Football at the 1952 Summer Olympics
Tournament details
Host countryFinland
Dates15 July – 2 August 1952
Teams25 (from 5 confederations)
Venue(s)6 (in 5 host cities)
Final positions
Champions Hungary
Runners-up Yugoslavia
Third place Sweden
Fourth place West Germany
Tournament statistics
Matches played26
Goals scored135 (5.19 per match)

The Football tournament at the 1952 Summer Olympics was won by Hungary.[1]

The games signalled the arrival (to Western Europeans at least) of the Hungary national team – the "Magical Magyars". Ferenc Puskás later said of the 1952 competition: "It was during the Olympics that our football first started to flow with real power."[2] It was during the Games that Stanley Rous of English Football Association invited the Hungarians to play a friendly at Wembley the following year.

Venues

Helsinki Kotka
Olympic Stadium Kotkan urheilukeskus
Capacity: 70,470 Capacity: 11,400
Helsinki Lahti
Töölön Pallokenttä Lahden kisapuisto
Capacity: 18,050 Capacity: 8,067
Tampere Turku
Ratina Stadion Kupittaan jalkapallostadion
Capacity: 20,700 Capacity: 14,224

Squads

Final tournament

Miss Universe 1952 Armi Kuusela awarding the Hungarian team

Preliminary round

The preliminary round saw Hungary record a narrow victory against Romania, whilst there was an 8–0 victory for Italy against the United States, and a 5–1 victory for Brazil against The Netherlands. Great Britain succumbed to Luxembourg 5–3, whilst Egypt defeated Chile 5–4. Yugoslavia were drawn against the Indians and won 10–1.

Poland 2–1 France
Trampisz 31'
Krasówka 49'		 Report Leblond 30'
Attendance: 3,752
Referee: Karel van der Meer (NED)
Hungary 2–1 Romania
Czibor 21'
Kocsis 73'		 Report Suru 86'
Attendance: 10,588
Referee: Nikolay Latyshev (URS)
Yugoslavia 10–1 India
Vukas 2', 62'
Mitić 14', 43'
Zebec 17', 23', 60', 87'
Ognjanov 52', 67'		 Report Khan 89'
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: John Best (USA)
Denmark 2–1 Greece
P.E. Petersen 36', 37' Report Emmanouilidis 85'
Attendance: 4,372
Referee: Waldemar Karni (FIN)
Soviet Union 2–1 (a.e.t.) Bulgaria
Bobrov 100'
Trofimov 104'		 Report Kolev 95'
Attendance: 10,637
Referee: Istvan Zsolt (HUN)
Italy 8–0 United States
Gimona 3', 51', 75'
Pandolfini 16', 62'
Venturi 27'
Fontanesi 52'
Mariani 87'		 Report
Attendance: 15,342
Referee: Arthur Ellis (GBR)
Brazil 5–1 Netherlands
Humberto 25'
Larry 33' (pen.), 36'
Jansen 81'
Vavá 86'		 Report Van Roessel 15'
Attendance: 9,685
Referee: Giorgio Bernardi (ITA)
Luxembourg 5–3 (a.e.t.) Great Britain
Roller 60', 95', 97'
Letsch 91'
Gales 102'		 Report Robb 12'
Slater 101'
Lewis 118'
Attendance: 3,656
Referee: Vincenzo Orlandini (ITA)
Egypt 5–4 Chile
Elfar 27'
Mechaury 43'
Eldizwi 66', 75', 80'		 Report Jara 7', 78'
Vial 14', 88'
Attendance: 5,354
Referee: John Nilsson (SWE)

First round

The first round saw Scandinavian countries join the competition; the hosts Finland were beaten 3–4 by Austria, whilst Sweden defeated neighbours Norway 4–1. The game of the round was between Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union; Yugoslavia had been 5–1 ahead with 30 minutes of the match to go, only for the Soviet captain Bobrov to score a hat-trick and inspire his team to an eventual 5–5 draw. A replay resulted in a 3–1 victory for Yugoslavia; the Soviet side had been expected by Moscow to win the 1952 Games, and their defeat by Yugoslavia was not mentioned in the Soviet press until after Stalin's death the following year.

