26 July 1948 - The Olympics Return

On 26 July 1948, Olympic football kicked off in London, ending a 12-year hiatus imposed by the outbreak of World War II.

The last Olympic games were held in Berlin in 1936, with Italy taking the gold medal in football. Tokyo was scheduled to host the 1940 games, with London following in 1944. But the eruption of World War II in 1939 forced the cancellation of the games for the duration (some countries suspended league play as well).

When the war ended in 1945, the Olympic organizers resumed their plans for a 1948 tournament and chose London as hosts, foregoing Tokyo because of Japan's role in the conflict. Although opening ceremonies were not until 29 July, the football tournament started three days early with a four-team preliminary round.

The Netherlands beat the Republic of Ireland 2-0 at Fratton Park in Portsmouth. Meanwhile, Luxembourg dominated Afghanistan 6-0 at the Goldstone Ground in Brighton, setting their record victory in the process. Unfortunately for both teams, their success did not carry into the first round, as the Dutch lost to Great Britain in extra time, 4-3, and Luxembourg fell to Yugoslavia 6-1 despite taking the lead in the tenth minute.

Great Britain advanced to the semi-finals before losing to Yugoslavia, who took silver after falling to Sweden in the final.

10 May 1947 - Brittania Rules The Pitch

On 10 May 1947, a unified British team defeated a Rest-of-Europe XI in a game billed as the "Match of the Century."

The concept of a British national team dates back to 1908, when a team styled as "Great Britain" won the gold medal at the Summer Olympics. Despite the name, however, the side included only Englishmen. They repeated as champions in 1912, but all four Home Nation associations--England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland--subsequently withdrew from FIFA over disagreements about the role of professionalism in the sport, bringing the united team to an end.

The 1947 match celebrated the return of the Home Nations to the international fold, with the proceeds going to help FIFA recover losses sustained by the interruption of play during World War II. England manager Walter Winterbottom selected the British team, which included five English players, three from Scotland, two from Wales, and one from Northern Ireland. The European team, chosen by Swiss national team manager Karl Rappan, included one player each from France, Switzerland, the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, and the Netherlands, as well as two each from Sweden and Denmark.

Played before a crowd of over 130,000 at Glasgow's Hampden Park, Britain (wearing navy blue shirts and socks with white shorts) rolled to an easy 6-1 victory with goals from Englishmen Wilf Mannion (22', 33') and Tommy Lawton (37', 82'), Scotsman Billy Steel (35'), and a 74th-minute own-goal from the Europeans. Sweden's Gunnar Nordahl scored the only goal for the Rest of Europe in the 24th minute.

22 October 1908 - Denmark Spins The A Side

On 22 October 1908, Denmark defeated France in the football semi-finals at the Fourth Olympiad before a crowd of approximately 1,000 at White City Stadium in London. The final score was 17-1.

Only six teams showed up for the tournament, including two from France. The other participants were Great Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Bohemia and Hungary had been scheduled to play, but withdrew before the tournament began.

The Danes advanced to the semi-finals by defeating the French "B" side, 9-0, on the first matchday. Against the French "A" side on 22 October, Denmark quickly picked up where it had left off, drawing first blood in the 3rd minute with a goal from forward Sophus Nielsen. Nielsen added another in the 4th minute, then completed his first hat-trick of the day in the 6th minute.

Nielsen went on to score a total of 10 goals that day (3', 4', 6', 39', 46', 48', 52', 64', 66', 76'). Denmark's other goals came from August Lindgren (18', 37'), Vilhelm Wolfhagen (60', 72', 82', 89'), and Nils Middelboe (68').

France's only goal was scored by winger Émile Sartorius in the 16th minute. Although the French were supposed to play the Netherlands in the bronze medal match, they were so humiliated by the loss to Denmark that they declined to play (Sweden took their place).

Denmark's offensive might abandoned them in the gold medal match on 24 October. They lost to Great Britain, 2-0.

29 November 1973 - The Iron Man Of Manchester

On 29 November 1973, Ryan Giggs, the most decorated footballer in English history, was born in Cardiff, Wales.

He moved to Salford in Greater Manchester when he was six. There, he drew the attention of Manchester City, who brought him into their youth program in 1985. But two years later, he switched to Manchester United, where he turned professional in 1990.

Since making his first appearance for the senior side in 1991, Giggs has gone on to make over 950 appearances total. Along the way, he has amassed an impressive collection of silverware that includes thirteen league titles, four FA Cups, and two Champions League trophies. His total of 35 major trophies makes him the most decorated player in the history of English football.

In addition to his club career, he also made 64 appearances for Wales and four for the unified Great Britain team at the 2012 Summer Olympics where, at the age of 38 years and 243 days, he set the record as the oldest player to score in the tournament's history.

Now 40 years old, he is currently playing in his 24th season at Manchester United.

