Podcast Episode 5: Switzerland, 1954 Anger on the pitch leads to fists flying in dressing rooms. A team loses its 4 year winning streak when it matters most. And an underdog is beaten 8-3 in the group stage… before going on to win. This is the highest scoring World Cup of all time. And it happened in Switzerland… in 1954.
Welcome to The World Cup Files! Are you ready to travel back in time and relive the greatest moments in football history? From dramatic finals to unbelievable goals, each episode tells the story of one World Cup — the
heroes,
the
villains,
and
the
moments
no
one
saw
coming.
So grab your boots… it’s time to kick off our journey through the World Cup! I’m Aileen, and this is The World Cup Files. Four years on from the heartbreak of Rio, the World Cup packed its bags and headed back
to
Europe.
Switzerland. The land of clean air, mountain views, chocolate and cuckoo clocks. And, as it turned out, the greatest goal-fest the tournament has ever seen. Welcome to File Five. Switzerland, 1954. Where records were broken, legends were born,
and
the
impossible
happened.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE KEY FACTS 16 teams. 26 matches. 140 goals!
Winner: West Germany 3 goals to 2 against Hungary in the final known as the Miracle of
Bern. Top scorer: Sandor Kocsis with 11 goals… including 2 hat tricks THE CONTENDERS The tournament was growing – in reputation, prestige and actual size. For the first time, sixteen
teams
would
compete.
Nations
were
hungrier
to
be
involved.
After the drama of Brazil 1950, who could blame them? Switzerland was a logical choice to host. Neutral, stable. The most sensible country on earth
to
hold
a
tournament
designed
to
bring
back
a
sense
of
unity. Again, the format was a bit odd. Four groups of four teams, but not every team played every
other
team
in
their
group.
As in previous group stages, two points were awarded for a win and one for a draw. A slight
difference
here
being
that
draws
at
full
time
led
to
a
period
of
extra
time.
That
was
new.
Some teams played twice, some played three times. It didn’t make a huge amount of sense,
but
it
was
FIFA’s
choice,
so
everyone
just
went
with
it.
So who turned up? Germany had been split into two separate countries following the Second World War – East
and
West.
Two
countries
sharing
a
language
and
a
history,
but
not
much
else.
Having been forced to sit out the 1950 tournament as punishment, they were allowed to attempt
qualification
this
time
around.
West Germany won a place. East Germany didn’t try – political unease had caused them to
withdraw
temporarily
from
international
football.
And Argentina chose not to participate for a third consecutive tournament. Some people wonder why Argentina have so few stars on their jerseys considering the quality
of
their
football.
This may well be why. Defending champions Uruguay were back
And Brazil, still raw and haunted by what had happened in Rio, came to prove a point. To
the
world,
to
their
fans,
and
perhaps
most
of
all
to
themselves.
Then there was Hungary. In every tournament, there’s one team that the others are desperate to avoid. A team with
such
a
clear
path
to
the
final
that
the
teams
they
encounter
are
basically
just
cannon
fodder.
This tournament was no different. And in this tournament, it was Hungary. For four years, they had been the most extraordinary football team on the planet. Unbeaten
in
29
matches.
What
a
run!
The press called them the Magical Magyars. As crowds and journalists gathered to watch them train and warm up, there was little doubt
that
they
would
win.
The
question
was
how
dazzling
a
victory
it
would
be.
They played a completely different kind of football. They were fast and fluid, while most other
teams
stuck
to
rigid,
predictable
lines.
Their
players
had
a
freedom
never
seen
before
-
to
attack,
defend
or
strike
from
anywhere,
regardless
of
their
position.
It
left
defenders
confused,
managers
baffled,
and
crowds
completely
electrified.
Nándor Hidegkuti was the deep-lying centre-forward. He sat behind the strikers, drifting
into
pockets
of
space.
Defenders
didn't
know
how
to
follow
him
-
he
baffled
and
wrong-footed
every
back
line
he
came
up
against.
