Football at the 1952 Summer Olympics

The Football tournament at the 1952 Summer Olympics was won by Hungary.[1]

Football at the 1952 Summer Olympics
Tournament details
Host countryFinland
DatesJuly 15 – August 2
Teams25 (from 5 (plus Great Britain) confederations)
Venue(s)6 (in 5 host cities)
Final positions
Champions Hungary
Runners-up Yugoslavia
Third place Sweden
Fourth place Germany
Tournament statistics
Matches played26
Goals scored135 (5.19 per match)

The games signalled the arrival (to Western Europeans at least) of the Hungarian national football team – the "Magical Magyars". Ferenc Puskás later said of the 1952 competition: "It was during the Olympics that our football first started to flow with real power."[2] It was during the Games that Stanley Rous of English Football Association invited the Hungarians to play a friendly at Wembley the following year.

Venues

Helsinki Kotka
Olympic Stadium Kotkan urheilukeskus
Capacity: 70,470 Capacity: 11,400
Helsinki Lahti
Töölön Pallokenttä Lahden kisapuisto
Capacity: 18,050 Capacity: 8,067
Tampere Turku
Ratina Stadion Kupittaan jalkapallostadion
Capacity: 20,700 Capacity: 14,224

Squads

The tournament

Miss Universe 1952 Armi Kuusela awarding the Hungarian team

Preliminary round highlights

The preliminary round saw Hungary record a narrow victory against Romania, whilst there was an 8–0 victory for Italy against the United States, and a 5–1 victory for Brazil against The Netherlands. Great Britain succumbed to Luxembourg 5–3, whilst Egypt defeated Chile 5–4. Yugoslavia were drawn against the Indians and won 10–1.

First round highlights

The first round saw Scandinavian countries join the competition; the hosts Finland were beaten 3–4 by Austria, whilst Sweden defeated neighbours Norway 4–1. The game of the round was between Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union; Yugoslavia had been 5–1 ahead with 30 minutes of the match to go, only for the Soviet captain Bobrov to score a hat-trick and inspire his team to an eventual 5–5 draw. A replay resulted in a 3–1 victory for Yugoslavia; the Soviet side had been expected by Moscow to win the 1952 Games, and their defeat by Yugoslavia was not mentioned in the Soviet press until after Stalin's death the following year.

Quarterfinals

Sweden defeated Austria to ensure a Scandinavian presence in the semifinals. Germany surprisingly beat Brazil 4–2 after extra time, whilst Yugoslavia won comfortably in a 5–3 defeat of Denmark. Hungary demolished Turkey 7–1 to complete the four semifinalists.

Semifinals

In the first semifinal, Hungary saw off Sweden with a comprehensive 6–0 victory, whilst Yugoslavia beat Germany 3–1 to set up a Hungary-Yugoslavia final.

Bronze Medal

There was some consolation for the Scandinavian countries as Sweden defeated Germany 2–0 in the third place play-off to secure the bronze medal.

Gold and Silver Medals

Two goals from Puskás and Zoltán Czibor saw Hungary beat Yugoslavia and take the gold medal.[3]

Results

Preliminary round results

Poland 2–1 France
Trampisz  31'
Krasówka  49'
Report Leblond  30'
Attendance: 3.752
Referee: Karel van der Meer (NED)

Hungary 2–1 Romania
Czibor  21'
Kocsis  73'
Report Suru  86'
Attendance: 10.588
Referee: Nikolay Latyshev (URS)

Yugoslavia 10–1 India
Vukas  2', 62'
Mitić  14', 43'
Zebec  17', 23', 60', 87'
Ognjanov  52', 67'
Report Ahmed Khan  89'
Attendance: 10.000
Referee: John Best (USA)

Denmark 2–1 Greece
P.E. Petersen  36', 37' Report Emmanouilides  85'
Attendance: 4.372
Referee: Waldemar Karni (FIN)

Soviet Union 2–1 (a.e.t.) Bulgaria
Bobrov  100'
Trofimov  104'
Report Kolev  95'
Attendance: 10.637
Referee: Istvan Zsolt (HUN)

