The 1934 World Cup

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1. Luis Monti is the only player to have played in two World Cup finals for two different countries. The tough-tackling midfielder played for Argentina in 1930 against Uruguay, and suited up for Italy in 1934 against Czechoslovakia.
2. Uruguay remains the only reigning champion in World Cup history not to defend its title.
3. Even though they were the hosts, Italy still had to qualify for the 1934 World Cup. The Italians thrashed Greece 4-0 in Milan in the first leg, and the second game never took place as the Greeks withdrew.
4. Referee Ivan Eklind was said to have met with Benito Mussolini prior to taking charge of Italy's semifinal and final games, leading many to believe the Swede made several disputed calls in the Italians' favour.
5. The soccer stadium currently used by both AC Milan and Inter Milan is called Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, named after the Italian national team legend.
6. The U.S. qualified for the 1934 World Cup by defeating Mexico 4-2 in Rome, a mere three days before the first game of the tournament.

QUICK FACTOIDS

Number of participating teams: 16
Top scorer: Czechoslovakia's Oldrich Nejedly (5 goals)
Number of games: 17
Total goals scored: 70
Average goals per game: 4.12
Highest scoring game: Italy's 7-1 win over the U.S. on May 27
Total attendance: 395,000
Average attendance: 23,235
MATCH OF THE TOURNAMENT:

Italy's 2-1 victory over Czechoslovakia in the final. A frantic opening 90 minutes saw the score even at 1-1. Both teams were exhausted, but Italy, supported by the Rome crowd, won in extra time on Angelo Schiavio's marvellous goal.
MAN OF THE TOURNAMENT:

Giuseppe Meazza. He wasn't even Italy's top scorer (Angelo Schiavio scored four times), but there was no doubting Meazza's influence. The Inter Milan forward scored two goals, including the winner against Spain in the quarter-finals. Playing injured in the final, he set up Schiavio's game-clincher against Czechoslovakia in extra time.
SPOTLIGHT:

Regarded as one of the greatest managers in soccer history, Vittorio Pozzo led Italy to two World Cups (1934 and 1938) and to the gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Known as Il Vecchio Maestro - the Old Master, Pozzo was an iron-fisted authoritarian who demanded complete and utter commitment from his players. Pozzo was renowned for his tactical acumen, and is credited with establishing the twin pillars of Italian soccer: defensive strength and refined precision.
Pozzo is the longest-serving manager of the Italian national team, recording an amazing 63 victories in 95 matches (both records) against only 15 losses from 1929-48.
Pozzo died Dec. 21, 1968. He was 82.
AND ANOTHER THING...

Before FIFA tightened the rules, players were able to represent more than one country in the World Cup.
During the 1930s, several of Argentina's biggest stars played in Serie A, the Italian first division. Vittorio Pozzo seized the opportunity and extended invitations to Raimundo Orsi, Enrique Guaita and Luis Monti - all born in Argentina, but with Italian roots - to play for the Azzurri in the 1934 World Cup.
Although criticized by some, Pozzo defended his use of the oriundi (an Italian word to describe foreign-born national team members of Italian ancestry) by famously saying, "If they can die for Italy, they can play [soccer] for Italy."
It proved a wise decision: Orsi scored three times (including the tying goal in the final), Guaita netted the winner in the semifinals, and Monti proved a defensive dynamo in midfield.