| Switzerland, in their typical low key and pedantic style | | | | on their way to the final. |
| built their stadiums with very limited capacities, a far | | | | The first semi-final, played between Hungary and |
| cry from the 200,000 spectators that filled the | | | | World Cup holders Uruguay, is regarded as being one |
| Maracana Stadium in Brazil to watch the host | | | | of finest displays of soccer skills from two well |
| company play against Uruguay, in what was the play | | | | matched and highly gifted teams. Hungary eventually |
| off tie in the 1950 finals. | | | | winning through 4-2 after extra-time. In the second |
| While there was some limited TV coverage, there | | | | semi, Germany coasted to an easy 6-1 and victory |
| was little interest in the World Cup in these days in | | | | against neighbouring Austria. |
| Europe. England, as ever were in a state of shock | | | | After being beaten 8-3 by Hungary, nobody gave the |
| after having been thoroughly trounced by Hungary | | | | West Germans much of a chance, except of course |
| both home and away, and went out of the tournament | | | | the West Germans themselves. However they |
| very tamely, beaten by Uruguay in the quarter final | | | | seemed on their way to another soccer lesson as |
| stages. The 1954 World Cup, because it was run by | | | | Hungary wearing their traditional red soccer uniforms |
| bureaucrats who were constantly changing its formula, | | | | went into a 2-0 lead with early goals from Puskas and |
| the knock out stages were very hard to follow, and it | | | | Czibor. The West Germans were stunned into action |
| was probably just as well that press coverage was | | | | and quickly rattled in two goals to equalize. It was 2-2 |
| limited, at least from that viewpoint. | | | | with barley twenty minutes on the clock. The crowd |
| What made the 1954 World cup outstanding were | | | | expected the Hungarians to step up a gear and cruise |
| two outstanding facts: That it was and remains highest | | | | away with the game. The West German defence |
| scoring tournament in the history of the competition, | | | | superbly marshaled by Captain Franz Walther held out. |
| with no less than 140 goals scored in 26 matches, and | | | | The Hungarian team seemed to be feeling the effects |
| the presence of the fantastically talented Hungarian | | | | of their extra time battle with Uruguay, and it was |
| national team of that era including Jozsef Boszik, | | | | West Germany who broke away and scored the |
| Zoltán Czibor, Nándor Hidegkuti, Sandor Kocsis and | | | | winning goal to win their first World Cup. |
| the galloping major himself, Ferenc Puskas. The | | | | The game became known as the Miracle of Bern |
| Hungarians were unbeaten in their last 31 games and | | | | simply because it was so widely expected that |
| looked capable of winning the tournament at a trot, as | | | | Hungary would beat Germany It was not to be and |
| the smacked in nine goals against Korea, eight against | | | | the legend of the finest team never to win a World |
| the West Germans and four against the mighty Brazil | | | | Cup was born. |