Italy 8–0 United States
Gimona  3', 51', 75'
Pandolfini  16', 62'
Venturi  27'
Fontanesi  52'
Mariani  87'
Report
Attendance: 15.342
Referee: Arthur Ellis (GBR)

Brazil 5–1 Netherlands
Humberto  25'
Larry  33' (pen.), 36'
Jansen  81'
Vavá  86'
Report Van Roessel  15'
Attendance: 9.685
Referee: Giorgio Bernardi (ITA)

Luxembourg 5–3 (a.e.t.) Great Britain
Roller  60', 95', 97'
Letsch  91'
Gales  102'
Report Robb  12'
Slater  101'
Lewis  118'
Attendance: 3.656
Referee: Vincenzo Orlandini (ITA)

Egypt 5–4 Chile
Elfar  27'
Mechaury  43'
Eldizwi  66', 75', 80'
Report Jara  7', 78'
Vial  14', 88'
Attendance: 5.354
Referee: John Nilsson (SWE)

First round results

Finland 3–4 Austria
Stolpe  11', 34'
Rytkönen  36'
Report Gollnhuber  8' (pen.), 30'
Stumpf  59'
Grohs  79'
Attendance: 33.053
Referee: William Ling (GBR)

Brazil 2–1 Luxembourg
Larry  42'
Humberto  49'
Report Gales  86'
Attendance: 6.776
Referee: Marijan Matancic (YUG)

Yugoslavia 5–5 (a.e.t.) Soviet Union
Mitić  29'
Ognjanov  33'
Zebec  44', 59'
Bobek  46'
Report Bobrov  53', 77', 87'
Trofimov  75'
Petrov  89'
Attendance: 17.000
Referee: Arthur Ellis (GBR)
Yugoslavia 3–1 Soviet Union
Mitić  19'
Bobek  29' (pen.)
Čajkovski  54'
Report Bobrov  6'
Attendance: 16.916
Referee: Arthur Ellis (GBR)

Germany 3–1 Egypt
Klug  33'
Schröder  38', 61'
Report El-Dizwi  64'
Attendance: 6.813
Referee: Giorgio Bernardi (ITA)

Denmark 2–0 Poland
Seebach  17'
S. Nielsen  69'
Report
Attendance: 6.024
Referee: Folke Bålstad (NOR)

Sweden 4–1 Norway
Brodd  23', 35'
Rydell  81'
Bengtsson  89'
Report Sørensen  83'
Attendance: 4.072
Referee: Johan Aksel Alho (FIN)

Hungary 3–0 Italy
Palotás  11', 20'
Kocsis  83'
Report
Attendance: 13.870
Referee: Karel van der Meer (NED)

Turkey 2–1 Netherlands Antilles
Tokaç  9'
Bilge  76' (pen.)
Report Briezen  79'
Attendance: 3.696
Referee: Carl Jorgensen (DEN)

Quarterfinals results

Sweden 3–1 Austria
Sandberg  80'
Brodd  85'
Rydell  87'
Report Grohs  40'
Attendance: 12.564
Referee: Vincenzo Orlandini (ITA)

Germany 4–2 (a.e.t.) Brazil
Schröder  75', 96'
Klug  89'
Zeitler  120'
Report Larry  12'
Zózimo  74'
Attendance: 11.451
Referee: Arthur Ellis (GBR)

Hungary 7–1 Turkey
Palotás  18'
Kocsis  32', 90'
Lantos  48'
Puskás  54', 72'
Bozsik  70'
Report Guder  57'
Attendance: 4.743
Referee: Waldemar Karni (FIN)

Yugoslavia 5–3 Denmark
Čajkovski  19'
Ognjanov  35'
Vukas  41'
Bobek  78'
Zebec  81'
Report Lundberg  63'
Seebach  85'
Hansen  87'
Attendance: 11.456
Referee: Waldemar Karni (FIN)

