Poland v Brazil (1938)
Encyclopedia
Poland v Brazil was a football
match held during the 1938 FIFA World Cup
in France and still remembered by Polish fans of this sport as the one in which Poland national football team
debuted. To qualify to the tournament Poland had to beat only one team - Yugoslavia
. In the first leg, on October 10, 1937 at Warsaw
's Wojska Polskiego Stadium, Poland won 4-0 (goals by Leonard Piątek
- 2, Jerzy Wostal
and Ernest Wilimowski
). In the second leg (Belgrad, April 3, 1938), Poles lost 0-1 (goal by Blagoje Marjanović
) but, due to better goals difference, the white-reds qualified.
It is quite obvious that Józef Kałuża, manager of the National Team, and trainer Marian Spoida
, decided to choose almost the same players who had beaten Yugoslavia. There was only one difference - injured Wostal (AKS Chorzów
) was replaced by Warta Poznań
's Fryderyk Scherfke
.
, France
, where Poland was going to play its first game versus Brazil
(June 5, 1938), Kałuża and Spoida took 15 players:
On the roster, there were two athletes who had never before put on a white-red jersey - midfielder Stanisław Baran and goalkeeper Walter Brom (who was then 17 years and 4 months old - up to this day Brom is the youngest goalkeeper on FIFA’s World Cup list of participants).
In Poland, on stand-by reserve, seven players stayed behind. Those were:
(4-2) they finished the 1938 tournament in 3rd place. It was this performance that gained them their reputation.
Interesting is the fact that Polish team was gathered together just a week before the game. This was due to the Polish Soccer League games - coaches of the teams did not want their best players to leave their sides earlier because in the 1930s, most Polish athletes were amateurs - they had to work on daily basis. Thus, training camp in Wągrowiec
(near Poznań
) lasted for a week only - just enough for some players to get acquainted with each other. A few days before the game, the Poles got into the train and went to Strasbourg.
Originally, the game was supposed to take place in Toulouse
, in southern France. Polish officials, however, issued a complaint stating that sweltering heat there would be helpful for the Brazilians, who are used to such weather. Game’s location was moved to Strasburg, but not because of the complaint. There were numerous, last moment corrections before the whole tournament. This was due to complications after withdrawal of Austria
, which after the Anschluss
was incorporated into Germany
.
blew his whistle for the first time. Strasbourg’s Stade de la Meinau
was filled with some 15,000 fans, including a several thousand group of Poles - mostly immigrants, who worked in coal mines in northern France. Brazilian fans were not numerous, and the French were mostly rooting for exotic team from South America.
Back in those days, teams were mainly concentrated on attack. So it is not surprising that in Kałuża’s lineup there were as many as 5 forwards (Piec, Wilimowski, Wodarz, Piątek and Scherfke). Midfielders were Góra, Nyc and Dytko, and the defenders - only Szczepaniak (captain) and Gałecki. In the goal there was Madejski. It must be mentioned that in 1938, soccer regulations did not allow any replacements. As Poland lost the game vs. Brazil (5-6), which meant going back home, only the 11 players mentioned above were given the chance to appear on the field.
Little is known about the first goal, which Brazil’s Leonidas da Silva
( also known as Black Diamond-Diamante Negro) scored in 18th minute. There was no description of it in Polish press, Polish participants of the game did not remember it, either. However, we know that five minutes later Ernest Wilimowski dribbled past three defenders and Brazilian goalie Batatais
. The latter managed to dump the Pole to the ground, which meant a penalty kick. It was scored in 23rd minute by Scherfke, who aimed at the right corner of the goal. This was the first, historical goal of Polish National Team in FIFA’s World Cup.
and Peracio) and the Poles were mainly in defense. Halftime was the turning point. First of all, Kałuża yelled loudly at his players, then it started to rain. South Americans were having problems on wet, slippery turf, while Wilimowski started his show. In 53rd and then 59th minute, Poland’s topscorer twice beat Batatais, after individual performances, which were described in the press as “circus-like”. So, in 59th minute the score was 3-3.
