A FADING STAR
— Maurice Pefferkorn | 29/05/1924 —

It was certainly not a match of great beauty that the one played yesterday at the Stade Bergeyre by the national teams of Switzerland and Czechoslovakia. But it was hotly contested and, for this reason, aroused enthusiasm on many occasions.

It seemed to us that popular favor went to the Swiss. This is undoubtedly explained by the character of the game they played and which resembles ours like a brother. Despite its clumsiness and awkwardness, the Swiss game had some very brilliant moments. It would have won the match had the forwards not, on several occasions, hesitated to shoot and had some of their shots on goal been more successful.

But we find it hard to believe that this team was yesterday in the form it was in when it beat Hungary, Denmark, even France. Their weak point lay above all in their line of half-backs which, most of the time, followed the action from too far away. The centre-half is the biggest culprit; he weakened in the second half and left a hole through which the Czech forwards infiltrated many times.

There are some very dangerous forwards in the Swiss team, little Abegglen in particular, who was the best shooter on the line and who, despite his small size, often headed the ball.

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As for the Czechs, they truly disillusioned us. Not that they don't still possess the science of the game, the control of the ball, the instinct for getting away that made them the best players on the continent for so long. But they have not introduced speed into their game. Their attacks are slow; they stall. And they never shoot; it's as if they don't know. In truth, the Czechs don't seem to me to be in the right place any more. There is no doubt that the game of football has undergone a significant evolution in recent times. Can the Latins be proud of having triggered this initiative? I think so, because they were the first to think about the fast game. As they have sometimes succeeded, other nations have imitated their example and sacrificed a little sterile precision for effective speed.

It seems that the Czechs scorned this new element of success. They remained the same and did not agree to evolve. They confined themselves to their science. Now they have been joined. Switzerland held them in check; it could beat them. Others can do as well and better than Switzerland.

It is understood that we judge the Czechs on their match yesterday. But how would one do otherwise? It's up to them to show us on Friday (because the Swiss and Czechs will play again tomorrow) that they are better than that. However, we would not like to appear to despise their exhibition yesterday. They have an excellent defence and half-backs who provide constant liaison and good service between the forwards, something we haven't seen among the Swiss. And even if they are victorious now, it hardly seems likely that they will be able to take first place in the tournament.

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The four nations which have not yet entered the fray so far will in turn face the battle; these are Belgium, Sweden, Egypt and Luxembourg.

The Belgians, Olympic champions, winners at the Antwerp Games in 1920, will appear with all the prestige that this title gives them.

It’s something to be holding on to. This title imposes obligations on whoever possesses it; it boosts the morale of the team that wears it. The Belgians are keen to defend their title; if they are dispossessed of it, we can be assured that it will not be without having fought heroically, nor without having done the impossible to preserve it.

But can we not say of the Swedes that they have the prospect of no less great glory by defeating the supporters of 1920? Here again we can be assured of witnessing a very great match.

And then we will then learn the wills of fate regarding the quarter-finals, because the draw will take place this evening. The eight remaining teams are now all class or thereabouts. The upcoming meetings will therefore be extremely close. But don't we know that some of the past encounters have already had this character?

The quarter-finals on Sunday and Monday constitute the third tier of the tournament. And the chances are only just beginning to become clearer.