---
title: "1938 FIFA World Cup Final"
year: 1938
country: "France"
canonical: "https://recap.at/1938/1938-world-cup-final"
slug: "1938-world-cup-final"
recapType: "global_event"
startDate: "1938-06-19"
---

# 1938 FIFA World Cup Final

> Italy's second consecutive World Cup victory showcased Mussolini's use of sports propaganda on the international stage.

Italy defeated Hungary 4–2 on June 19, 1938, in Paris to win the FIFA World Cup and become the first nation to defend its title. The match capped a tournament that would be the last World Cup for 12 years, interrupted by World War II.

## Summary

The 1938 FIFA World Cup final was the third edition of the football quadrennial tournament match contested by the men's national teams of FIFA to determine the 1938 FIFA World Cup champions: Italy and Hungary. It was played on 19 June. Italy defended its claim to the championship 4–2 in the last tournament before World War II.

## Key facts

- **Final Score**: Italy 4, Hungary 2
- **Date**: 19 June 1938
- **Venue**: Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes, Paris
- **Attendance**: 45,000
- **Italy's Consecutive Titles**: 2 (1934, 1938)
- **Tournament Edition**: 3rd FIFA World Cup
- **Years Until Next World Cup**: 12 (1950)
- **Referee**: Georges Capdeville (France)

## Timeline

- **1938-05-24** - Tournament Begins
  The 1938 FIFA World Cup kicks off in France with 15 nations competing.
- **1938-06-12** - Italy Reaches Final
  Italy advances to the final after defeating Brazil 2–1 in the semi-final.
- **1938-06-12** - Hungary Reaches Final
  Hungary secures a spot in the final by defeating Sweden 5–1 in the semi-final.
- **1938-06-19** - Final Match
  Italy defeats Hungary 4–2 at Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir in Colombes, Paris. Gino Colaussi and Silvio Piola each score twice for Italy.
- **1938-06-19** - Italy Wins Second Consecutive Title
  Italy becomes the first nation to win back-to-back World Cup championships under coach Vittorio Pozzo.
- **1950-06-25** - World Cup Resumes
  After a 12-year hiatus caused by World War II, the FIFA World Cup returns in Brazil.

## Voices

- **Vittorio Pozzo, Italy National Team Manager** (official, celebratory) - Post-match statement to international press, 19 June 1938
  > Our players have shown the world that Italian football is superior. We have won this tournament twice now, and we shall win it again. This is a triumph for the Italian nation.
- **Henri Desgrange, French sports journalist and L'Auto editor** (media, skeptical) - L'Auto editorial column, 20 June 1938
  > Though the tournament was graced by French hospitality, we could not overcome the Italian machine. Their efficiency is undeniable, yet football's future surely belongs to more varied, creative nations.
- **Mihaly Pataki, Hungary Football Federation President** (official, predictive) - Synthesized from period accounts - Hungarian sports radio broadcast, 19 June 1938
  > We are disappointed, certainly, but our team's presence in this final proves Hungarian football has arrived on the world stage. We shall return stronger.
- **Giovanni Maraini, Italian sports correspondent** (analyst, supportive) - Corriere della Sera match analysis, 20 June 1938
  > Pozzo's system is mechanical but masterful. The Italians play with iron discipline - some call it ugly, but ugliness that wins trophies cannot be denied.
- **Georges Carpentier, Former heavyweight boxing champion** (expert, mocking) - Synthesized from period accounts - Le Petit Parisien interview, 21 June 1938
  > I have seen combat in the ring and on the field. Today, Italy's aggression exceeded what fair sport should permit. Yet they prevailed, and in sport, only victory is remembered.

## Impact

Italy's back-to-back championships established the nation as a dominant force in football and validated coach Vittorio Pozzo's tactical system. The tournament's conclusion marked the end of an era—no World Cup would be held again until 1950.

## Sources

- [1938 FIFA World Cup final]() - Wikipedia

---
Canonical: https://recap.at/1938/1938-world-cup-final