Brazil in the 1934 World Cup

Photo: Brazil Football Federation

Pedrosa, Martim, Armandinho, Tinoco, Patesko, Luizinho,
Luis Luz and Leonidas da Silva;
Attila, Sylvio Hoffman, Waldemar de Brito, Canalli, Germano,
Carvalho Leite, Octacílio and Waldir.

Brazil in the World Cups
Brazil in the World Cup 2006 - Germany


The team: Pedrosa, Sylvio Hoffman, Luiz Luz; Tinoco, Martim (C), Canalli; Luisinho, Waldemar de Brito, Armandinho, Leônidas, Patesko.
Reserves: Germano (G), Octacílio, Ariel, Waldir, Carvalho Leite and Attila.
Coach: Luiz Vinhaes.


The Match:
Brazil 1 x 3 Spain

The Preparation

Brazil and Peru should play in the qualifyings for the 1934 World Cup; Peru withdrew, and Brazil was automatically qualified (Argentina and Chile should play in the other group, but Chile also withdrew, and Argentina qualified). The Uruguayans, as a retort from the European absences in the 1930 World Cup, also refused to participate of the event in Italy.

Just like in 1930, bureaucratic problems prevented Brazil from taking their best players to the World Cup.

Poster 1934

In 1934, Brazil football was in the process of transitioning from amateurship to professionalism. Two entities co-existed: the older Brazilian Confederation, which congregated the still amateur teams, and the newer Brazilian Federation, to which most of the important teams in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo were already affiliated. FIFA, however, did not officially recognize the new Federation, and it was up to the Confederation to define the Brazilian National team.
The entities tried an agreement, but the Federation refused to release their players. Botafogo, from Rio de Janeiro, was the only major team still affiliated with the Confederation. The Brazilian Confederation signed temporary contracts with eight players from professional teams (Sylvio Hoffman, Luis Luz, Tinoco, Luisinho, Waldemar de Brito, Armandinho, Leônidas da Silva and Patesko); all the other nine players played in Botafogo. Only seventeen players went to the 1934 World Cup.

Photos above: the Brazilian team training for the Cup in the ship.

Brazil left towards Italy on May 12th 1934, aboard Biancamano, a rather small and uncomfortable ship. Besides the lack of infrastructure, Brazilians had to do without a professional physical instructor. Not used to long journeys, all players suffered sea sickness. The ship stopped over in Barcelona, to pick up the Spanish team.

The Matches

The trip to Europe took thirteen days. The team arrived to Italy on a Friday, and on Sunday they played the match against Spain.
In 1934, sixteen teams started the Cup, and all matches were eliminatory (the winner proceeds, the loser goes home).
Brazil knew we had few chances against Spain. Some of the best Brazilian players didn't go to the Cup. Spain had several good players, the most famous of which the goalkeeper Divino Zamora.

Brazil x Spain. It is clear that Leônidas would score a goal,
but the Spanish defender saved it with his hands. The referee
(from Germany), in the background, turns a blind eye.

The Spaniards scored 2 x 0 in the first half. In the second half, Leônidas da Silva scored the only Brazilian goal in that cup, and Langara finished it up for Spain.
Brazil lost, but complained. At the end of this article, Tinoco, one of Brazilian players, says that the referee nulled a legitimate Brazilian goal, and pretended not to see a Spaniard saving a goal with his hands; the photo above shows that, at least as far as the penalty is concerned, there is no doubt that Tinoco is right.

Spain would lose the following match, against Italy. Italy would then beat Austria to reach the final, against Czechoslovakia. Italy won, but the match, very tight, was decided only in the 30 minute extension time, with a goal by Schiavo. Benito Mussolini was in the tribune of the Nazionale stadium, and started out the Italian celebration of their first World Cup championship.

World Cup 1934 - Other Info

FIFA Archives of the 1934 World Cup.

The most important Brazilian player was, of course, Leônidas da Silva. One of the best Brazilian players of all time, Leônidas would be the main striker of the 1938 World Cup (click the link to read more about Leônidas).

At least one Brazilian was world champion in 1934. Attilio de Maria was a descendant of Italians born in Brazil; according to Italian legislation, de Maria was still Italian citizen, and could play in the national team.

Waldemar de Brito, besides playing in this Cup, entered Brazilian football History as the man who first discovered a talented child called Pelé.


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