Uruguay Shock Brazil

Birmingham Gazette July 17, 1950

“Rio de Janeiro – Uruguay lifted the Jules Rimet World Soccer Cup, beating the hot favourites Brazil by two goals to one in the last match of the final pool before a crowd of nearly 200,000.

Few gave Uruguay a chance against the Brazilians, who had scored 13 goals in their last two games.

Brazil took the lead two minutes after the restart. Ademir weaved through and gave outside-right Friaca a perfect pass which he converted. The crowd went wild and rockets zoomed all over the stadium.

After 65 minutes, Uruguay equalised with a clever goal by Schiaffino. Then the Brazilians made a tactical mistake in not marking Ghiggia sufficiently, and he scored the winner.

Uruguay’s players embraced and also hugged the referee, George Reader, who had controlled the match firmly.

After receiving the cup, with the ground now half deserted, the players danced around gesticulating with joy.” Report of the 1950 World Cup Final, in front of football’s biggest ever crowd