland 3 3 1 1 1 4 6 -2
4.Mexico 0 3 0 0 3 2 10 -8
Match results
Brazil - Mexico4 - 0
Yugoslavia - Switzerland3 - 0
Yugoslavia - Mexico4 - 1
Brazil - Switzerland2 - 2
Brazil - Yugoslavia2 - 0
Switzerland - Mexico2 - 1

Group 2

Team PtsPldWDLGFGAGD
1.Spain 6 3 3 0 0 6 1 +5
2.England 2 3 1 0 2 2 2 0
3.Chile 2 3 1 0 2 5 6 -1
4.United States 2 3 1 0 2 4 8 -4
Match results
England - Chile2 - 0
Spain - United States3 - 1
United States - England1 - 0
Spain - Chile2 - 0
Spain - England1 - 0
Chile - United States5 - 2

Group 3

Team PtsPldWDLGFGAGD
1.Sweden 3 2 1 1 0 5 4 +1
2.Italy 2 2 1 0 1 4 3 +1
3.Paraguay 1 2 0 1 1 2 4 -2
Match results
Sweden - Italy3 - 2
Sweden - Paraguay2 - 2
Italy - Paraguay2 - 0

Group 4

Team PtsPldWDLGFGAGD
1.Uruguay 2 1 1 0 0 8 0 +8
2.Bolivia 0 1 0 0 1 0 8 -8
Match results
Uruguay - Bolivia8 - 0

Final round

Team PtsPldWDLGFGAGD
1.Uruguay 5 3 2 1 0 7 5 +2
2.Brazil 4 3 2 0 1 14 4 +10
3.Sweden 2 3 1 0 2 6 11 -5
4.Spain 1 3 0 1 2 4 11 -7
Match results
Brazil - Sweden7 - 1
Uruguay - Spain2 - 2
Brazil - Spain6 - 1
Uruguay - Sweden3 - 2
Sweden - Spain3 - 1
Uruguay - Brazil2 - 1

Top Scorers

Rank Player Goals Penalties Goals/match
1 Ademir 8 0 1.33
2 Oscar Míguez 5 0 1.25
3 Chico 4 0 1.00
3 Alcides Ghiggia 4 0 1.00
3 Zarra 4 0 0.67
3 Estanislao Basora 4 0 0.67
7 Juan Schiaffino 3 0 0.75
7 Karl-Erik Palmér 3 0 0.60
7 Stig Sundqvist 3 0 0.60
10 Baltazar 2 0 1.00
10 Riccardo Carapellese 2 0 1.00
10 Zeljko Cajkovski 2 0 0.67
10 Atilio Cremaschi 2 0 0.67
10 Jackie Fatton 2 0 0.67
10 Kosta Tomasevic 2 0 0.67
10 Zizinho 2 0 0.50
10 Hans Jeppsson 2 0 0.50
10 Silvestre Igoa 2 0 0.40
10 Sune Andersson 2 1 0.40
10 Jair 2 0 0.40
21 Alfredo Ii 1 0 1.00
21 Egisto Pandolfini 1 0 1.00
21 Tihomir Ognjanov 1 0 1.00
21 Fernando Riera 1 0 1.00
21 Wilf Mannion 1 0 0.50
21 Bror Mellberg 1 0 0.50
21 Andrés Prieto 1 0 0.50
21 Atilio López 1 0 0.50
21 César López Fretes 1 0 0.50
21 Ermes Muccinelli 1 0 0.50
21 Kiki Antenen 1 0 0.50
21 Horacio Casarín 1 0 0.33
21 Stjepan Bobek 1 0 0.33
21 Frank Wallace 1 0 0.33
21 Rajko Mitic 1 0 0.33
21 Stan Mortensen 1 0 0.33
21 Joe Maca 1 1 0.33
21 Gino Pariani 1 0 0.33
21 Héctor Ortiz 1 1 0.33
21 Jorge Robledo 1 0 0.33
21 Ernesto Vidal 1 0 0.33
21 René Bader 1 0 0.33
21 Joe Gaetjens 1 0 0.33
21 Friaca 1 0 0.25
21 Obdulio Varela 1 0 0.25
21 Julio Pérez 1 0 0.25
21 Maneca 1 0 0.25