Soon afterwards, the rain stopped. It was a boost for the Brazilians, who in 71st minute scored (by Peracio). However, a minute before time Wilimowski scored his third goal, which meant extra time.
It is said that Leonidas' goal at 93" was scored without him wearing the right boot, which tore and was left off his foot in the swampy pitch. The goal was given though, as Brazil played the match with black socks and thus (also due to all the mud which covered the pitch resulting of the rain beforehand), the lack of a boot went undetected by the referee.
Strasbourg, Stade de la Meinau, June 5, 1938.
Poland - Brazil 5:6 (1:3, 4:4). Goals: Scherfke (23. penalty) Wilimowski (53., 59., 89., 118.) - Leonidas (18., 93., 104.), Romeu (25.), Peracio (44., 71.).
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
match held during the 1938 FIFA World Cup
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:...
in France and still remembered by Polish fans of this sport as the one in which Poland national football team
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
debuted. To qualify to the tournament Poland had to beat only one team - Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. In the first leg, on October 10, 1937 at Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
's Wojska Polskiego Stadium, Poland won 4-0 (goals by Leonard Piątek
Leonard Piatek
Leonard Franciszek Piątek was a Polish football player of Upper Silesian origin who played in the interwar period....
- 2, Jerzy Wostal
Jerzy Wostal
Jerzy Adolf Wostal was a Polish soccer player, one of best forwards of interwar Poland. He was born in 1914 in Königshütte .In the late 1930s Wostal played for AKS Chorzów. The best year in his career was 1937...
and Ernest Wilimowski
Ernest Wilimowski
Ernst Willimowski was a football player who played for both the Polish and German national teams....
). In the second leg (Belgrad, April 3, 1938), Poles lost 0-1 (goal by Blagoje Marjanović
Blagoje Marjanovic
Blagoje "Moša" Marjanović was a Serbian football forward who played for Yugoslavia at FIFA World Cup 1930. He scored one goal in that tournament in the game versus Bolivia . During the tournament his club was BSK....
) but, due to better goals difference, the white-reds qualified.
It is quite obvious that Józef Kałuża, manager of the National Team, and trainer Marian Spoida
Marian Spoida
Marian Spoida was a Polish soccer player and later a coach. Born on January 4, 1901 in Poznań, he died in the Katyn massacre, murdered by the Soviet secret services, probably some time in the spring of 1940....
, decided to choose almost the same players who had beaten Yugoslavia. There was only one difference - injured Wostal (AKS Chorzów
AKS Chorzów
AKS Chorzów is a sports club in based in Chorzów, Poland. It is one of the earliest sports organizations in Upper Silesia and is still well-known nationally for its football and handball teams...
) was replaced by Warta Poznań
Warta Poznan
Warta Poznań is a football club based in Poznań, Poland. Founded in 1912, the club are two-time winners of the Polish Football Championship, in 1929 and 1947, but currently reside in the Polish First League. The name means the Guard in Polish and also a name of river Warta on which Poznań is...
's Fryderyk Scherfke
Fryderyk Scherfke
Friedrich Egon Scherfke, , German Empire - died on September 15, 1983 in Bad Soden, Germany) was an ethnic German who became an interwar soccer midfield player for the Polish national football team.- Biography :...
.
The team
To StrasbourgStrasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, where Poland was going to play its first game versus Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
(June 5, 1938), Kałuża and Spoida took 15 players:
- Ewald DytkoEwald DytkoEdward Jan Dytko was a German-born Upper Silesian soccer player, who, when his home country became Poland by Treaty of Versailles represented the no longer existing team of Dąb Katowice, also in 1935-39 he played in the Polish National Team.He was born in Zalenze and since early childhood played...
- midfielder (Dąb KatowiceDab KatowiceDąb Katowice was a former Polish sports club from Upper Silesian capital of Katowice. Founded in 1911 as SV Eiche , the club existed until September 9, 1968, when a merger with GKS Katowice took place and a new organization took over the name GKS.Dąb had numerous sports sections, including...
), - Antoni Gałecki - defender (ŁKS Łódź),
- Wilhelm GóraWilhelm GóraWilhelm Antoni Góra was a Polish midfield soccer player.His career started in...
