Fascism and Football: How Italy won the 1934 and 1938 World Cup

Enrico Guaita of Italy scores, ten minutes into his team's World Cup semifinal against Austria at San Siro, Milan, 3rd June 1934. Italy won the match 1-0.

The Italians faced favourites Austria, who were known as the Wunderteam, in the semi final and won 1-0. It is believed, and rightly too, that Mussolini himself had dinner with the Swedish referee, Ivan Eklind, who would officiate the following match, the day before. Why? To discuss ‘tactics’ of course.

Ever heard of Josef Bican? He is by far, one of the most criminally underrated players in the history of the game. A goal-scorer of almost superhuman enormity, the centre-forward was a highly prolific player and could run 100 metres in an impressive 10.6 seconds. (officially, he has scored 805 goals in 530 matches. If we include matches not recognised by FIFA Bican’s total rises to an estimated 1468 goal in 918 games). Bican maintained till his death in 2001, that he was certain that the referee Eklind had been bribed. The Austrian-Czech had good reason to say so too. After all, his ball sent to the right wing was headed to an Italian player by the referee who had intercepted it by mistake! The solitary goal of the match was scored by Enrique Guiata (which many people claimed was offside), one of the Oriundi, and its build-up saw the Austrian Goalkeeper being pushed blatantly.

The same Swedish referee (Ivan Eklind), who officiated the semi-final, was asked to look over the final. He was even invited to the Fascist VIP box before the match began. Italy won the final against Czechoslovakia 2-1. Czechoslovakia initially held the lead through Antonio Puc’s goal, but the equalizer was scored by Raimundo Orsi (another oriundi) five minutes before the final whistle. Angelo Schiavio put the hosts ahead in extra time and it turned out to be the winner as Italy lifted the World Cup. However, more than the win, it was Mussolini’s propaganda which triumphed in the final. The picture of the stadium during the final is spoken by many historians, with a lot of awe and admiration.

Italians won the cup on home terrain and Mussolini got what he wanted- to show off his country on the world fold. Not only that, in more materialistic terms, Il Duce got to show off the second trophy the winners were going to lift – the “Coppa Del Duce”, an extraordinary edifice that was six times the size of the actual tournament trophy. The self absorbed Italian dictator had triumphed in his ambitions.

The next World Cup, being hosted by France, was also won by the Azzuri. By 1938, the Second World War was looming in Europe and was anticipated any second. The World Cup was an ideal place for improving Mussolini’s standing in the world, for the Allies to take him as seriously as Adolf Hitler and also for the Fuhrer to take him as seriously because we see that Mussolini’s image was not particularly commanding in front of Hitler (Later, it would be seen that Germany comes to the aid of Italy almost every time and everywhere in the Second World War). He could do just that by retaining the World Cup. Mussolini had a point to prove.

After beating Norway, France (where Italy again drew criticism from everywhere as under Mussolini’s instruction, the team took to the pitch in an all-black kit [uniform?], the colour of the fascist ruling party) and then Brazil, Italy faced Hungary in the final and Il Duce made sure that his players knew that winning the cup was a matter of life and death (Note: This is not a figurative sentence). A telegram was sent to the players before the final which read “Vincere o morire!” which, translated literally into English reads “Win or die!” Even if the term has been lost in translation and is not as literal as he intended it to be, when a person known for purging people who did not believe in his ideologies is in question, one could assume that his telegram would have been taken very seriously by the Italians. Italy beat Hungary 4-2 to win the match, and the Hungarian goalkeeper Antal Szabó famoulsy said, “I may have let in four goals, but at least I saved their lives.”

Italy might have even won the 1942 World Cup, their third on the trot, had it taken place. But the Second World War made FIFA cancel the competition. Il Duce was killed by partisans along with his mistress, Clara Petacci, and some close associates in April 1945.

By politicizing the game, Fascism enhanced the regime’s international prestige and inculcated nationalist values. Football was effectively used to formulate the nationalistic identity in Italy. Italian fascism was triumphant in not only making the most of the prospect football provided to shape public opinion, but also infiltrate daily life and reinforce conformity.