Football at the 1928 Summer Olympics

Summary

Football was one of the tournaments at the 1928 Summer Olympics. It was won by Uruguay against Argentina, and was the last Olympic football tournament before the inception of the FIFA World Cup, which was held for the first time in 1930.[1]

Football at the 1928 Summer Olympics
Football at the 1928 Summer Olympics on a stamp of the Netherlands
Tournament details
Host countryNetherlands
CityAmsterdam
Dates27 May – 13 June 1928
Teams17 (from 5 confederations)
Venue(s)2 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions Uruguay (2nd title)
Runners-up Argentina
Third place Italy
Fourth place Egypt
Tournament statistics
Matches played22
Goals scored128 (5.82 per match)
Top scorer(s)Argentina Domingo Tarasconi
(11 goals)
1924
1936

Venues edit

Amsterdam
Olympic Stadium Old Stadion
Capacity: 33,005 Capacity: 29,787
   

Background edit

Until 1928, the Olympic football tournament had represented the World Championship of football (the 1920 (14), 1924 (22) and 1928 tournaments (17) all had greater participation than that of the first World Cup in 1930).[citation needed]

This presented a significant problem for the governing body, FIFA, since the tournament, though organised and run by FIFA, was an event subject to the ethical foundation that underpinned the Olympic movement.

At the time, all Olympic competitors had to maintain an amateur status, whereas professionalism was dominant in football. Increasingly, FIFA had sought to appease those nations that required concessions in order that players could participate in the Olympics. This required there to be an acceptance that irregular payment could be made to players by national associations: the so-called 'broken time payments' by which loss of pay and expenses would be met.

On 17 February 1928, the four 'home' associations of the United Kingdom, voted unanimously to withdraw from FIFA in opposition to the manner in which the governing body was seeking to dictate on such matters and, as was noted 'that (the four Associations) be free to conduct their affairs in the way their long experience has shown them to be desirable'.[2]

Henri Delaunay, President of the French Football Federation felt that FIFA needed to organise an international tournament outside of the Olympics. In 1926 he stated, at the FIFA Conference: 'Today international football can no longer be held within the confines of the Olympics; and many countries where professionalism is now recognised and organised cannot any longer be represented there by their best players'.[3] The day before the tournament began, on 26 May 1928 the FIFA congress in Amsterdam presided over by Jules Rimet, voted that a new FIFA World Cup tournament be organised in 1930 and be open to all member nations. Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain and Uruguay would all lodge applications to host the event.

Participation edit

 
The Egyptian squad

By 1926, three years had passed since the British Associations had asked FIFA to accept their definition of what an amateur player was; FIFA had refused. The Rome Convention was called to try to coax the British and Danes back into the fold; it proved only to distance them. Switzerland, a nation that favoured broken time payments suggested: It is not allowed to pay compensation for broken time, except in some well-circumscribed cases, to be fixed by each National Association. This challenge to the centralised authority of FIFA was disputed by the Football Association. In 1927 FIFA asked the Olympic committee to accept the concept of broken time payments as an overriding condition for the competing members. The British Associations consequently withdrew from the Olympiad and a few months later withdrew from FIFA (Association Football (1960))

Uruguay were considered to be the strongest side with the Argentinians shading the advantage between the two. Upon returning home in 1924 Uruguay had ceded to a request to play a disbelieving Argentina in a two staged contest; Argentinian fans hurling missiles at Jose Leandro Andrade to the extent that he had with adopt a position deep in-field. The Argentinians won.[4] Uruguay, the defending Olympic champions, once again sent a side made up, predominantly, by the personnel of their two biggest clubs: Nacional and, to a lesser degree, Peñarol.