- midfielder (Cracovia), - Edward MadejskiEdward MadejskiEdward Dominik Jerzy Madejski was a Polish football goalkeeper and chemistry engineer, who was a graduate of Mining-Metallurgic Academy in Kraków....
- goalkeeper (not representing any club at that time), - Erwin NycErwin NycErwin Peter Nytz or Edward Piotr Nyc was an interwar Polish soccer midfield player of Upper Silesian origin. Born Erwin Nytz his Silesian homeland became Poland after Treaty of Versailles and he changed his last name to its Polonized version in 1934...
- midfielder (Polonia WarszawaPolonia WarszawaPolonia Warsaw is a Polish sports club with football and basketball teams, founded in 1911, and is the oldest such club in Warsaw, where it is based.- History :...
), - Władysław Szczepaniak - defender (Polonia WarszawaPolonia WarszawaPolonia Warsaw is a Polish sports club with football and basketball teams, founded in 1911, and is the oldest such club in Warsaw, where it is based.- History :...
), - Leonard Piontek - forward (AKS Chorzów),
- Ryszard PiecRyszard PiecRyszard Leon Piec - Polish soccer player, born Richard Leon Pietz on August 17, 1913 in Schwientochlowitz , Germany,died on January 24, 1979 in his hometown....
- forward (Naprzód LipinyNaprzód LipinyGKS Naprzód Świętochłowice Lipiny - a sports club from Swietochlowice’s district of Lipiny , founded in 1920 by Alfons Maniura, who became Naprzód first chairman. Throughout the years, the club for many times changed name. In 1920-1939 and then in 1945-1965 it was Naprzód Lipiny, in 1939-1945 -...
), - Wilhelm PiecWilhelm PiecWilhelm Piec - Polish soccer forward player.Wilhelm was one of best players of interwar Poland...
- forward (Naprzód Lipiny), - Fryderyk ScherfkeFryderyk ScherfkeFriedrich Egon Scherfke, , German Empire - died on September 15, 1983 in Bad Soden, Germany) was an ethnic German who became an interwar soccer midfield player for the Polish national football team.- Biography :...
- forward (Warta Poznań), - Ernest WilimowskiErnest WilimowskiErnst Willimowski was a football player who played for both the Polish and German national teams....
- forward (Ruch ChorzówRuch ChorzówRuch Chorzów is a Polish association football club based in Chorzów, Upper Silesia. It is one of the most successful football teams in Poland: 14 time national champion, and 3 time winner of the Polish Cup. Currently the team plays in the top Polish league, the Ekstraklasa. Their stadium capacity...
), - Gerard WodarzGerard WodarzGerard Wodarz was one of the best soccer players of interwar Poland. He was a multiple champion of the country and also played 28 games on the Polish national football team, scoring 9 goals.He was born in 1913 in Wielkie Hajduki Gerard Wodarz (August 10, 1913 – November 8, 1982) was one of...
- forward (Ruch Chorzów), - Walter BromWalter BromWalter Henryk Brom was a Polish soccer goalkeeper. Brom, who played for Ruch Chorzów, was a reserve player of Polish team in FIFA World Cup 1938. He was the youngest goalie who has ever been listed in any World Cup finals...
- goalkeeper (Ruch Chorzów), - Edmund GiemsaEdmund GiemsaEdmund Giemza was a Polish interwar soccer player, started career as a forward, then moved to midfield, regarded as an expert on free kicks. Born on October 16, 1912 in Upper Silesian city of Ruda Śląska, died on September 30, 1994 in Chinnor, England.Giemsa played for Ruch Chorzów as well as...
- midfielder (Ruch Chorzów), - Stanisław Baran - midfielder (Warszawianka WarszawaWarszawianka WarszawaKlub Sportowy Warszawianka is a former Polish multi-sport club from Warsaw. Founded in 1921 by the famous Warsaw families of Luxemburgs and Loths . Hues - black-white, the logo consisted of a black capital letter W.-History:At first, the club's main effort was concentrated on football...
).