20 October 1908 - Whoever They Were, They Got Off To A Great Start

On 20 October 1908, Great Britain played their first match and got their biggest win, beating Sweden 12-1 at the London Olympics.

Some dispute exists as to whether the team was truly representative of Great Britain, as it consisted of players exclusively from England (and all were members of the English amateur national team). On the other hand, they wore Union Jacks on their shirts, suggesting that, whatever sporting allegiances they usually held, they were at the Olympics to play for all of Great Britain.

They opened their campaign with a match against Sweden at White City, played in front of a relatively modest crowd of 2,000 (four times that many showed up there for the final). The British team dominated, with goals from Clyde Purnell (4), Harold Stapley (2), Vivian Woodward (2), Robert Hawkes (2), Arthur Berry, and Frederick Chapman, while Sweden's only goal came from Gustaf Bergström. The scoreline remains the team record.

Great Britain followed the win with a 4-0 victory over the Netherlands. That put them into the gold medal match against Denmark, which they also won, 2-0.

26 July 1948 - The Olympics Return

On 26 July 1948, Olympic football kicked off in London, ending a 12-year hiatus imposed by the outbreak of World War II.

The last Olympic games were held in Berlin in 1936, with Italy taking the gold medal in football. Tokyo was scheduled to host the 1940 games, with London following in 1944. But the eruption of World War II in 1939 forced the cancellation of the games for the duration (some countries suspended league play as well).

When the war ended in 1945, the Olympic organizers resumed their plans for a 1948 tournament and chose London as hosts, foregoing Tokyo because of Japan's role in the conflict. Although opening ceremonies were not until 29 July, the football tournament started three days early with a four-team preliminary round.

The Netherlands beat the Republic of Ireland 2-0 at Fratton Park in Portsmouth. Meanwhile, Luxembourg dominated Afghanistan 6-0 at the Goldstone Ground in Brighton, setting their record victory in the process. Unfortunately for both teams, their success did not carry into the first round, as the Dutch lost to Great Britain in extra time, 4-3, and Luxembourg fell to Yugoslavia 6-1 despite taking the lead in the tenth minute.

Great Britain advanced to the semi-finals before losing to Yugoslavia, who took silver after falling to Sweden in the final.

10 May 1947 - Brittania Rules The Pitch

On 10 May 1947, a unified British team defeated a Rest-of-Europe XI in a game billed as the "Match of the Century."

The concept of a British national team dates back to 1908, when a team styled as "Great Britain" won the gold medal at the Summer Olympics. Despite the name, however, the side included only Englishmen. They repeated as champions in 1912, but all four Home Nation associations--England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland--subsequently withdrew from FIFA over disagreements about the role of professionalism in the sport, bringing the united team to an end.

The 1947 match celebrated the return of the Home Nations to the international fold, with the proceeds going to help FIFA recover losses sustained by the interruption of play during World War II. England manager Walter Winterbottom selected the British team, which included five English players, three from Scotland, two from Wales, and one from Northern Ireland. The European team, chosen by Swiss national team manager Karl Rappan, included one player each from France, Switzerland, the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, and the Netherlands, as well as two each from Sweden and Denmark.

Played before a crowd of over 130,000 at Glasgow's Hampden Park, Britain (wearing navy blue shirts and socks with white shorts) rolled to an easy 6-1 victory with goals from Englishmen Wilf Mannion (22', 33') and Tommy Lawton (37', 82'), Scotsman Billy Steel (35'), and a 74th-minute own-goal from the Europeans. Sweden's Gunnar Nordahl scored the only goal for the Rest of Europe in the 24th minute.

22 October 1908 - Denmark Spins The A Side

On 22 October 1908, Denmark defeated France in the football semi-finals at the Fourth Olympiad before a crowd of approximately 1,000 at White City Stadium in London. The final score was 17-1.

Only six teams showed up for the tournament, including two from France. The other participants were Great Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Bohemia and Hungary had been scheduled to play, but withdrew before the tournament began.

The Danes advanced to the semi-finals by defeating the French "B" side, 9-0, on the first matchday. Against the French "A" side on 22 October, Denmark quickly picked up where it had left off, drawing first blood in the 3rd minute with a goal from forward Sophus Nielsen. Nielsen added another in the 4th minute, then completed his first hat-trick of the day in the 6th minute.

Nielsen went on to score a total of 10 goals that day (3', 4', 6', 39', 46', 48', 52', 64', 66', 76'). Denmark's other goals came from August Lindgren (18', 37'), Vilhelm Wolfhagen (60', 72', 82', 89'), and Nils Middelboe (68').

France's only goal was scored by winger Émile Sartorius in the 16th minute. Although the French were supposed to play the Netherlands in the bronze medal match, they were so humiliated by the loss to Denmark that they declined to play (Sweden took their place).

Denmark's offensive might abandoned them in the gold medal match on 24 October. They lost to Great Britain, 2-0.