The Europeans edit

The competition was more competitive than the 1924 edition. Ten European nations (17 in all) had made the journey to the Netherlands for the competition. The Italians had been defeated only twice in three years. The Italian coach, Augusto Rangone, had been a beneficiary of the national federation's decision in 1923 to permit subsidies to cover player's lost wages. For two years his forward line had remained comparatively the same: Adolfo Baloncieri, Virgilio Levratto; even the loss of the Argentinian-Italian Julio Libonatti before the tournament was made good by the inclusion of Angelo Schiavio. Spain had been defeated once since the last Olympic Games. After the first game, however, they lost their experienced captain Pedro Vallana.

Final tournament edit

Uruguay immediately dispatched the hosts, the Netherlands, 2–0 in front of 40,000 people with none of the controversy that had surrounded their previous encounter at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The game was controlled by Jean Langenus, a performance which was recognised. Meanwhile, the Argentinians had little difficulty against the United States winning 11–2. Elsewhere Germany were defeated by the Uruguayans 4–1. In another quarter-final the Italians encountered Spain. In the first game they reached a tie with the Spanish fighting back from a half time deficit to force a replay. In the replay three days later the Azzurri scored four without response before the break. Rangone kept faith in a largely unchanged team. Spain, on the other hand, had gambled by making five changes to Italy's two. Portugal, after wins over Chile (4–2) and Kingdom of SCS (2–1)[5] lost to Egypt 2–1. The African side advanced to a semi-final tie against Argentina.

Bracket edit

 
Round of 16Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
              
 
30 May – Amsterdam
 
 
  Uruguay 2
 
3 June – Amsterdam
 
  Netherlands 0
 
  Uruguay 4
 
28 May – Amsterdam
 
  Germany 1
 
  Germany 4
 
7 June – Amsterdam
 
   Switzerland 0
 
  Uruguay 3
 
29 May – Amsterdam
 
  Italy2
 
  Italy 4
 
1 and 4 June – Amsterdam
 
  France 3
 
  Italy (rematch)1 (7)
 
30 May – Amsterdam
 
  Spain 1 (1)
 
  Spain 7
 
10 and 13 June – Amsterdam
 
  Mexico 1
 
  Uruguay (rematch)1 (2)
 
28 May – Amsterdam
 
  Argentina 1 (1)
 
  Egypt 7
 
4 June – Amsterdam
 
  Turkey 1
 
  Egypt 2
 
29 May – Amsterdam
 
  Portugal1
 
  Portugal 2
 
6 June – Amsterdam
 
  Kingdom of SCS 1
 
  Egypt 0
 
27 May – Amsterdam
 
  Argentina 6 Third place
 
  Argentina 11
 
2 June – Amsterdam9 June – Amsterdam
 
  United States 2
 
  Argentina 6   Italy 11
 
29 May – Amsterdam
 
  Belgium3   Egypt 3
 
  Belgium 5
 
 
  Luxembourg 3
 

Preliminary round edit

Portugal  4–2  Chile
Vítor Silva   38'
Pepe   40', 50'
Mota   63'
Report Saavedra   14'
Carbonell   30'
Attendance: 2,309
Referee: Youssuf Mohamed (EGY)

First round edit

Belgium  5–3  Luxembourg
R. Braine   9', 72'
Versijp   20'
Moeschal   23', 67'
Report Schutz   31'
Weisgerber   42'
Theissen   44'
Attendance: 5,834
Referee: Lorenzo Martínez (ARG)

Germany  4–0   Switzerland
Hofmann   17', 75', 85'
Hornauer   42'
Report
Attendance: 16,158
Referee: Willem Eymers (NED)

Egypt  7–1  Turkey
El-Hassany   20' (pen.)
Riad   27'
Mokhtar   46', 50', 63'
El-Sayed Hooda   53'
El-Zobeir   86'
Report Refet   71'
Attendance: 2,744
Referee: Marcel Slawick (FRA)

Italy  4–3  France
Rosetti   19'
Levratto   39'
Banchero   43'
Baloncieri   60'
Report Brouzes   15', 17'
Dauphin   61'
Attendance: 2,509
Referee: Henri Christophe (BEL)