Semifinals results

Hungary 6–0 Sweden
Puskás  1'
Palotás  16'
Lindh  36' (o.g.)
Kocsis  65', 69'
Hidegkuti  67'
Report
Attendance: 30.471
Referee: William Ling (GBR)

Yugoslavia 3–1 Germany
Mitić  3', 24'
Čajkovski  30'
Report Stollenwerk  12'
Attendance: 25.821
Referee: Wolf Waldemar Karni (FIN)

Bronze Medal match result

Sweden 2–0 Germany
Rydell  11'
Löfgren  86'
Report
Attendance: 28.470
Referee: Vincenzo Orlandini (ITA)

Gold Medal match result

Hungary 2–0 Yugoslavia
Puskás  70'
Czibor  88'
Report
Attendance: 58.553
Referee: Arthur Ellis (GBR)

Bracket

First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
            
 Hungary 3
 Italy 0
 Hungary 7
 Turkey 1
 Turkey 2
 Netherlands Antilles 1
 Hungary 6
 Sweden 0
 Sweden 4
 Norway 1
 Sweden 3
 Austria 1
 Finland 3
 Austria 4
 Hungary 2
 Yugoslavia 0
 Denmark 2
 Poland 0
 Denmark 3
 Yugoslavia 5
 Yugoslavia 5 (3)
 Soviet Union 5 (1)
 Yugoslavia 3
 Germany 1
 Luxembourg 1
 Brazil 2
 Brazil 2
 Germany 4 (AET)
 Germany 3
 Egypt 1

Medalists

Gold: Silver: Bronze:
 Hungary
Gyula Grosics
Jenő Dalnoki
Imre Kovács
László Budai
Ferenc Puskás
Zoltán Czibor
Lajos Csordás
Jenő Buzánszky
Gyula Lóránt
Mihály Lantos
József Bozsik
József Zakariás
Nándor Hidegkuti
Sándor Kocsis
Péter Palotás
 Yugoslavia
Vladimir Beara
Branko Stanković
Tomislav Crnković
Zlatko Čajkovski
Ivan Horvat
Vujadin Boškov
Tihomir Ognjanov
Rajko Mitić
Bernard Vukas
Stjepan Bobek
Branko Zebec
Dušan Cvetković
Milorad Diskić
Ratko Čolić
Slavko Luštica
Zdravko Rajkov
Vladimir Čonč
Vladimir Firm
 Sweden
Karl Svensson
Lennart Samuelsson
Erik Nilsson
Holger Hansson
Bengt Gustavsson
Gösta Lindh
Sylve Bengtsson
Gösta Löfgren
Ingvar Rydell
Yngve Brodd
Gösta Sandberg
Olof Åhlund

Goalscorers

7 goals
6 goals
5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
Own goal

Soviet Union vs Yugoslavia

The first meeting between the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia is still the most famous one. On the political level, the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and the Yugoslav leader Josip Tito split in 1948, which resulted in Yugoslavia being excluded from the Communist Information Bureau. The origin of the conflict was Tito’s refusal to submit to Stalin’s interpretations and visions of politics and in process becoming a Soviet satellite state. Before the match, both Tito and Stalin sent telegrams to their national teams, which showed just how important it was for the two head of states. Yugoslavia led 5–1, but a Soviet comeback in the last 15 minutes resulted in a 5–5 draw. The match was replayed, Yugoslavia winning 3–1. The defeat to the archrivals hit Soviet football hard, and after just three games played in the season, CDKA Moscow, who had made up most of the USSR squad, was forced to withdraw from the league and later disbanded. Furthermore, Boris Arkadiev, who coached both USSR and CDKA, was stripped of his Merited Master of Sports of the USSR title.[4]

References

  1. "Football at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Games". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  2. "Puskas on life and football". The Guardian. 19 November 2006. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  3. Football at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Games Archived March 14, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. sports-reference.com
  4. "USSR – Yugoslavia, the Story of Two Different Football Conceptions". russianfootballnews.com. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
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