1954 World Cup: Greatest of all & Miracle of Bern

All along, I always felt that the South Americans were the best in the business. Even after seeing great games of ‘Total Footballing’ Dutch and efficient Germans under the Kaiser and hearing about the 1954 Magyars. Celebrating its 100th year, FIFA is showcasing matches of all World Cups in ESPN. What I saw changed all my perceptions of European football – the 1954 FIFA World Cup! The world cup of 1954 is perhaps the best; not for any individual brilliance but full of hard fought team games (1970 Brazilians were too good for their opponents so was Maradona in 1986). The anniversary tournament in 1954 was to take place in Switzerland to celebrate the 50th anniversary of FIFA, which had headquarters in Zurich since 1932. 16 national teams took part in the World finals. Argentina, the World Cup boycotter didn't show up again, and neither did the strong USSR team. The 100th anniversary World Cup will be hosted by Germany and feature 36 teams.

The quality of football in the games at Basle, Berne, Lausanne, Zurich and Geneva, the five host cities, reached dizzying heights in 1954. In 26 matches, an incredible total of 140 goals were scored, making an average of 5.38 goals per game. This is still the record for the number of goals scored in a FIFA World Cup final competition. The Hungarians, Olympic gold medal winners two years earlier, and unbeaten since May 1950 (31 games: 27 wins and 4 draws), were the incontestable favorites.

Uruguay, reigning champions, with their stars like Maspoli, Varela, Schiaffino; Hungary, unbeaten for four years in a row and a whole line-up of stars Puskas, Hidegkuti, Kocsis, Grosics, Czibor, Bozsik just to name a few; Brazil with Santos, Bauer, Julinho; Yugoslavs; England with great Sir Stanley Mathews; France; Turkey playing for the first time, Austria with Ocwirk, Italy, home team Swiss, and least loved of all, the West Germans but with players like Turek, Rahn, charismatic Fritz Walter who would revel in the tournament. Every one of the matches was a beauty. I hope I can get videos of those matches or perhaps every match ever played in the history of world cup. That is my ultimate dream.

The quarter between Austria and Switzerland was a beauty. The commentary in the beginning of the match went like this ‘… if you are going to count the number of goals, better have a pencil and paper ready…’, and it was truly said. With Swiss scoring three quick goals and then Austrians equalizing even more quickly and final score line of 7-5, it was an unbelievable match. Then Uruguay playing against an English team playing to redeem themselves against their inability to win away – well, they never did, 2006 might be different though?! The Uruguayans won 4-2. Then the ‘Battle of Berne’, so termed because the pundits thought Brazil had a chance as Hungary was without Puskas. How wrong they were! The match started with Hungary scoring through and the game was on. Brazil attacked and Hungarians replied in the only way they could, attacking. The second half saw some hard tackle as both Santos and Bozsik (I think it was him) were sent off. With ten men each, the play got even rougher. In the end, it was 4-2. Match for the final berth in semis. Germany against pundits’ favorite Yugoslavia, match cannot be described as thrilling as other three but the Germans won 2-0.

First semifinal between Germany and Austria was a no match, at least that would be what score line suggest. 6-1 and the Austrians had no chance to stop the Germans who were playing better as each match progressed. Germans are to be just like that in the subsequent world cups, until and even during the finals, they will be the less favored even in ’74 and ’90. The other match was equally incredible, between Uruguay and Hungary. Missing Puskas for the second match in a row, Hungarians met with resistance for the first time in the tournament. The match saw Hungary go into the second half leading Uruguay 1-0, only for the game to be taken to extra time with a score of 2-2. In the end it never mattered as Kocsis breaking the tie adding 2 more goals to his name and Hungary beating a team that had not previously lost a World Cup game! Score 4-2. Somehow this was better than the finals (or not?!).

Third place playoff result meant that for the first time a South American team was not in the top three finishers. Austria won 3-1 against Uruguayans.

The Finals: Magyars in red and West Germans in White, both in their ‘home’ jerseys, Magyars led by the best player of the world cup, Ferenc Puskas and Germans led by charismatic Fritz Walter. What German coach Sepp Herberger had in store for Magyars was in everyone’s mind? Herberger checked the field and expressed his satisfaction as it had rained. The toss was won by Puskas and Germans kicked off, immediately attacking on the right flank. Soon the first goal came, from the boots of Puskas, next by Czibor, all in the first 10 minutes of play; soon there were whispers of a Hungarian win. Germans never gave up and they equalized soon through Rahn and Morlock before the half-time. Until the 84th minute, Magyars were the attacking and missing with every shot at goal either missing by a whisker or hitting the post. Then came the blow, from the boots of Rahn, score was 3-2 after 84 minutes of play and Germany clung to it as Hungary attacked desperately for the equalizer. When Rahn scored his second goal German reporter Herbert Zimmermann gave the most famous German piece of commentary and ‘The Miracle of Bern’ was born. Germany had won their first world cup. FIFA honorary president, Jules Rimet handed over the trophy, named after himself to Fritz Walter who with Herberger resurrected the German phoenix. In true spirit of FIFA fair play, first to congratulate Fritz Walter with the beautiful trophy was Puskas.

The Hungarian team was never the same after 1954, with revolutions and bad decisions making up the later story. While the German team went on to win two more and holds a coveted place in European football which will never see a team like 1954 Magyars!

In the words of Beckenbauer, "The Boss (Rahn) contributed to the most important success in German soccer history, Germany became someone again. We gave ourselves the feeling of self-respect again."