Portugal  2–1  Kingdom of SCS
Vítor Silva   25'
Augusto Silva   90'
Report Bonačić   40'
Attendance: 1,226
Referee: Alfred Birlem (GER)

Argentina  11–2  United States
Ferreira   9', 29'
Tarasconi   24', 63', 66', 89'
Orsi   41', 73'
Cherro   47', 49', 57'
Report Kuntner   55'
Caroll   75'
Attendance: 3,848
Referee: Paul Ruoff (SUI)

Spain  7–1  Mexico
Regueiro   13', 27'
Yermo   43', 63', 85'
Marculeta   66'
Mariscal   70'
Report Carreño   76'
Attendance: 2,344
Referee: Gabor Boronkay (HUN)

Netherlands  0–2  Uruguay
Report Scarone   20'
Urdinarán   86'
Attendance: 27,730
Referee: Jan Langenus (BEL)

Quarter-finals edit

Italy  1–1  Spain
Baloncieri   63' Report Zaldua   11'
Attendance: 3,388
Referee: Domingo Lombardi (URU)
Italy  7–1  Spain
Magnozzi   14'
Schiavo   15'
Baloncieri   18'
Bernardini   40'
Rivolta   72'
Levratto   76', 77'
Report Yermo   47'
Attendance: 4,770
Referee: Hans Boekman (NED)

Argentina  6–3  Belgium
Tarasconi   1', 10', 75', 89'
Ferreira   4'
Orsi   81'
Report R. Braine   24'
Vanhalme   28'
Moeschal   53'
Attendance: 16,399
Referee: Gamma Malcher (ITA)

Uruguay  4–1  Germany
Petrone   35', 39', 84'
Castro   63'
Report Hofmann   81'
Attendance: 25,131
Referee: Youssuf Mohamed (EGY)

Egypt  2–1  Portugal
Mokhtar   15'
Riad   48'
Report Vítor Silva   76'
Attendance: 3,448
Referee: Giovanni Mauro (ITA)

Semifinals edit

This meant that in the semi-final Italy played Uruguay. The Italians selected Giampiero Combi in goal, Angelo Schiavio, in attack. Both would be crowned World champions at the 1934 FIFA World Cup. In this game the Uruguayans stormed to a convincing lead by the break; Levratto's goal in the second half flattered the Italians because Uruguay ran out comfortable winners by the odd goal in 5; José Pedro Cea, Héctor Scarone scoring for the Celestes.

Argentina  6–0  Egypt
Cherro   10'
Ferreira   32', 82'
Tarasconi   37', 54', 61'
Report
Attendance: 7,887
Referee: Pedro Escartín (ESP)

Uruguay  3–2  Italy
Cea   17'
Campolo   28'
Scarone   31'
Report Baloncieri   9'
Levratto   60'
Attendance: 15,230
Referee: Willem Eymers (NED)

Bronze medal match edit

Italy  11–3  Egypt
Schiavo   6', 42', 58'
Baloncieri   14', 52'
Banchero   19', 39', 44'
Magnozzi   72', 80', 88'
Report Riad   12', 16'
El-Ezam   60'
Attendance: 6,378
Referee: Jan Langenus (BEL)

Gold medal match edit

 
 
(Left): Uruguay and Argentina captains, referee Johannes Mutters and linesmen before the final; (right): A moment of the match

In the final the Uruguayans played Argentina who had trounced Egypt (clearly out of their depth against more sophisticated opposition, they conceded 6 goals to Argentina and 11 to Italy in the bronze medal match).

The final itself was a close-run affair. Both nations had been undefeated in competitive matches against other nations but had traded losses to each other since the last Olympic competition. The interest was immense. The Dutch had received 250,000 requests for tickets from all over Europe.

Once again, there was little in it; the first game finished 1–1 and the tie went to a replay. Uruguay's Scarone converted the winner in the second half of that game.

