19 June 1938 - Italy Doesn't Disappoint Il Duce

On 19 June 1938, Italy became the first nation to win consecutive World Cup titles by beating Hungary 4-2 in that year's Final. It was a relief for many people who believed the Italian players had received death threats from Benito Mussolini should they lose.

Italy, who had won the previous tournament by beating Czechoslovakia 2-1 in Rome, fielded a very different side in the 1938 Final. Of the 11 players who beat the Czechs, forward Giuseppe Meazza was the only returning starter, but he was joined again by manager Vittorio Pozzo. The Azzurri advanced to the title by virtue of their strong defense, conceding no more than one goal in each of their previous matches, with wins over Norway (2-1, aet), hosts France (3-1), and Brazil (2-1). The win over Brazil was particularly impressive, as the Italians shut down the tournament's leading scorer, forward Leônidas da Silva, who scored in every other match for Brazil.

In the Final, played before a crowd of 60,000 at the Stade Olympique de Colombes in Paris, the Azzurri again held their opponents' leading scorer - forward Gyula Zsengellér - without a goal. Zsengellér had found the net six times in Hungary's wins over the Dutch East Indies (6-0), Switzerland (2-0), and Sweden (5-1), but was continually frustrated in the Final. Italy took a 3-1 lead by the break thanks to goals from forwards Gino Colaussi (6', 35') and Silvio Piola (16'). Piola scored another in the 82nd minute to seal the 4-2 win. Afterward, Hungarian keeper Antal Szabo said "I may have let in four goals, but at least I saved their lives."

As it turned out, Mussolini had sent telegrams to the players saying "Vincere o morire!" But while the literal translation is "win or die," it was in reality a common Italian phrase of encouragement that simply meant "do your best."

9 June 1938 - The Swiss Kick The Nazis Out Of France

On 9 June 1938, Switzerland defeated Germany 2-4 in a World Cup First Round replay before a crowd of 22,000 at the Parc des Princes in Paris. The match eliminated Germany from the tournament and remains their poorest showing in a World Cup.

The two sides had earlier played on 4 June, but the match ended as a 1-1 draw at the end of extra time. According to the rules then in place, a replay was required to produce a winner. Initially, it appeared that the Germans were on track to advance after taking a 2-0 lead with an 8th-minute goal from striker Willi Hahnemann and a 22nd-minute own-goal from Switzerland's Ernst Lörtscher (the first-ever World Cup own-goal). 

The Swiss, however, stormed back, with a pair of goals from strikers Eugen Walaschek (43') and Alfred Bickel (64'). Fellow striker André Abegglen, who had scored the Swiss' only goal in the earlier meeting, completed the comeback win with a late brace (75', 78'). For their reward, the Swiss advanced to face Hungary in the quarterfinals, losing 2-0.

12 June 1938 - The Battle Of Bordeaux

On 12 June 1938, Brazil and Czechoslovakia drew 1-1 in a World Cup match held at Bordeaux's Parc Lescure before a crowd of 19,000.

Brazil took the lead with a goal in the 30th minute from Leônidas (who would go on to become the tournament's top scorer that year with 7 goals). The Czechs equalized in the 65th minute after being awarded a penalty that was converted by Oldřich Nejedlý (the previous tournament's top scorer with 5 goals). The teams played through thirty minutes of extra time, but ended in a 1-1 draw.

Known as "the Battle of Bordeaux," the match was remarkably violent, with three players sent off for hard fouls - Machado and Zezé Procópio for Brazil and Jan Říha for Czechoslovakia. There were several injuries, with the Czechs faring the worst - Nejedlý suffered a broken right leg, Josef Košťálek was injured in the stomach, and captain František Plánička's right arm was broken. The Brazilians were not unscathed, as both Leônidas and José Perácio left the field with injuries.

The teams replayed the match on 14 June, with both sides fielding several reserves. Leônidas was able to play, however, and scored in Brazil's 2-1 victory.

5 June 1938 - Getting The Tough Job Out Of The Way Early

On 5 June 1938, holders Italy opened the World Cup with an extra-time win over Norway, the closest match they had in their successful bid to defend their title.

They had gone to extra time in the 1934 final before beating Czechoslovakia 2-1 in Rome with a 95th-minute goal from Angelo Schiavo. The Norwegians, meanwhile, were playing in their first World Cup match, having chosen not to participate in the 1930 or 1934 tournaments.

The two teams met in the first round at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille, where the crowd of 19,000 watched the defending champions go up 1-0 after only two minutes with a goal from Pietro Ferraris (it wasn't the day's first goal, though, as France's Émile Veinante scored in the first minute of their game against Belgium, which started at the same time).

