Maracanazo

Lore & Background

Uniquely to this World Cup, the winner was determined by points after round-robin games between the top four teams. Brazil led by a point going into the final match, so a draw would have given them the title; Uruguay needed to win. Brazil scored first through Friaça early in the second half. Juan Alberto Schiaffino equalized, and with eleven minutes remaining, Alcides Ghiggia put Uruguay ahead. Brazil could not equalize, and Uruguay won 2–1. The match is often regarded as the de facto final. The term Maracanaço (Portuguese) or Maracanazo (Spanish), roughly translated as 'The Maracanã Smash,' became synonymous with the match.

Reader's Guide

The match was spectated officially by 173,850 people and possibly by over 200,000, making it one of the most highly attended football matches ever, challenged only by the 1923 FA Cup final. The last survivor of the game was Uruguay's Alcides Ghiggia, who died on 16 July 2015 at the age of 88.

Did You Know?

• Brazil did not wear their iconic yellow shirts for this match; they wore white shirts with blue collars.
• Ghiggia's winning goal came from open play, cutting in from the right wing and shooting near the near post, not from a corner kick.