One team dominated international football in the 1920s and that team was Uruguay. The “Celeste”, who included a certain Jose Leandro Andrade, one of the first stars of world football, won gold at the 1924 and 1928 Olympic Games.

It was around this time that FIFA, the International Football Association, took up the idea of a World Cup and finally put it into practice. It was only logical that the first FIFA World Cup should take place in the most successful country as it would be sure to have public support. But the very first FIFA World Cup was no glittering festival - “Black Friday” and the world economic crisis of 1929 saw to that. Uruguay, then a kind of “South American Switzerland”, economically stable and politically clean, offered to host an event that no one in Europe would touch.

Only 13 countries in Montevideo

However, just 13 teams took part with no fewer than seven from South America. England was not a member of FIFA and boycotted the tournament, leaving France, Belgium, Romania and Yugoslavia as the only European entrants. The “snub” caused huge offence in Uruguay, after all, hadn’t they crossed the ocean twice within four years to compete in the Olympics in Paris and Amsterdam? Several football associations refused to take part in the FIFA World Cup as a result of exaggerated demands: 60,000 marks appearance money with all expenses paid – twice as much as Uruguay had received at the 1924 and 1928 Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, the German Football Association, the DFB, remained committed to the ideals of amateur football and refused to compete against professionals. The German players feared that an absence of more than two months, with 40 days of travelling and a 17-day football tournament would cost them their jobs. As a result, “King” Richard Hofmann, who had scored for Germany in the quarter finals of the Olympic tournament, was denied revenge in Montevideo. Thus, the 1930 FIFA World Cup was the only tournament without the need for qualification and the first event whose matches were drawn on site.

While a dentist had sponsored the “Urus” participation in the Olympics, the associations of France, Belgium and Romania paid for their teams’ voyage on the luxury liner “Conte Verde” with Romania travelling to Genoa by train, where they met the others. The Brazilians joined them in Rio de Janeiro. Yugoslavia arrived on the “Florida”. Luxury reigned on the “Conte Verde”. The players travelled in double cabins. The shipping company had engaged the opera singers Fiodor Shaliapin and Marthe Nespoulos for the 2,800 passengers and witnesses told of wild parties. “On the first day we celebrated the departure of the liner, on the following day the view of the African coastline, then the crossing of the equator,” Arnold Badjou, the Belgian goalkeeper said. Rudolf Wetzer, Romania’s captain added: “There was not much time for training. That was usually limited to a kind of early morning sport between six and eight in order not to disturb the noble guests.”

The FIFA World Cup took place in one city

All eight FIFA World Cup matches were played in just one city, Montevideo. This, too, is unique in the FIFA World Cup history. The 13 teams played in just three stadiums. The FIFA World Cup venues then were “Estadio Centenario”, which had ten matches, “Estadio Pocitos, Penarol’s ground, which had two, and the Stadium “Parque Central”, Nacional Montevideo’s ground, which had six. The final took place at “Centenario” in the heart of Montevideo. It was the first really big stadium in South America with a total capacity of 80,000 spectators. Designed by the architect Juan Scasso, it was built in only six months. The colossal building cost 1.5 million Uruguayan gold pieces. The four stands were given historical names: The “Tribuna Colombes” and the “Tribuna Amsterdam”, those sites where the “Light Blues” of Uruguay had achieved their Olympic victories in 1924 and 1928; the “Tribuna Olimpica” and the “Tribuna Montevideo”. However, the stadiums were not finished as the tournament started and work on them continued as the matches were played.

The favourites and hosts Uruguay did not play the opening match. France beat Mexico 4-1 in the first game and Lucien Laurent scored the first goal in FIFA World Cup history in the 19th minute. However, the footballers from Uruguay were the undisputed stars of the tournament, which they dominated from the opening whistle, capturing the FIFA World Cup trophy undefeated.

In four matches they overran Peru (1-0), Romania (4-0), Yugoslavia (6-1) and Argentina (4-2).

Uruguay impressed with a system of two strong defenders (Nasazzi and Mascheroni), and three midfielders including the outstanding Jose Leandro Andrade. But the “Celeste” mainly operated with five forwards including Pedro Cea (5 goals). At the end of the tournament no fewer than six Uruguayans were elected to the 1930 FIFA World Cup All Star team – Nasazzi, Andrade, Gestido, Scarone, Cea and Castro, who had one arm.. Mihailo Andrejevic, then head of Yugoslavia’s delegation who went on to become FIFA Vice-President, later said: “Uruguay played in another league.”

The referee was also a journalist

At least the referee of the final was a European, the Belgian John Langenus. A very tall man who officiated in knickerbockers and tie, he was also a journalist for a number of European newspapers. Langenus, who later became chief of staff of the Governor of the province of Antwerp, was a worried man. There had been riots in the group match between Uruguay and Peru and this was too much for Langenus. He insisted on bodyguards behind both goals. He demanded: “No Argentine revolvers at Centenario!” Police allegedly confiscated 1,600 guns, which had to be handed over like coats at a cloakroom.

But Langenus also had another problem at the kick-off: The Argentines as well as the hosts had brought their own footballs – and they only wanted to play with their ball. Langenus decided that lots would be drawn and finally the match kicked off. A ball from each team would be used in one half. The final score was 4-2. Jules Rimet, one of the fathers of the World Cup, bowed to the hosts after the final. “I have never before experienced such examples of emotional passion and enthusiasm as triggered by this victory. When Uruguay’s flag was hoisted, the FIFA World Cup champion players looking up to the flag with tears running down their cheeks, the entire people of the FIFA World Cup champions seemed to be proud of this triumph.”

Uruguay’s coach was a puppet on a string

The man to whom Uruguay apparently owed everything was the coach Alberto Supicci. Though Uruguay had won the 1924 and 1928 Olympic titles in Europe without a coach, it was decided that, on their own soil, the players should have direction. However, the real boss was the team’s outstanding defender and captain, Jose Nasazzi, and Supicci, an expert in physical training, was his assistant. In the end the great Uruguayan stars did not need a coach. The class and intelligence of these footballers was so outstanding that the players practically led themselves to three great triumphs between 1924 and 1930. Supicci never again coached a football team.