Final
Uruguay  1–1 (a.e.t.)  Argentina
Petrone   23' Report Ferreira   50'
Attendance: 28,253
Referee: Johannes Mutters (NED)

Rematch edit

Rematch
Uruguay  2–1  Argentina
Figueroa   17'
Scarone   73'
Report Monti   28'

Consolation round edit

first round edit

The consolation tournament was ratified by FIFA but, as it was not organized by the Amsterdam Olympic organization, Olympic historians do not consider these matches to be part of the 1928 Summer Olympics.[6]

Netherlands  3–1  Belgium
Ghering   4'
Smeets   6'
Tap   63'
Report P. Braine   85'
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Gamma Malcher (ITA)

Chile  3–1  Mexico
Subiabre   24', 48', 89' Report Sota   15'
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Johannes Mutters (NED)

Consolation final edit

Netherlands  2–2  Chile
Ghering   59'
Smeets   66'
Report Bravo   55'
Alfaro   89'
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Guillermo Comorera (ESP)
  • Note: The Netherlands wins after drawing of lots but the Cup was awarded to Chile

Medalists edit

 
Uruguay, winner of the tournament
 
The Argentina team won the Silver Medal
Gold Silver Bronze
  Uruguay
José Andrade
Juan Peregrino Anselmo
Pedro Arispe
Juan Arremón
Venancio Bartibás
Fausto Batignani
René Borjas
Antonio Campolo
Adhemar Canavesi
Héctor Castro
Pedro Cea
Lorenzo Fernández
Roberto Figueroa
Álvaro Gestido
Andrés Mazali
Ángel Melogno
José Nasazzi
Pedro Petrone
Juan Piriz
Héctor Scarone
Domingo Tejera
Santos Urdinarán
  Argentina
Ludovico Bidoglio
Ángel Bossio
Saúl Calandra
Alfredo Carricaberry
Roberto Cherro
Octavio Díaz
Juan Evaristo
Manuel Ferreira
Enrique Gainzarain
Alfredo Helman
Segundo Luna
Ángel Segundo Medici
Luis Monti
Pedro Ochoa
Rodolfo Orlandini
Raimundo Orsi
Fernando Paternoster
Feliciano Perducca
Natalio Perinetti
Domingo Tarasconi
Luis Weihmuller
Adolfo Zumelzú
  Italy
Elvio Banchero
Virgilio Felice Levratto
Pietro Pastore
Gino Rossetti
Attilio Ferraris
Enrico Rivolta
Felice Gasperi
Alfredo Pitto
Pietro Genovesi
Antonio Janni
Fulvio Bernardini
Silvio Pietroboni
Andrea Viviano
Delfo Bellini
Umberto Caligaris
Virginio Rosetta
Giampiero Combi
Giovanni De Prà
Adolfo Baloncieri
Mario Magnozzi
Angelo Schiavio
Valentino Degani

Goalscorers edit

 
Top scorer Domingo Tarasconi of Argentina
11 goals
6 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal

References edit

  1. ^ "Football at the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Games". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  2. ^ Beck, Peter J. (19 August 1999). "BRITISH FOOTBALL AND FIFA, 1928–46: GOING TO WAR OR PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE?". FIFA. Archived from the original on 4 September 2005.
  3. ^ Glanville, Brian (2005). The Story of the World Cup. London: Faber and Faber. p. 15.
  4. ^ "Uruguay 1930". fourfourtwo.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2007.
  5. ^ Miladinovich, Misha. "Yugoslavia National Team List of Results 1920–1929". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  6. ^ "Football at the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Games: Men's Football". Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.

External links edit

  • Olympic Football Tournament Amsterdam 1928, FIFA.com
  • RSSSF Archive
  • Football Tournament Amsterdam 1928

52°20′36″N 4°51′15″E / 52.3434°N 4.8542°E / 52.3434; 4.8542