Who scored the first ever goal at World Cup? Who nailed the first World Cup hat-trick? A look at some interesting highlights and anecdotes…
A goal to remember
Diminutive forward Lucien Laurent scored only two goals in 11 appearances for France, but his name will forever be associated with one of the brightest moments in football. The honour of scoring the first goal in a World Cup goes to the then 23-year-old, who achieved that feat in the inaugural 1930 tournament in Uruguay. His 19th minute volley eventually helped France beat Mexico 4-1, giving special meaning to July 13, 1930. France, though, lost their remaining games to be eliminated at the group stage. Laurent played two matches, and missed the third due to injury. He also missed the 1934 World Cup at home because of injury. His only other goal for France came against old rivals England. Real life was more hardship than adventure. He saw action in World War II with the French Army, but spent three years as a prisoner of war until his release in 1943. Laurent was the only surviving member of the 1930 squad to witness France finally win the World Cup in 1998. He died in 2005, aged 97.
The ‘trick that eventually was
Who would ever imagine this distinction belongs to the US, somewhat of an outlier even to date when it comes to football. To Bert Patenaude goes the honour of scoring the first World Cup hat-trick in Uruguay in 1930.The 21-year-old US forward had warmed up with a goal in the opening game against Belgium. In the second game against Paraguay, he scored the first and third goal alright, in the 10th and 50th minutes of the 3-0 win (a hat-trick then had to be three in a row). But there was much confusion for a long time over the author of the second goal. The US second goal, in the 15th minute, was given as an own goal by Aurelio Gonzalez (by to Rec. Sport. Soccer Statistics Foundation or RSSSF), credited to Patenaude’s teammate Tom Florie (by official FIFA match record), and to Patenaude (by United States Soccer Federation). The confusion was compounded by Argentina’s Guillermo Stabile scoring a hat-trick two days later. Patenaude died in 1974, and it was only in 2006 that FIFA put the dispute to bed, giving him the second goal, and a historic first hat-trick to the American.
The Maracana blow
Moacir Barbosa’s miss cost Brazil the title in 1950. Getty
Brazil goalkeepers are usually a happy spectator, enjoying the forwards make life miserable for their opposite number. When they trip up though, passionate fans turn on the last line of defence. Sometimes, it can cause a lifetime of agony, as it did for Moacir Barbosa. The 1950 World Cup was expected to be a victory parade for hosts Brazil, who thought they would be crowned first-time champions at Rio’s Maracana Stadium. Needing only a draw to seal the round robin finals phase, Brazil lost the final game 2-1 to Uruguay, who won their second title. Alcides Ghiggia scored the 79th-minute winner, dribbling past defender Bigode and slotting him with Barbosa caught out of position as he went to collect a cross. Fans dubbed it Maracanazo or “The Maracana blow”, blaming Barbosa for the defeat that entered Brazilian football folklore.
In 1993, then Brazilian federation president Ricardo Teixeira didn’t let Barbosa do commentary for a Brazil game. In an interview before his death in 2000, Barbosa poured out his anguish. “The maximum punishment in Brazil is 30 years imprisonment, but I have been paying, for something I am not even responsible for, for 50 years.”
Miracle of Belo Horizonte
The US beat England 1-0 in the 1950 World Cup in Brazil in one of the biggest upsets in football history, dubbed the “Miracle of Belo Horizonte”. It even inspired a film, The Miracle Match. England, playing in their first World Cup after boycotting the initial three due to a dispute with FIFA over professionals, were favourites to qualify from Group 2. The US team at Belo Horizonte were a bunch of semi-professionals who had lost their previous seven matches with three players, including the Haitian-born Gaetjens, apparently not even US citizens yet.
Britain’s Daily Express suggested, “It would be fair to give the US three goals of a start.” The US survived the first half only due to goalkeeper Frank Borghi’s great saves. And in the 37th minute, US captain Walter Bahr’s shot from distance was diverted in by Gaetjens with his diving header beating England ‘keeper Bert Williams to his left. More Borghi clearances kept the US ahead till the end, as thousands of Brazil fans cheered, happy their team won’t have to face England. England even saw an appeal for goal turned down with the referee ruling the ball didn’t cross the line! (it did for them, 16 years later in the final, but that’s another story). While the US were eliminated, as expected, England too caved in. Belo Horizonte would witness a bigger shock in the 2014 World Cup when Brazil were crushed 7-1 by eventual champions Germany in the semi-final.
