CHAMPION: Italy
RUNNER-UP: Czechoslovakia
GOLDEN SHOE: Oldrich Nejedly (CZE)
TEAMS: 16
TOTAL MATCHES: 17
GOAL SCORED: 70 (4.1 per match)
AVERAGE ATTENDANCE: 21,058
SUPRISES: Austria (fourth place)
FORMAT: Single-match preliminary round, winners advanced to quarterfinals, then single-match elimination games.
1934 – The World Cup moved to European soil for the first time in 1934 with Italy hosting. Now 16 teams strong, the Azzurri claimed the trophy after defeating Czechoslovakia in the final after taking care of a very dangerous Austrian team in the semifinals.
Uruguay did not participate in the tournament – the first and only time a defending champion refused to defend its title. Egypt also became the first African team to participate in the World Cup.
The tournament wasn’t just limited to one city as had been four years earlier in Uruguay, either. The Italians decided it a better idea to distribute matches throughout the country so they selected eight host cities to host the games.
The 1934 World Cup was also the first to require a qualification process. The Italians, even as hosts, were forced to advance into their own tournament – the first and only time this has ever happened. But for their troubles, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini had a special trophy of his own commissioned, the Coppa del Duce, to provide his team even more incentive as the world watched.
