Football at the 1952 Summer Olympics
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country | Finland |
| Dates | 15 July – 2 August 1952 |
| Teams | 25 (from 5 confederations) |
| Venue(s) | 6 (in 5 host cities) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Hungary (1st title) |
| Runners-up | Yugoslavia |
| Third place | Sweden |
| Fourth place | West Germany |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 26 |
| Goals scored | 135 (5.19 per match) |
← 1948 1956 → | |
The Football tournament at the 1952 Summer Olympics was won by Hungary.[1]
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
[edit ]| Helsinki | Football at the 1952 Summer Olympics is located in Finland Olympic Stadium Kotkan urheilukeskus Töölön Pallokenttä Lahden kisapuisto Ratina Stadion Kupittaan jalkapallo-stadion |
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
[edit ]Participating nations
[edit ]- Austria (20)
- Brazil (21)
- Bulgaria (20)
- Chile (16)
- Denmark (20)
- Egypt (20)
- Finland (19)
- France (18)
- Germany (20)
- Great Britain (20)
- Greece (18)
- Hungary (22)
- India (19)
- Italy (20)
- Luxembourg (17)
- Netherlands (20)
- Netherlands Antilles (20)
- Norway (20)
- Poland (17)
- Romania (20)
- Soviet Union (20)
- Sweden (22)
- Turkey (18)
- United States (17)
- Yugoslavia (20)
Final tournament
[edit ]Preliminary round
[edit ]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.
| Yugoslavia | 10–1 | India |
|---|---|---|
| Vukas 2', 62' Mitić 14', 43' Zebec 17', 23', 60', 87' Ognjanov 52', 67' |
Report | Khan 89' |
| Denmark | 2–1 | Greece |
|---|---|---|
| P.E. Petersen 36', 37' | Report | Emmanouilidis 85' |
| Italy | 8–0 | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Gimona 3', 51', 75' Pandolfini 16', 62' Venturi 27' Fontanesi 52' Mariani 87' |
Report |
| Brazil | 5–1 | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| Humberto 25' Larry 33' (pen.), 36' Jansen 81' Vavá 86' |
Report | Van Roessel 15' |
| Luxembourg | 5–3 (a.e.t.) | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|
| Roller 60', 95', 97' Letsch 91' Gales 102' |
Report | Robb 12' Slater 101' Lewis 118' |
First round
[edit ]The first round saw Scandinavian countries join the competition; Austria, the Netherlands Antilles, Turkey and West Germany also received byes. 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.
| Finland | 3–4 | Austria |
|---|---|---|
| Stolpe 11', 34' Rytkönen 36' |
Report | Gollnhuber 8' (pen.), 30' Stumpf 59' Grohs 79' |
| 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' |
| Yugoslavia | 3–1 | Soviet Union |
|---|---|---|
| Mitić 19' Bobek 29' (pen.) Čajkovski 54' |
Report | Bobrov 6' |
| Denmark | 2–0 | Poland |
|---|---|---|
| Seebach 17' S. Nielsen 69' |
Report |
Quarterfinals
[edit ]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.
| West Germany | 4–2 (a.e.t.) | Brazil |
|---|---|---|
| Schröder 75', 96' Klug 89' Zeitler 120' |
Report | Larry 12' Zózimo 74' |
| Hungary | 7–1 | Turkey |
|---|---|---|
| Palotás 18' Kocsis 32', 90' Lantos 48' Puskás 54', 72' Bozsik 70' |
Report | Guder 57' |
| Yugoslavia | 5–3 | Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| Čajkovski 19' Ognjanov 35' Vukas 41' Bobek 78' Zebec 81' |
Report | Lundberg 63' Seebach 85' Hansen 87' |
Semifinals
[edit ]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.
| Yugoslavia | 3–1 | West Germany |
|---|---|---|
| Mitić 3', 24' Čajkovski 30' |
Report | Stollenwerk 12' |
Bronze-medal match
[edit ]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.
