This article is part of a series of columns written in 1950 by former Belgian referee John Langenus. This series portrays some of the events and experiences of the renowned referee in the first three editions of the FIFA World Cup — 1930, 1934 and 1938. Click here to view all the columns written by Langenus.

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VIRTUOSOS OF TECHNIQUE
— John Langenus | 10/06/1950 —

That the pairing of semi-finalists worked out so neatly that Argentina and Uruguay did not have to face each other was a happy accident of fate. Because there was really a draw. Had it happened without a draw, the pairing could not have been better in view of the public interest in the remaining matches.

At the end of the previous chapter, concerning the Uruguay victory in Amsterdam in 1928, I wrote that no English national team would have been able to beat the victorious team. Argentina, almost as good as Uruguay, brought proof of that in 1930, when it beat this excellent English-playing America 6-1. One will object that this American eiftal was not as strong as England. Certainly not, but still not much less. And then 6-1 figures indicate a big class difference, figures that leave no doubt.

Argentina played with its smooth Vienna style of play, like Uruguay, but backed by better and even more adept individual qualities than the Viennese. In the first half, just after the start, Argentina scored a lucky goal on a far shot by Monti, which goalkeeper Douglas suspected would go wide of the goal. The North Americans then still gave a good game. But after half-time, the Argentine forwards started combining like it was a feast for the eyes, and with great regularity the goals followed one another.

The best goal we saw came from the inside right Scopelli, who, at the moment he was pushed aside unfairly and was already in a falling, sloping position, managed to place a shot that any goalkeeper would have to succumb to. What a beautiful goal it was! Never to be forgotten!

Argentina with its fine lacework, with its virtuosity and greater agility, had easily defused the systemic play of the North Americans.

For the United States, this was a setback of note. The Americans had already thought themselves world champions. They fell from the highest peak of their illusions into the deep valley of disillusionment. And when the players saw that the odds did not favour them, they began to play rather hard; their leaders made themselves mockingly nervous in the process.

The Star-and-Stripes went down. But against the Argentina of that day, even stronger ones would have gone down!

AND 6-1 FOR URUGUAY.

Next day, second semi-final. Uruguay did not want to underperform against Argentina and would put in a bit more effort against Yugoslavia than in the previous match to be in top form for the final. It was 6-1 just like Argentina-United States.

Yet the match had a completely different look, as those quick-witted Yugoslavs started like devils and scored an early goal. What a cold shower that was for the packed stadium!

And for over a full quarter of an hour, the Uruguayans had to toil and work to equalise. And if it was already 3-1 at half-time, that score seemed greatly exaggerated, because the Yugoslavs had really played like lions and had certainly not been favoured by Almeido Rego's refereeing decisions. Uruguay's first goal involved hump play and the third had had the ball out beforehand. Moreover, the game had been almost entirely balanced in the first half.

However, this should not be said to diminish Uruguay's victory. Far from it. For after half-time, the great class of Uruguay spoke and the Yugoslavia had nothing more to contribute.

Overall, Yugoslavia had done all the credit to European football and this young Balkan football nation had more than held its own.

However, 6-1 in both semi-finals was a score that clearly showed the mastery of South American football!

A CELEBRATION OF FOOTBALL SCIENCE.

So in two years, we got to see Uruguay-Argentina for the third time. Both countries were not bothered at the then prevailing novelty of the 'W' or 'WM'-system. The five forwards played in line, following the old recipe, and both teams backed their play on their technique and on their neat interplay from man to man.

A feast of footballing technique! Of skill, which did seem unsurpassable, notwithstanding the Uruguayans, especially the defence, appeared slightly stiffer than previous years. Still, Uruguay, with Anselmo replaced, played their best game, and had thus reached their best form on the appropriate day. Argentina, for its part, had had tougher matches and did not reach its top form in the final.

Uruguay were the best team, but still had a very difficult period to go through, as after 37 minutes Argentina were leading 2-1. The Uruguayans mistakenly believed an offside for this second Argentine goal, but the crowd did not react offensively, was sad, deeply shocked and dejected by the impending defeat.

Until 12 minutes after halftime, Argentina bathed the lead and it was the youthful elemente in the annval of the "Celestes", Iriarte and Dorado, who gave the interplay even quicker pace, so that the Argentine half-backs, even the big star Juan Evaristo, could not stand up to it and three more goals to Uruguay secured the win.

But so it had not gone easily. Even, when the score was 3-2, a shot by Stábile flew against the crossbar and we thought the equaliser was genetic and therefore extensions imminent, But it did not come to that: a final goal by Castro brought the final figures to 4-2.

It was a fair and tremendously fast match, of high quality footballing skill, in which both teams could have displayed their great qualities undisturbed and to the full; and Uruguay had been the best team and had honestly deserved the victory.

Behold the composition of the teams under my charge:

Uruguay: Ballestrero; Mascheroni and Nasazzi; Andrade, Fernández and Gestido; Dorado, Scarone, Castro, Cea and Iriarte.

Argentina: Botassa; Della Torre and Paternoster; J. Evaristo, Monti and Suárez; Peucelle, Varallo, Stábile, Ferreira and M. Evaristo.

Uruguay thus counted some players who were now three-time world champions: Nasazzi, Andrade, Scarone and Cea; and twice: Fernández, Gestido and Castro.

Surely a great achievement for a small country like Uruguay!



Isaque Argolo: When Langenus mentioned the three-time world champions, he forgot to mention that Pedro Petrone is also part of this group.