Italy kept their slim lead until the 83rd minute, when Arne Brustad scored the equalizer for Norway and sent the match into extra time. There, Silvio Piola struck in the 94th minute to put the Italians back in front and set the final margin at 2-1.

The win sent Italy into the quarterfinals, where they beat France 3-1. The ensuing 2-1 win over Brazil in the semifinals had the same margin as the Norway game, but Italy were up 2-0 until Brazil got a consolation goal three minutes before the final whistle to make the game seem closer than it really was. Then, in the final, Italy beat Hungary 4-2 to finish as the first two-time champions in World Cup history.

19 June 1938 - Italy Doesn't Disappoint Il Duce

On 19 June 1938, Italy became the first nation to win consecutive World Cup titles by beating Hungary 4-2 in that year's Final. It was a relief for many people who believed the Italian players had received death threats from Benito Mussolini should they lose.

Italy, who had won the previous tournament by beating Czechoslovakia 2-1 in Rome, fielded a very different side in the 1938 Final. Of the 11 players who beat the Czechs, forward Giuseppe Meazza was the only returning starter, but he was joined again by manager Vittorio Pozzo. The Azzurri advanced to the title by virtue of their strong defense, conceding no more than one goal in each of their previous matches, with wins over Norway (2-1, aet), hosts France (3-1), and Brazil (2-1). The win over Brazil was particularly impressive, as the Italians shut down the tournament's leading scorer, forward Leônidas da Silva, who scored in every other match for Brazil.

In the Final, played before a crowd of 60,000 at the Stade Olympique de Colombes in Paris, the Azzurri again held their opponents' leading scorer - forward Gyula Zsengellér - without a goal. Zsengellér had found the net six times in Hungary's wins over the Dutch East Indies (6-0), Switzerland (2-0), and Sweden (5-1), but was continually frustrated in the Final. Italy took a 3-1 lead by the break thanks to goals from forwards Gino Colaussi (6', 35') and Silvio Piola (16'). Piola scored another in the 82nd minute to seal the 4-2 win. Afterward, Hungarian keeper Antal Szabo said "I may have let in four goals, but at least I saved their lives."

As it turned out, Mussolini had sent telegrams to the players saying "Vincere o morire!" But while the literal translation is "win or die," it was in reality a common Italian phrase of encouragement that simply meant "do your best."

9 June 1938 - The Swiss Kick The Nazis Out Of France

On 9 June 1938, Switzerland defeated Germany 2-4 in a World Cup First Round replay before a crowd of 22,000 at the Parc des Princes in Paris. The match eliminated Germany from the tournament and remains their poorest showing in a World Cup.

The two sides had earlier played on 4 June, but the match ended as a 1-1 draw at the end of extra time. According to the rules then in place, a replay was required to produce a winner. Initially, it appeared that the Germans were on track to advance after taking a 2-0 lead with an 8th-minute goal from striker Willi Hahnemann and a 22nd-minute own-goal from Switzerland's Ernst Lörtscher (the first-ever World Cup own-goal).

The Swiss, however, stormed back, with a pair of goals from strikers Eugen Walaschek (43') and Alfred Bickel (64'). Fellow striker André Abegglen, who had scored the Swiss' only goal in the earlier meeting, completed the comeback win with a late brace (75', 78'). For their reward, the Swiss advanced to face Hungary in the quarterfinals, losing 2-0.

12 June 1938 - The Battle of Bordeaux

On 12 June 1938, Brazil and Czechoslovakia drew 1-1 in a World Cup match held at Bordeaux's Parc Lescure before a crowd of 19,000.

Brazil took the lead with a goal in the 30th minute from Leônidas (who would go on to become the tournament's top scorer that year with 7 goals). The Czechs equalized in the 65th minute after being awarded a penalty that was converted by Oldřich Nejedlý (the previous tournament's top scorer with 5 goals). The teams played through thirty minutes of extra time, but ended in a 1-1 draw.

Known as "the Battle of Bordeaux," the match was remarkably violent, with three players sent off for hard fouls - Machado and Zezé Procópio for Brazil and Jan Říha for Czechoslovakia. There were several injuries, with the Czechs faring the worst - Nejedlý suffered a broken right leg, Josef Košťálek was injured in the stomach, and captain František Plánička's right arm was broken. The Brazilians were not unscathed, as both Leônidas and José Perácio left the field with injuries.

The teams replayed the match on 14 June, with both sides fielding several reserves. Leônidas was able to play, however, and scored in Brazil's 2-1 victory.