1938 FIFA World Cup final

Italy are champions
Event	1938 FIFA World Cup
Italy Hungary 4 2
Date	19 June 1938
Venue	Stade Olympique de Colombes, Paris
Referee	Georges Capdeville (France)
Attendance	45,000
← 1934 1950 →

The 1938 FIFA World Cup final was the third edition of the football quadrennial tournament match contested by the men's national teams of FIFA to determine the 1938 FIFA World Cup champions: Italy and Hungary. Italy defended its claim to the championship 4–2 in the last tournament before World War II.

The final match took place at the Stade Olympique de Colombes in Paris. Vittorio Pozzo's Italian side took the lead early, but Hungary equalised within two minutes. The Italians shortly regained the lead, and by the end of the first half were leading the Hungarians 3–1. At 4–2, Italy successfully defended its title, the inaugural team to win on foreign soil.

The last survivor of the game was Italy's Pietro Rava, who died on 5 November 2006 at the age of 90.^[1]

Route to the final

Italy		Round	Hungary
Opponent	Result	Final tournament	Opponent	Result
Norway	2–1 (a.e.t.)	First round	Dutch East Indies	6–0
France	3–1	Quarter-finals	Switzerland	2–0
Brazil	2–1	Semifinals	Sweden	5–1

Match

Summary

After six minutes, Gino Colaussi opened the scoring for Italy; Pál Titkos equalised for Hungary two minutes later, but with just over a quarter of an hour played, Italy regained the lead with a goal from Silvio Piola. Ten minutes before half-time, Italy extended their lead to 3–1 after the unmarked Colaussi scored his second goal. Midway through the second half, Hungary captain György Sárosi got his side back to within a goal of the Italians, but with eight minutes to go, Piola scored his second goal to complete a 4–2 win for Italy.^[2]

Details

19 June 1938

15:00 (WEST)

Italy	4–2	Hungary
Colaussi 6', 35' Piola 16', 82'	Report	Titkos 8' Sárosi 70'

Stade Olympique de Colombes, Paris

Attendance: 45,000

Referee: Georges Capdeville (France)

Italy

Hungary

GK Aldo Olivieri RB Alfredo Foni LB Pietro Rava RH Pietro Serantoni CH Michele Andreolo LH Ugo Locatelli OR Amedeo Biavati IR Giuseppe Meazza (c) CF Silvio Piola IL Giovanni Ferrari OL Gino Colaussi Manager: Vittorio Pozzo

GK Antal Szabó RB Sándor Bíró LB Gyula Polgár RH Gyula Lázár CH György Szűcs LH Antal Szalay OR Pál Titkos IR Gyula Zsengellér CF György Sárosi (c) IL Jenő Vincze OL Ferenc Sas Manager: Alfréd Schaffer