You’ve probably seen that picture of Maradona surrounded by Belgian defenders or the one of Bobby Moore and Pele close to a thousand time by now. So as we’re about to start the World Cup, here are a few pictures from previous tournaments that you may not have seen before.
The SS Conte Verde set sail for the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay from its port in Italy with the Romanian team first onboard. It stopped at Villefranche-sur-Mer to pick up the French side (pictured posing after a lunch), the trophy itself, and three referees. The other 11 refs were local Uruguayans. It then stopped in Barcelona to pick up the Belgian side before the long cruise to Rio where they gave the Brazilian squad a lift for the final stretch to Montevideo, some 15 days after setting off. Egypt missed their boat, so didn’t take part in the tournament that year.
No gladiatorial podiums, no fireworks, no tickertape or confetti explosions… this is how the World Cup was presented in 1930. Jules Rimet, president of FIFA, casually hands it over to a clearly thrilled Dr Paul Jude, the president of the Uruguayan F.A. Good times guys, good times. Players not pictured.
The modern World Cup draw is like a circus carnival, with complicated regulations to prevent cheating. But it wasn’t always this way. In 1938 the president of FIFA, Jules Rimet, held the urn for his grandson, Yves, to pull the balls out. François de Tessan, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (middle), looks on, somewhat distractedly.
1938 – German national team players execute the Nazi salute, 04 June 1938 at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, before the start of their World Cup match against Switzerland as the swastika flutters above them on top of the stand.
1954 – Footballers we’re not always ultra-fit sporting machines. Here are the 1954 German national side lining up with physiques that would shame World of Warcraft convention.
1958 – This is apparently how they chose the tournament football in the 50s. Sven Erik Westerberg from the Swedish Football Federation pumps one of the 102 footballs sent by 102 different companies bidding to become the official manufacturer for the upcoming World Cup. The names of the companies are in sealed envelopes and will be opened, following the tests of the balls to reveal the names of the winner.
1986 –An England fan swinging for an Argentine during the 1986 quarter final and missing, and hitting his mate in the face.
1990 – “Guys, guess who just pulled up in a Ford Bronco to help record our World Cup song…” Yes, this is O.J. Simpson recording a World Cup song with the US football team.