| Sweden | 2–0 | West Germany |
|---|---|---|
| Rydell 11' Löfgren 86' |
Report |
Gold-medal match
[edit ]
Two goals from Puskás and Zoltán Czibor saw Hungary beat Yugoslavia and take the gold medal.[3]
| Hungary | 2–0 | Yugoslavia |
|---|---|---|
| Puskás 70' Czibor 88' |
Report |
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Hungary
Yugoslavia
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Bracket
[edit ]Medalists
[edit ]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
[edit ]- 7 goals
- Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Branko Zebec (Yugoslavia)
- 6 goals
- Hungary Sándor Kocsis (Hungary)
- Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Rajko Mitić (Yugoslavia)
- 5 goals
- Soviet Union Vsevolod Bobrov (Soviet Union)
- 4 goals
- Brazil Larry (Brazil)
- Egypt El-Sayed El-Dhizui (Egypt)
- West Germany Willi Schröder (Germany)
- Hungary Péter Palotás (Hungary)
- Hungary Ferenc Puskás (Hungary)
- Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Tihomir Ognjanov (Yugoslavia)
- 3 goals
- Italy Aredio Gimona (Italy)
- Luxembourg Joseph Roller (Luxembourg)
- Sweden Yngve Brodd (Sweden)
- Sweden Ingvar Rydell (Sweden)
- Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Stjepan Bobek (Yugoslavia)
- Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Zlatko Čajkovski (Yugoslavia)
- Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Bernard Vukas (Yugoslavia)
- 2 goals
- Austria Otto Gollnhuber (Austria)
- Austria Herbert Grohs (Austria)
- Brazil Humberto Tozzi (Brazil)
- Chile Irenio Jara (Chile)
- Chile Julio Vial (Chile)
- Denmark Poul Erik Petersen (Denmark)
- Denmark Holger Seebach (Denmark)
- Finland Olof Stolpe (Finland)
- West Germany Karl Klug (Germany)
- Hungary Zoltán Czibor (Hungary)
- Italy Egisto Pandolfini (Italy)
- Luxembourg Julien Gales (Luxembourg)
- Soviet Union Vasili Trofimov (Soviet Union)
- 1 goal
- Austria Erich Stumpf (Austria)
- Brazil Jansen (Brazil)
- Brazil Vavá (Brazil)
- Brazil Zózimo (Brazil)
- Bulgaria Ivan Petkov Kolev (Bulgaria)
- Denmark Jens Peter Hansen (Denmark)
- Denmark Knud Lundberg (Denmark)
- Denmark Svend Nielsen (Denmark)
- Egypt Khamal Ahmed Elfar (Egypt)
- Egypt Mechaury (Egypt)
- Finland Aulis Rytkönen (Finland)
- France Michel Leblond (France)
- West Germany Georg Stollenwerk (Germany)
- West Germany Johann Zeitler (Germany)
- United Kingdom Jim Lewis (Great Britain)
- United Kingdom George Robb (Great Britain)
- United Kingdom Bill Slater (Great Britain)
- Greece Pavlos Emmanouilidis (Greece)
- Hungary József Bozsik (Hungary)
- Hungary Nándor Hidegkuti (Hungary)
- Hungary Mihály Lantos (Hungary)
- India Ahmed Mohammed Khan (India)
- Italy Alberto Fontanesi (Italy)
- Italy Amos Mariani (Italy)
- Italy Arcadio Venturi (Italy)
- Luxembourg Léon Letsch (Luxembourg)
- Netherlands Joannes van Roesell (Netherlands)
- Colony of Curaçao and Dependencies Jan Briezen (Netherlands Antilles)
- Norway Odd Wang Sørensen (Norway)
- Poland Jerzy Krasówka (Poland)
- Poland Kazimierz Trampisz (Poland)
- Romania Ion Suru (Romania)
- Soviet Union Aleksandr Petrov (Soviet Union)
- Sweden Sylve Bengtsson (Sweden)
- Sweden Gösta Löfgren (Sweden)
- Sweden Gösta Sandberg (Sweden)
- Turkey Tekin Bilge (Turkey)
- Turkey Ercument Guder (Turkey)
- Turkey Muzaffer Tokaç (Turkey)
- Own goal
- Sweden Gösta Lindh (Sweden, against Hungary)
Soviet Union vs Yugoslavia
[edit ]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 Broz 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 their 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 by Joseph Stalin 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
[edit ]- ^ "Football at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Games". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
- ^ "Puskas on life and football". The Guardian. 19 November 2006. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
- ^ Football at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Games Archived 14 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. sports-reference.com
- ^ "USSR – Yugoslavia, the Story of Two Different Football Conceptions". russianfootballnews.com. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