On the roster, there were two athletes who had never before put on a white-red jersey - midfielder Stanisław Baran and goalkeeper Walter Brom (who was then 17 years and 4 months old - up to this day Brom is the youngest goalkeeper on FIFA’s World Cup list of participants).
In Poland, on stand-by reserve, seven players stayed behind. Those were:
- Ewald CebulaEwald CebulaEdward Cebula was a Polish football player and defender...
(Śląsk Świętochłowice), - Józef KorbasJózef KorbasJózef Franciszek Korbas was an interwar Polish football player, forward of Cracovia and Polish National Team. He played two games for Poland....
(Cracovia Kraków), - Kazimierz LisKazimierz LisKazimierz Lis was a football player of the Polish team Warta Poznań as well as Polish International Team. He played in the 1930s and late 1940s, back then Warta was one of top teams of Poland...
(Warta PoznańWarta PoznanWarta Poznań is a football club based in Poznań, Poland. Founded in 1912, the club are two-time winners of the Polish Football Championship, in 1929 and 1947, but currently reside in the Polish First League. The name means the Guard in Polish and also a name of river Warta on which Poznań is...
), - Edmund TworzEdmund TwórzEdmund Twórz was a Polish footballer who was in the Polish squad called up for the 1938 FIFA World Cup, but was left in Poland prior to the beginning of the tournament, as only 15 players went to Strasbourg. During that time he played for Warta Poznań...
(Warta Poznań), - Antoni Łyko (Wisła Kraków)
- Bolesław Habowski (Wisła Kraków),
- Jan WasiewiczJan WasiewiczJan Karol Wasiewicz was an interwar Polish soccer player. Wasiewicz was a midfielder both in Pogoń Lwów , and the Polish National Team.His career started in 1926 in another Lwów team - RKS. Then he moved to Lechia Lwów and in 1933 to Pogoń...
(Pogoń LwówPogon LwówLKS Pogoń Lwów is a former Polish professional sports club which was located in Lwów , and existed from 1904 until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. It was the second oldest Polish football club behind other teams from Lwów - Czarni and Lechia...
).
Brazil
Even though Brazil was not regarded as the world’s top team in the 1930s, it was still believed to be a very good, high quality team. The Brazilians later proved it - after defeating SwedenSweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
(4-2) they finished the 1938 tournament in 3rd place. It was this performance that gained them their reputation.
Poland
Under these circumstances, Polish team, which had never before advanced to such a level, was supposed to lose the game against South Americans. Thus, the defeat was not a sensation. However, all fans were surprised at the style with which the Poles played its lone game of the tournament - white-reds got to the extra time, only then losing 5-6.Interesting is the fact that Polish team was gathered together just a week before the game. This was due to the Polish Soccer League games - coaches of the teams did not want their best players to leave their sides earlier because in the 1930s, most Polish athletes were amateurs - they had to work on daily basis. Thus, training camp in Wągrowiec
Wagrowiec
Wągrowiec is a town in northwestern Poland, 50 km from both Poznań and Bydgoszcz. Since the 18th century it has been the a seat of a powiat. It is currently attached to the Greater Poland Voivodeship...
(near Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
) lasted for a week only - just enough for some players to get acquainted with each other. A few days before the game, the Poles got into the train and went to Strasbourg.
Originally, the game was supposed to take place in Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, in southern France. Polish officials, however, issued a complaint stating that sweltering heat there would be helpful for the Brazilians, who are used to such weather. Game’s location was moved to Strasburg, but not because of the complaint. There were numerous, last moment corrections before the whole tournament. This was due to complications after withdrawal of Austria
Austria
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...
, which after the Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
was incorporated into Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
The game
First half
At 5 p.m. sharp Swedish referee Ivan EklindIvan Eklind
Ivan Henning Hjalmar Eklind was a football referee from Sweden famous for refereeing the controversial 1934 FIFA World Cup Final between Italy and Czechoslovakia in Rome.-Rene Mercet:...
blew his whistle for the first time. Strasbourg’s Stade de la Meinau
Stade de la Meinau
The Stade de la Meinau, commonly known as "La Meinau" is a football stadium in Strasbourg, France. It is the home ground of RC Strasbourg and has also hosted international matches, including one game of World cup 1938, two games of Euro 1984 and the final of the Cup Winners' Cup in 1988. La Meinau...
was filled with some 15,000 fans, including a several thousand group of Poles - mostly immigrants, who worked in coal mines in northern France. Brazilian fans were not numerous, and the French were mostly rooting for exotic team from South America.
