First Part
[photo=barbosa.JPG id=51 align=right]On the 29th March Brazil play Uruguay in a South America World Cup Qualifier. Both these teams have lifted the World Cup but there’s one meeting between the two sides that has never been forgotten. This is the story of Brazil’s 1950 World Cup.
Brazil was seen as the perfect location for the first post war World Cup. Untouched by war, financially capable and 3rd place in the last tournament (1938) secured them the finals.
Most South American countries had supported the allies during WW2. But in the only continent untouched by the war, life and football had continued as normal. All of the European leagues had been suspended at the out break of war. But the Brazilian game continued and during the 1940’s it developed, improving tactically and technically. Football in Europe would take a long time to get itself back into.
The Brazilian national authorities decided to build in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro, a monument dedicated to football and what would be the largest stadium in the world (200,000 capacity), Estádio Mario Filho (named after a Brazilian journalist) or the Maracaná as it is better known. The first stone was laid on August 2nd, 1948 and was the project completed two years later, just in time for the finals.
The European teams from countries most affected by the war – among others the Polish team – didn"t enter the qualifiers and the silver medallists of the previous championships, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Argentina didn"t participate either. But for the first time teams from England and Scotland entered the competition and Uruguay, first world champion’s of 1930, entered after a 20 year absence.
For the Brazilian’s, the C.B.D (now C.B.F) made it very clear they expected the team to win the tournament. They tried to organized everything to help the team and picked a Coach who could form a solid team and win them their first World cup.
It was Flávio Rodrigues da Costa who was given the task of Coaching the team. Falvio was spoilt for choice for players with in particular two world class forwards, Ademir of Vasco de Gama (who eventually finished the ‘Golden Boot’ of the tournament) and Friaça from São Paulo.
There were no play-offs in the tournament with all the games played in groups. Most surprisingly, favoured England lost to USA and Spain (both games 0:1), which eliminated the pretender to the cup in the preliminary phase of the games.
It was on 24th June Brazil began its extraordinary run of games by winning 4 – 0 against Mexico in the Maracanã, with Ademir scoring twice and Jair and Baltazar adding the other two.
The second game followed on June 28 in Pacaembu de São Paulo against Switzerland. Flavio Da Costa made the decision to replace the midfield with three São Paulo players – a common practice at the time to please local fans. The result – a 2-2 draw – was seen as an embarrassing wobble and meant that Brazil had to beat Yugoslavia in Rio to qualify for the final group.
Brazil were helped in the game when Yugoslavia’s best player, Rajko Mitic, injured himself on the stairs walking on to the pitch and his head was wrapped in bandages throughout the game, Brazil won 2-0. Now the Brazilian public truly believed that their team could be crowned world champions.
Spain, Sweden, and Uruguay all joined Brazil in the final stage.
After one week of rest, the Seleção players entered the Maracanã in front of 139000 spectators and the fan’s would not be disappointed. Brazil controlled the game from start to finish, cruising to a 7 – 1 victory against Sweden. Four goals from Ademir gave him the World Cup record for most goals in a single match.
Next it was Spain’s turn to lose heavily 6 – 1, with another double by Ademir. Nothing looked like it could stop Brazil been crowned champions in their country.
Second Part
Through sheer luck, the final pairing of Uruguay and Brazil would indeed decide the championship. This gave the tournament a true knock out final. Brazil only needed a draw to secure the Jules Rimet trophy.
Nobody expected Uruguay to win. A victory had already been celebrated the day before in the Town hall, where all the ‘auri-verde" were naturally invited as well as many foreign personalities. Before the game officials from the Uruguay FA told the team ‘Try not to lose by too many goals!’ The Uruguay captain, Varela, was very angry. ‘We will not lose," he said. ‘We will win!".
After taking the lead one minute into the second half to the delight of the 220,000 fans (some estimates say 250,000) in the packed Maracana Stadium, Brazil’s victory look secured. However Uruguay had other plans the comeback started in the sixty-sixth minute. Varela to Gigghia. He dribbled past Bigode. Raced down the right wing. Crossed to the mouth of the goal. Schiaffino intercepted and shot cleanly past Barbosa. A deathly silence descended on the Maracanã. Its often said in Brazil ‘never have so many people been as silent as then’.
But with the score at 1-1, Brazil were still on course for victory. Until the 81st minute, Gigghia again dribbled past Bigode and entered the box. Instead of crossing like he had done when he set up the first Uruguayan goal, Gigghia shot immediately to the near post. The angle was tight. Barbosa was caught between coming out or conceding an identical goal. In the end he dived to his left but was too late. Uruguay had scored.
[photo=danilo.jpg id=51 align=right]The Brazilian’s threw everyone forward, trying to salvage a draw. But the Uruguayan’s held firm, Referee George Reader blew the whistle. Uruguay were champions. Brazil were in a mourning that would last 8 more years.
Only hours earlier the team had been national hero’s but now they were nothing. Although most of the team would not represent Brazil again, they continued to play football. But for one player there would be no second chance. The team’s goal keeper Moacir ‘Barbosa’ Nascimento was made the scapegoat for the defeat and subsequently he was never allowed to forget his error. In 1993 Barbosa tried to visit the training camp where Brazil were preparing for the 1994 World Cup. But the superstitious coach Mario Zagallo would not allow Barbosa to meet him in case he brought the team bad luck. Shortly before his death at the age of 79, Barbosa said that under Brazilian law the maximum prison sentence was 30 years, but that his imprisonment had been for 50 years.
Today still, when the two teams line up on Tuesday, revenge will be on the mind of every Brazilian. Often described as Brazil’s greatest national disaster – that final remains the only time – before or since – that a clear favourite playing in front of a home crowd has lost a World Cup final. Brazil remain the only world champions never to have won as hosts.
