Dr. Gerõ Cup
Encyclopedia
The Central European International Cup was an international football competition held by certain national teams from Central Europe
between 1927 and 1960. There were competitions for professional and amateur teams. Participating nations were Austria
, Czechoslovakia
, Hungary
, Italy
, Switzerland
and Yugoslavia
.
Played as a league on a home and away basis, it was contested six times and each single tournament usually took more than two years to complete. The last two tournaments lasted five years. It was discontinued in 1960, when the European Football Championship
started. Winners of the competition included the Austrian
Wunderteam
of the early 1930s, the Italy
team that also won two World Cups
in the 1930s, the Golden Team of Hungary
and the Czechoslovakia
team that later finished as World Cup
runners up in 1962.
, the prime minister of Czechoslovakia
, who donated it. After the Second World War the new trophy was known as the Dr. Gerö Cup in honour of Josef Gerö, a director of the Austrian Football Association
and former match referee.
n football pioneer Hugo Meisl
, regarded by some as one of the fathers of European football. Meisl was also behind the launch of the Mitropa Cup
, a knockout competition for club teams from the same countries which also began in 1927. He also managed Austria
during the Wunderteam era of the 1930s and led them to victory in the 1931-32 competition.
The first tournament played between 1927 and 1930 had been won by an Italy
team inspired by Giuseppe Meazza
. Meazza and Italy also won the 1933-35 competition. This time the team was coached by the legendary Vittorio Pozzo
and either side of winning this competition they also won two World Cups in 1934
and 1938
. The fourth tournament which began in 1936 was eventually abandoned due to the Anschluss Crisis
and because of the Second World War, while a fifth tournament was not held until 1948. This tournament marked the advent of the Golden Team of Hungary
, coached by Gusztáv Sebes
and featuring Ferenc Puskás
, Zoltán Czibor
, Sándor Kocsis
, Nándor Hidegkuti
, József Bozsik
and Gyula Grosics
. They claimed the trophy after a 3-0 win over Italy in Rome
in 1953.
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
between 1927 and 1960. There were competitions for professional and amateur teams. Participating nations were Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
, Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
, Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
, Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
and Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
.
Played as a league on a home and away basis, it was contested six times and each single tournament usually took more than two years to complete. The last two tournaments lasted five years. It was discontinued in 1960, when the European Football Championship
UEFA European Football Championship
The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
started. Winners of the competition included the Austrian
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
Wunderteam
Wunderteam
Wunderteam was the name given to the Austria national football team of the 1930s. Led by manager Hugo Meisl, the team had an unbeaten streak of 14 games between April 1931 and December 1932. The style of the team was based on the Scottish school of football that focused on quick passing introduced...
of the early 1930s, the Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
team that also won two World Cups
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
in the 1930s, the Golden Team of Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
and the Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
team that later finished as World Cup
1962 FIFA World Cup
The 1962 FIFA World Cup, the seventh staging of the World Cup, was held in Chile from 30 May to 17 June. It was won by Brazil, who retained the championship by beating Czechoslovakia 3–1 in the final...
runners up in 1962.
Trophy
The trophy of the early competitions was named Švehla Cup after Antonín ŠvehlaAntonín Švehla
Antonín Švehla was a Czechoslovakian politician. He served three terms as the prime minister of Czechoslovakia. He is regarded as one of the most important political figures of the First Czechoslovak Republic; he was the leader of the Agrarian Party, which was dominant within the Pětka, which was...
, the prime minister of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, who donated it. After the Second World War the new trophy was known as the Dr. Gerö Cup in honour of Josef Gerö, a director of the Austrian Football Association
Austrian Football Association
The Austrian Football Association is the governing body of football in Austria. It organizes the football league, Austrian Bundesliga, the Austrian Cup and the Austrian national team, as well as its female equivalent. It is based in Vienna....
and former match referee.
History
The competition was conceived by the AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n football pioneer Hugo Meisl
Hugo Meisl
Hugo Meisl , brother of the journalist Willy Meisl, was the multi-lingual football coach of the famous Austrian 'Wunderteam' of the early 1930s, as well as a referee.-Background:...
, regarded by some as one of the fathers of European football. Meisl was also behind the launch of the Mitropa Cup
Mitropa Cup
The Mitropa Cup, officially called the La Coupe de l'Europe Centrale was one of the first really international major European football cups for club sides...
, a knockout competition for club teams from the same countries which also began in 1927. He also managed Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
during the Wunderteam era of the 1930s and led them to victory in the 1931-32 competition.
The first tournament played between 1927 and 1930 had been won by an Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
team inspired by Giuseppe Meazza
Giuseppe Meazza
Giuseppe "Peppino" Meazza , also known as il Balilla, was an Italian footballer playing mainly for Internazionale in the 1930s, scoring 242 goals in 365 games for the club. He led Italy to win two World Cups: in 1934 and in 1938, winning the Golden Ball Award in 1934. He is widely considered the...
. Meazza and Italy also won the 1933-35 competition. This time the team was coached by the legendary Vittorio Pozzo
Vittorio Pozzo
Vittorio Pozzo 21 December 1968) was an Italian football coach who was most famous for leading the Italian national team to victory in the 1934 FIFA World Cup and 1938 FIFA World Cups; managed the side that won the 1930 and 1935 editions of the Central European International Cup, as well as the...
and either side of winning this competition they also won two World Cups in 1934
1934 FIFA World Cup
The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934....
and 1938
1938 FIFA World Cup
The 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third staging of the World Cup, and was held in France from 4 June to 19 June. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4–2 in the final.-Host selection:...