Back in those days, teams were mainly concentrated on attack. So it is not surprising that in Kałuża’s lineup there were as many as 5 forwards (Piec, Wilimowski, Wodarz, Piątek and Scherfke). Midfielders were Góra, Nyc and Dytko, and the defenders - only Szczepaniak (captain) and Gałecki. In the goal there was Madejski. It must be mentioned that in 1938, soccer regulations did not allow any replacements. As Poland lost the game vs. Brazil (5-6), which meant going back home, only the 11 players mentioned above were given the chance to appear on the field.
Little is known about the first goal, which Brazil’s Leonidas da Silva
Leônidas da Silva
Leônidas da Silva was an association footballer and commentator. He is regarded to be one of the most important players of the first half of the 20th century. He played for Brazil in two World Cups, and was the top scorer of the 1938 World Cup....
( also known as Black Diamond-Diamante Negro) scored in 18th minute. There was no description of it in Polish press, Polish participants of the game did not remember it, either. However, we know that five minutes later Ernest Wilimowski dribbled past three defenders and Brazilian goalie Batatais
Algisto Lorenzato
Algisto Lorenzato , usually known as Batatais , was a football goalkeeper....
. The latter managed to dump the Pole to the ground, which meant a penalty kick. It was scored in 23rd minute by Scherfke, who aimed at the right corner of the goal. This was the first, historical goal of Polish National Team in FIFA’s World Cup.
Second half
After the first half, the Brazilians were winning 3-1 (goals by Leonidas, RomeuRomeu Pellicciari
Romeu Pellicciari, also known as Romeu was an association footballer in striker role....
and Peracio) and the Poles were mainly in defense. Halftime was the turning point. First of all, Kałuża yelled loudly at his players, then it started to rain. South Americans were having problems on wet, slippery turf, while Wilimowski started his show. In 53rd and then 59th minute, Poland’s topscorer twice beat Batatais, after individual performances, which were described in the press as “circus-like”. So, in 59th minute the score was 3-3.
Soon afterwards, the rain stopped. It was a boost for the Brazilians, who in 71st minute scored (by Peracio). However, a minute before time Wilimowski scored his third goal, which meant extra time.
Extra time
After a short break, the Brazilians attacked the Polish goal. Two goals by Leonidas (in 93rd and 104th minutes) settled the game for good. Poles, led by amazing Wilimowski, fought back - in the 118th minute he slotted the ball in. During the last minutes, Brazil was desperately defending the result. Even though Wodarz, on a free kick, was close, and then Nyc’s shot hit a crossbar, Poland lost 5-6.It is said that Leonidas' goal at 93" was scored without him wearing the right boot, which tore and was left off his foot in the swampy pitch. The goal was given though, as Brazil played the match with black socks and thus (also due to all the mud which covered the pitch resulting of the rain beforehand), the lack of a boot went undetected by the referee.
Strasbourg, Stade de la Meinau, June 5, 1938.
Poland - Brazil 5:6 (1:3, 4:4). Goals: Scherfke (23. penalty) Wilimowski (53., 59., 89., 118.) - Leonidas (18., 93., 104.), Romeu (25.), Peracio (44., 71.).
See also
- History of football in Poland
- 1938 FIFA World Cup squads1938 FIFA World Cup squads-Italy:Head coach: Vittorio Pozzo-Hungary:Head coach: Károly Dietz and Alfréd Schaffer-Brazil:Head coach: Adhemar Pimenta-Sweden:Head coach: József Nagy...
- Polish soccer (football) in interwar periodPolish soccer (football) in interwar periodThe interwar period of Polish football began in the late fall of 1918 after First World War, when Poland regained independence, which had been lost at the end of 18th century . The newly created country soon started to organize its administration and several national organizations...