Ferenc Puskás was the captain, and he led from the front. Short and stocky with a left foot
like
a
cannon,
he
scored
84
goals
over
85
international
appearances.
And then there was Sándor Kocsis. They called him the Golden Head because of his ridiculous
ability
to
score
by
header.
He
could
leap
higher
than
defenders
who
towered
over
him
and
place
the
ball
with
the
accuracy
of
a
sniper.
He
had
scored
more
than
50
international
goals
before
the
tournament
had
even
started.
Yes, the Magical Magyars were the team to watch.
HOW DID IT PLAY OUT? THE GROUP STAGE The 1954 World Cup was record-breaking in terms of the sheer number of goals it produced.
And
they
began
rippling
nets
from
the
very
first
matches.
Hungary - everyone’s pick for champions - led the charge. They beat South Korea 9-0! They beat West Germany 8-3! Nobody expected that. Kocsis was everywhere, scoring like that one kid that people can’t believe is playing in the
correct
age
group.
But West Germany's manager, Sepp Herberger, had a secret. When his side had lost that 8-3
group
stage
humiliation,
he
had
deliberately
sent
out
a
weakened
team.
He knew they'd finish second in the group and face an easier path through the draw. It was an incredible tactical move designed to confuse opponents, conserve his strongest players
and
mask
his
team’s
real
strengths.
Either absolute genius, or an insane gamble. Possibly both. The question was, would it pay off? QUARTER FINALS If the group stage was dramatic, the knockouts were incredible. Hungary played Brazil in what newspapers would later call the “Battle of Berne. It was a football
match
in
only
the
very
loosest
sense.
In one of the most violent matches the World Cup has ever seen, 42 free kicks were awarded,
three
players
were
sent
off
and
a
Brazilian
player
kicked
a
Hungarian
in
the
face.
The fighting didn’t end with the final whistle, either. As the players left the pitch, the scene
in
the
tunnel
descended
into
a
full-scale
brawl
involving
both
squads,
match
officials,
and
even
journalists
who
had
wandered
too
close!
Hungary won 4-2, but it was the ugliest victory imaginable. Brazil blamed Hungary for the violence. Hungary blamed Brazil. Everyone else thought they were just as bad as each other. What nobody could dispute though, was that the football, when it occasionally broke out,
had
actually
been
rather
good. Meanwhile, Switzerland had the privilege and advantage of playing their quarter final in front
of
a
home
crowd.
They faced Austria. And what followed was not the heroic home performance the Swiss had
dreamed
of.
In the highest-scoring World Cup match of all time, Austria won 7-5. Twelve goals! Imagine the electricity in the stadium! A valiant effort by the Swiss. What a way to go out in front of their home crowd. THE SEMI-FINALS As the tournament rolled into its second knock-out round, West Germany dropped its mask.
With Herberger's first team rested and ready, they dismantled neighbours Austria 6-1. They were ruthless and brilliant. Every journalist who had written them off as pretenders had to quietly recalibrate. Hungary, meanwhile, came up against defending champions Uruguay. It was their first international meeting, and it was epic. Hungary were 2-0 up at half-time.
A
done
deal,
surely!
Puskás had orchestrated, Kocsis had arrived to finish, and Uruguay had no answer. It seemed inevitable.
But this was Uruguay. They didn’t know how to lose a World Cup match – they had no experience. So they came out of their dressing rooms like the two-time champions they were. It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t fast. But at minute 75, Uruguay netted their first goal. And another
10
minutes
later,
they
were
level!
Both goals were scored by Juan Hohberg, and as the net rippled with the force of the second,
the
Uruguayan
team
piled
on
top
of
him
in
celebration.
What a moment! The Uruguayans couldn’t believe they were back in with a chance at a third
championship!
But as the team untangled themselves from one another and returned to their positions, one
man
was
left
on
the
ground.
