What happened at the 1958 World Cup?

In the weeks leading up to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, we'll set the scene for the next version of the greatest sporting event in the world by reliving each of its predecessors. We continue the build up today with the first (and only) World Cup to be played in Scandanavia. 

Who: 16 squads from Europe (12), North America (1) and South America (3).

What: The sixth World Cup, and the first (and only) to be held in a Scandinavian country.

Why: Football and lobbying.

When: June 8, 1958 to June 29, 1958.

Where: 12 cities across Sweden.

The Final: Brazil 5 - Sweden 2

After the two previous World Cup finals featured the greatest upsets in the tournament’s history, the opening minutes of the final made it look like this trend would continue.

Swedish captain Nils Liedholm scored four minutes after kickoff in front of more than 50,000 supporters, but Brazil’s resolve to avoid the disheartening result from 1950 was almost tangible. Through lwill and determination (and a lovely Garrincha cross), Vavá headed an equalizer five minutes later. Twenty minutes after that, he scored again to give Brazil a 2-1 lead heading into the break.

Ten minutes after the restart, World Cup history was made when a 17-year-old Brazilian center forward named Pelé took control of the ball inside the penalty area, chipped it over a lunging defender then volleyed it past the overmatched Swedish keeper. Pelé was the youngest scorer in a World Cup Final, eventually becoming the youngest player to win a World Cup.

Brazil went up 4-1 in the 68th minute before Sweden got one back in the 80th. However, Pelé scored again in injury time to put an exclamation point, not only on the final, but on the future for himself and Brazil.

It remains the only time a South American side has won on European soil.

How Did It Happen?

Lobbying. The sporting body’s Swedish delegates treated FIFA like the bureaucracy it is, lobbying peers into submission. The result: Sweden was eventually elected as host nation, unopposed.

Golden Boot

Just Fontaine - France (13 goals). No one has ever scored more in a single tournament.

Major Innovations

• Yes, finally, they get the right format. Four groups of four sides, all play each other once in the first stage. Top two from each group go on to the knockout stage of the tournament;

• The Soviet Union qualified;

• Brazil’s revolutionary 4-2-4 system, with two central forwards supported by wingers on either side; 

• International television making international stars out of international talent; and

• Pelé.

The Poster

When The Sun Sets In The East, It Rises In The West

Only three players returned in 1958 from the dominant Hungary squad that were unfortunate runners up in 1954. That wasn’t a management decision, as much as it was a fact to be faced after so many of the former players fled the country after the 1956 Russian invasion.

As the Hungarian football program waned, the Brazilian waxed. With Hungary finishing third in its group, and failing to advance to the knockout stage, the different directions of the two sides were never more pronounced.

The Controversy

Swedish fans boycotted the playoff game between Hungary and Wales to decide second place in Group 3 because it occurred 24 hours after the Prime Minister of Hungary, Imre Nagy, was executed by the Soviets, in what would later be described as "an episode of unparalleled infamy."

Despite most reports suggesting an attendance of less than 3,000, FIFA’s official records still claim 20,000 spectators watched the match.

Green and Orange Sabbath

The Northern Ireland squad, making its first World Cup appearance, was told by its football association that it was against Irish law to take part in two of its scheduled matches because they occurred on Sundays. The FA eventually relented following pressure from the players, who presumably pleaded, “C’mon.”

Not So Fast

Technically, Israel qualified for the World Cup, but because they did so without winning a single match after teams in their qualifying group refused to play them, FIFA insisted they win at least one match to gain entry to the tournament. Enter Wales, who narrowly missed qualifying through their UEFA group. After a home and away leg, the Welsh walked away 2-0 winners, and World Cup entrants.

Four For One, One For Four

By gaining entry into the tournament, Wales — along with England, Scotland and Northern Ireland — ensured that all four of the British “Home Nations” would be competing in the World Cup. It was the first and only time that this would happen.

The Sadness

Four months before the World Cup, British European Airways flight 609 — carrying the Manchester United squad, along with journalists and supporters — crashed on its third attempt to take off from the Munich-Riem Airport in Germany. Of the 44 people on board, 23 died, including England national team members Roger Byrne, Duncan Edwards and Tommy Taylor.

Bobby Charlton, who survived the crash, but only came to Sweden as a non-playing member of the squad, acts as a symbol for the entire team. England might have been participating, but they weren’t ready to be competing for anything.

Craziest Match: England 0 - Brazil 0

Despite heavy emotions weighing them down, the English squad did put in a brave performance during the group stage against the soon to be champions from Brazil. It was the first ever goalless game in World Cup history.

Best Match: Brazil 5 - France 2 (Semifinal)

Despite the idea for the World Cup originating in France more than 40 years before the 1958 World Cup, the French had never had much success in the tournament.

That changed in Sweden, as France's offensive took them to the semifinals against Brazil. After 45 minutes, the attack-minded styles of both teams seemed to neutralize each other.

Then, Pelé happened.

The wunderkind scored three goals within 20 minutes in the second half to lead Brazil to a 5-2 victory.

The Tournament Turn Coat

Bearing a striking resemblance to Valentino Mazzola, Brazilian centre-forward Jose Altafini was humorously nicknamed after the former Italian captain during the tournament. The joke got a little less funny four years later, when Altafini would represent Italy at the 1962 World Cup in Chile.

Welcome Back

Brazil’s victory was contrasted rather vividly by the failure of their South American rivals from Argentina. The once promising soccer nation finished last in its group, and as a result, thrown garbage from their countrymen greeted the squad’s arrival home.

Legacy

It was so difficult not to applaud Brazilian efforts in Sweden, that even the Swedes — minutes after their national team had been vanquished by the newly crowned champions — rose to their feet to applaud the winners. With most of the Brazilians still in tears over the emotional win, they began a lap of honor around the Rasunda Stadium waving a Swedish flag.

The World Cup winners undoubtedly belonged to Brazil, but all football fans had a level of co-ownership in such a wonderful squad. The world had been introduced to Pelé, and the beginnings of Brazilian domination. Not only would the sport never be the same, but our appreciation of soccer was forever altered. Pelé was so gifted that he informed how future fans would enjoy the game.