. The fourth tournament which began in 1936 was eventually abandoned due to the Anschluss Crisis
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
and because of the Second World War, while a fifth tournament was not held until 1948. This tournament marked the advent of the Golden Team of Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
, coached by Gusztáv Sebes
Gusztáv Sebes
Gusztáv Sebes was a Hungarian footballer and coach. With the title of Deputy Minister of Sport, he coached the Hungarian team known as the Mighty Magyars in the 1950s. Among the players in the team were Ferenc Puskás, Zoltán Czibor, Sándor Kocsis, József Bozsik, and Nándor Hidegkuti...
and featuring Ferenc Puskás
Ferenc Puskás
Ferenc Puskás was a Hungarian footballer and manager. He scored 84 goals in 85 international matches for Hungary, and 514 goals in 529 matches in the Hungarian and Spanish leagues. He became Olympic champion in 1952 and was a World Cup finalist in 1954...
, Zoltán Czibor
Zoltán Czibor
Zoltán Czibor Suhai , also referred to as Czibor Zoltán, was a Hungarian footballer who played for several Hungarian clubs, including Ferencváros TC and Honvéd, and Hungary before joining CF Barcelona. Czibor played as a left-winger or striker and was notable for having a powerful shot, good...
, Sándor Kocsis
Sándor Kocsis
Sándor Kocsis Péter was a Hungarian footballer who played for Ferencváros TC, Budapest Honvéd, Young Fellows Zürich, FC Barcelona and Hungary. During the 1950s, along with Ferenc Puskás, Zoltán Czibor, József Bozsik and Nándor Hidegkuti, he was a member of the Mighty Magyars...
, Nándor Hidegkuti
Nándor Hidegkuti
Nándor Hidegkuti was a Hungarian football player and manager. He played as a forward or attacking midfielder and spent the majority of his playing career at MTK Hungária FC. During the 1950s he was also a member of the Hungarian National Team team known as the Golden Team...
, József Bozsik
József Bozsik
József Bozsik was a Hungarian footballer. He represented Hungary in various international tournaments, and is a member of the Mighty Magyars.-Biography:...
and Gyula Grosics
Gyula Grosics
Gyula Grosics is a Hungarian former football goalkeeper who played 86 times for the Hungarian national football team and was part of the legendary Golden Team of the 1950s. He was nicknamed the Black Panther ....
. They claimed the trophy after a 3-0 win over Italy in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1953.
Winners
- : 2
- 1927-30, 1933-35
- : 1
- 1931-32
- : 1
- 1948-53
- : 1
- 1954-60
Final placings
| Years | Classification | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Points | Runner-up | Points | Third place | Points | |
| 1927 - 1930 | 11 | 10 | 9 | |||
| 1931 - 1932 | 11 | 9 | 8 | |||
| 1933 - 1935 | 11 | 9 | 9 | |||
| 1936 - 1937 | Tournament was interrupted due to Anschluss Anschluss The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938.... March 12 1938. |
|||||
| 1948 - 1953 | 11 | 9 | 9 | |||
| 1954 - 1960 | 16 | 15 | 11 | |||
| Years | Classification (amateur competition) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Points | Runner-up | Points | Third place | Points | |
| 1929-1930 | 7 | (A) | 6 | (A) | 6 | |
| 1931-1934 | 9 | (A) | 6 | (A) | 5 | |
Topscorers
| Years | Top scorer | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goals | Striker | National team | ||||
| 1927-1930 | 6 goals | Julio Libonatti Julio Libonatti Julio Libonatti , is a former Italian Argentine football forward.Born in Rosario, Argentina, Libonatti started his professional career with Newell's Old Boys in 1917. He would play with Newell's Old Boys until 1925 when he transferred to Torino F.C.... Gino Rossetti Gino Rossetti Gino Rossetti was an Italian football player who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics.Rossetti was born in La Spezia. He was a member of the Italian team, which won the bronze medal in the football tournament.-External links:*... |
Italy Italy national football team The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than... Italy Italy national football team The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than... |
|||
| 1931-1932 | 8 goals | István Avar István Avar István Avar was a Romanian-Hungarian footballer and a legend of Újpest FC, most famous for playing for the Hungarian national team in the 1934 World Cup... |
Hungary Hungary national football team The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation.... |
|||
| 1933-1935 | 7 goals | Leopold Kielholz Leopold Kielholz Leopold "Poldi" Kielholz was a Swiss footballer . He participated in the 1934 FIFA World Cup, scoring 3 goals, and also in the 1938 FIFA World Cup. The clubs he belonged to while participating in these tournaments were Servette Geneva and SC YF Juventus. He also played for Stade de Reims in 1936-37... György Sárosi |
Switzerland Hungary Hungary national football team The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation.... |
|||
| 1936-1938 | 10 goals | György Sárosi | Hungary Hungary national football team The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation.... |
|||
| 1948-1953 | 10 goals | Ferenc Puskás Ferenc Puskás Ferenc Puskás was a Hungarian footballer and manager. He scored 84 goals in 85 international matches for Hungary, and 514 goals in 529 matches in the Hungarian and Spanish leagues. He became Olympic champion in 1952 and was a World Cup finalist in 1954... |
Hungary Hungary national football team The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation.... |
|||
| 1955-1960 | 7 goals | Lajos Tichy Lajos Tichy Lajos Tichy was a Hungarian footballer. He played for the club Budapest Honvéd FC, scoring 247 goals in 320 league games. He also scored 51 goals in 72 internationals for the Hungary national football team, including four in the 1958 FIFA World Cup and three in the 1962 FIFA World Cup... |
Hungary Hungary national football team The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation.... |
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