It was Hohberg. And he was unconscious. The team doctor sprinted across the pitch and pressed his ear to Hohberg’s chest. He looked
up
and
began
massaging
his
chest
with
both
hands.
Deep, rhythmic thrusts to keep his blood moving. The crowd fell silent. Players from both sides temporarily glued to the spot, their eyes glued to the fallen player. Hohberg had suffered a cardiac arrest. He was clinically dead for several moments before the doctor managed to resuscitate him.
And this, you will not believe: his part in the game wasn’t over. They really don’t make them like that anymore. The game rolled over into extra time, still tied at 2-2. And following a brief period of rest,
Hohberg
came
back
on!
The
idea
of
substitutions
were
still
in
their
very
early
trial
stages,
so
it
wasn’t
considered
as
a
viable
option
for
Hungary.
It’s absolute insanity. But it was a different time. And it makes for an incredible story!
Now, before we go any further, a word about Hohberg. Born in Argentina, he had been granted Uruguayan citizenship just weeks before the tournament.
Some
questioned
whether
he
deserved
to
wear
the
shirt.
Some
said
he
was
an
outsider,
a
thief
for
taking
a
Uruguayan’s
spot.
And then, he went out and scored two goals in ten minutes to drag his adopted country back
from
the
brink,
before
dying
and
coming
back
to
life
on
the
pitch,
in
front
of
the
whole
world.
Something like that will silence the haters. They called him El Maldito. The Damned One. He earned it. And four years later, for good measure, he survived a plane crash. They really don't make them like that any more. Now back to the match, where Hungary and Uruguay were going into extra time tied at 2-2. The first chance at a deciding goal was actually Hohberg’s when his first touch of the ball
sent
a
shot
crashing
against
the
base
of
the
post. You couldn’t write this stuff! But Uruguay’s heroism, strength of character and utter relentlessness weren’t to be rewarded.
In the second half of extra time, Sándor Kocsis went on to score two incredible goals with
his
aptly
named
“Golden
Head”.
The final was set: Hungary vs West Germany. THE FINAL 4th July, 1954. Wankdorf Stadium, Berne.
While pressure was high in the dressing rooms, a different kind of pressure was taking its
toll
on
the
pitch.
A system of low pressure was making its way through Switzerland causing the wettest of summer
weather. And on July 4th, it rained harder than it had all tournament. The sky sat low and grey over the Berne, and by the time the teams walked out, the pitch had
turned
into
one
enormous
muddy
puddle.
Players' boots sank with every step. The ball skidded and water-planed and just stopped dead.
Conditions
were
terrible.
This gave West Germany two major advantages. The first: revolutionary new boots. Designed by Adidas, they came with screw-in studs that
improved
grip.
What
better
time
for
a
test-drive? Hungary wore their traditional, smooth-soled boots. The second: completely psychological. Because the Germans loved a bit of rain! They named it “Fritz Walter Wetter” - after their captain. Fritz Walter had contracted Malaria during the Second World War, and one of the its long-lasting
consequences
was
his
discomfort
in
the
heat.
He
played
his
best
football
in
horrible
rainy
weather.
So,
on
the
morning
of
the
final,
when
the
West
German
team
looked
out
of
the
windows
over
breakfast
and
exclaimed,
“It’s
Fritz
Walter
Wetter!”
they
were
genuinely
delighted! But it didn’t look like it was going to be the difference the German team needed. Hungary had already beaten West Germany once in the tournament – 8 goals to 3. What could
there
possibly
be
to
discuss?
From the very first whistle, Hungary looked like they were going to justify everyone's greatest
predictions
for
them.
Puskás, freshly back from injury and miraculously fit, swept them ahead at minute 6. Two
minutes
later,
Zoltán
Czibor
made
it
2-0.
They
were
unstoppable.
The world exhaled and settled back in its seat. The scoreline was playing out exactly in line
with
expectations.
