EARLY YEARS OF COMPETITION: In 1904 representatives from seven European football associations namely: Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland formed a governing body for the sport called the FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE DE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION ( FIFA) with its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland on 5th May, 1904.
At their inaugural meeting, FIFA as part of their decisions, planned to organize a world championships with full determination that the level of play was sufficient outside Europe to support a world championships. Though professional leagues had evolved, so that the Olympic games which was restricted to amateur athletes, no longer represented the highest level of competition in the world.
Following the huge successes recorded in the football events of the 1924 and 1928 Olympic games in Paris and Amsterdam FIFA at that time under its president Jules Rimet wished to set up a soccer world championships.
This led to the birth of the World Cup in 1930. The first World Cup which was donated by French man Jules Rimet and named after the donor, stood a foot high all round gold weighed nine pounds was designed by renowned French Sculptor Abel Lafleur.
INAUGURAL EDITION
Uruguay clinched the hosting rights to organized the first ever World Cup in 1930 by making offers none of the participating countries could reject: Uruguay offered to pay the traveling and accommodation expenses for all participants. Uruguay was also chosen as host because their national team were unofficial world champions, having won both the 1924 and 1928 Olympic tournaments in football.
THE PARTICIPATING TEAMS AT THE INAUGURAL EDITION
The thirteen countries which took part at the inaugural edition of the world cup in 1930, included: Uruguay as host, Argentina, USA, Yugoslavia, Chile, Brazil, France, Romania, Paraguay, Peru, Belgium, Bolivia, Mexico, with 500,000 people watching the 18 matches, the finals was won by host Uruguay who beat Argentina 4 – 2 to clinched the first ever World Cup. The report of the opening of the tournament at the clumax of the centenary celebrations appeared in the TIMES of July 19th 1930.
The inaugural edition despite being largely shunned by stronger European nations the tournament was a financial success which excited international interest.
Following the commercial success of the 1930 inaugural edition, major European countries had become interested with the exception of United Kingdom made up of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales, which fielded seperate national teams were not members of FIFA and refused to take part in the world cup.
Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini fascist regime gained popularity by organizing the 1934 tournament in Italy, which Italy won.
The world cup continued to gain popularity that a record number of 36 countries entered for the 1938 tournament and for the first time preliminary elimination games were played to decide the 16 finalists. France hosted the 1938 tournament, and Italy won again.
The fourth and fifth edition of the world cup was not held in 1942 and 1946 due to devastating effects of the 1st and 2nd World Wars which occurred from 1914 to 1944 which halted most international sporting activities, it took FIFA another fifteen years after both wars to gathered its members together again.
With much efforts and hardwork by FIFA and its executives, the World Cup returned again and was held in Brazil in 1950. It was at this tournament that England entered for the first time, but suffered a one zero humiliating defeat to United States, Uruguay again won the tournament, beating host Brazil in the finals.
For the record, Belgian Jean Langeuns at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo, Uruguay made history as the first man to officiate the world cup finals between Uruguay and Argentina at the maiden edition in 1930.
NO OFFICIAL BALL
Because nations couldn’t agree on equipment, the tournament didn’t have an official match ball. Teams played with their own, resulting in one half of the final being played with the Argentina ball and the other with the Uruguay.
The First Goal: Frenchman Lucien Laurent scored the first goal in World Cup history on July 13, 1930, in a 4 – 1 victory over Mexico.
Jules Rimet Trophy which stood at 35cm ( 14 inches) tall weighed 3.8 kg ( 8.41lbs) was the original prize awarded to the FIFA World Cup winners between 1930 to 1970.
WINNERS OF JULES RIMET TROPHY
Brazil – 1958, 1962, 1970
Uruguay – 1930, 1950
Italy – 1934, 1938
West Germany – 1954
England – 1966
Source: FIFA World Cup. com