Only, West Germany didn't appear to have read their copy of the script. Max Morlock pulled one back at minute 10, Helmut Rahn equalizing at minute 18.
It was all to play for at half-time. The second half was tense, brutal, and extraordinary. Neither team was playing for a draw; each could taste victory. And each was chasing that one
deciding
goal.
Hungary were still playing like they’d edge it, attack after attack channeled down the pitch
towards
the
German
goal.
Keeper
Toni
Turek
and
his
defence
fending
off
each
one.
But in the 84th minute Helmut Rahn got the ball on the edge of the box. He feigned a pass
towards
centre
forward
Ottmar
Walter,
wrong-footing
the
Hungarian
defence.
He
took
the
shot
with
his
left
foot,
driving
it
past
the
Hungarian
keeper
into
the
bottom
left
corner.
3-2! The crowd almost couldn’t believe it! The players almost couldn’t believe it! Players fell to the ground. Rahn, normally an undemonstrative man, wheeled away with his
arms
wide,
roaring
at
the
sky.
Hungary
threw
everything
at
Germany
and
just
three
minutes
later,
Puskás
scored!
Three-all, surely? The linesman's flag went up. Offside. Hungary protested. And much of the world, now watching for themselves on televisions across Europe, disagreed
too.
But the final whistle blew. And West Germany — a nation still rebuilding from the wreckage of a world war, still banned
from
the
United
Nations,
still
finding
their
place
in
the
world — had
won
the
World
Cup.
THE AFTERMATH In West Germany, the match was broadcast on radio to an estimated 10 million listeners.
And
when
the
final
whistle
blew,
the
country
simply
stopped.
People wept in the streets from pride, joy and hope. Feelings they hadn’t known could be
possible
again
following
the
war
and
the
years
that
came
after.
There was a feeling of being allowed to be happy. Something Germans hadn’t known they
would
ever
get
back.
The Miracle of Berne — Das Wunder von Bern — became the moment many Germans point
to
as
the
true
beginning
of
their
country's
recovery.
Not a political speech, not a treaty, not an economic plan. A football match played in the driving rain that told a nation: you are still here. You can still
win. As the country celebrated, its team became instantly famous. Players were offered lucrative
contracts
with
foreign
teams.
But
they
all
declined.
Choosing
instead
to
continue
as
semi-professionals
in
their
homeland.
In Hungary, the loss was a national trauma. A revolution was coming to the country, and when that storm had blown through and changed
everything
in
its
wake,
Puskás
and
several
of
his
teammates
had
defected
to
the
West.
It was the international equivalent of switching to a rival team mid-season. The Hungarians were splintered. They never got another chance. The greatest team that never won it. The miracle no one expected. Switzerland 1954 had given the world both.
Now, how about some mind-blowing facts that you won't find in the main story?
Fact 1: The 1954 World Cup produced 140 goals in just 26 matches — an average of 5.38 goals
per
game.
No
World
Cup
before
or
since
has
come
close.
Fact 2: Sándor Kocsis finished the tournament with 11 goals in just 5 matches. The only player
to
score
more
was
Just
Fontaine,
in
1958.
Fact 3: Ferenc Puskás's disallowed goal in the 87th minute of the final — which would have
made
it
3-3 — was
ruled
offside.
It’s
one
of
the
most
controversial
calls
in
World
Cup
history,
with
film
footage
suggesting
he
might
actually
have
been
onside.
Fact 4: Adi Dassler, the founder of Adidas, personally travelled to Berne to fit the German
team’s
revolutionary
studded
boots
before
kick-off.
Fact 5: This was the only World Cup where not a single team finished the tournament undefeated.
If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you’re following The World Cup Files — it’s the best way to make sure you don’t miss the next story. And if you’ve got thirty seconds, a five star review on Apple Podcasts helps more people
find
us! Next time: Sweden, 1958. A teenage boy steps onto the world stage, and changes football
forever.
I’ll see you there. File closed.