Finland 3–4 Austria
Stolpe 11', 34'
Rytkönen 36'		 Report Gollnhuber 8' (pen.), 30'
Stumpf 59'
Grohs 79'
Attendance: 33,053
Referee: William Ling (GBR)
Brazil 2–1 Luxembourg
Larry 42'
Humberto 49'		 Report Gales 86'
Attendance: 6,776
Referee: Marijan Matancic (YUG)
Yugoslavia 5–5 (a.e.t.) Soviet Union
Mitić 29'
Ognjanov 33'
Zebec 44', 59'
Bobek 46'		 Report Bobrov 53', 77', 87'
Trofimov 75'
Petrov 89'
Attendance: 17,000
Referee: Arthur Ellis (GBR)
Yugoslavia 3–1 Soviet Union
Mitić 19'
Bobek 29' (pen.)
Čajkovski 54'		 Report Bobrov 6'
Attendance: 16,916
Referee: Arthur Ellis (GBR)
West Germany 3–1 Egypt
Klug 33'
Schröder 38', 61'		 Report El-Dizwi 64'
Attendance: 6,813
Referee: Giorgio Bernardi (ITA)
Denmark 2–0 Poland
Seebach 17'
S. Nielsen 69'		 Report
Attendance: 6,024
Referee: Folke Bålstad (NOR)
Sweden 4–1 Norway
Brodd 23', 35'
Rydell 81'
Bengtsson 89'		 Report Sørensen 83'
Attendance: 4,072
Referee: Johan Aksel Alho (FIN)
Hungary 3–0 Italy
Palotás 11', 20'
Kocsis 83'		 Report
Attendance: 13,870
Referee: Karel van der Meer (NED)
Turkey 2–1 Netherlands Antilles
Tokaç 9'
Bilge 76' (pen.)		 Report Briezen 79'
Attendance: 3,696
Referee: Carl Jorgensen (DEN)

Quarterfinals

Sweden defeated Austria to ensure a Scandinavian presence in the semifinals. Germany surprisingly beat Brazil 4–2 after extra time, whilst Yugoslavia won comfortably in a 5–3 defeat of Denmark. Hungary demolished Turkey 7–1 to complete the four semifinalists.

Sweden 3–1 Austria
Sandberg 80'
Brodd 85'
Rydell 87'		 Report Grohs 40'
Attendance: 12,564
Referee: Vincenzo Orlandini (ITA)
West Germany 4–2 (a.e.t.) Brazil
Schröder 75', 96'
Klug 89'
Zeitler 120'		 Report Larry 12'
Zózimo 74'
Attendance: 11,451
Referee: Arthur Ellis (GBR)
Hungary 7–1 Turkey
Palotás 18'
Kocsis 32', 90'
Lantos 48'
Puskás 54', 72'
Bozsik 70'		 Report Guder 57'
Attendance: 4,743
Referee: Waldemar Karni (FIN)
Yugoslavia 5–3 Denmark
Čajkovski 19'
Ognjanov 35'
Vukas 41'
Bobek 78'
Zebec 81'		 Report Lundberg 63'
Seebach 85'
Hansen 87'
Attendance: 11,456
Referee: Waldemar Karni (FIN)

Semifinals

In the first semifinal, Hungary saw off Sweden with a comprehensive 6–0 victory, whilst Yugoslavia beat Germany 3–1 to set up a Hungary-Yugoslavia final.

Hungary 6–0 Sweden
Puskás 1'
Palotás 16'
Lindh 36' (o.g.)
Kocsis 65', 69'
Hidegkuti 67'		 Report
Attendance: 30,471
Referee: William Ling (GBR)
Yugoslavia 3–1 West Germany
Mitić 3', 24'
Čajkovski 30'		 Report Stollenwerk 12'
Attendance: 25,821
Referee: Wolf Waldemar Karni (FIN)

Bronze-medal match

There was some consolation for the Scandinavian countries as Sweden defeated Germany 2–0 in the third place play-off to secure the bronze medal.

Sweden 2–0 West Germany
Rydell 11'
Löfgren 86'		 Report
Attendance: 28,470
Referee: Vincenzo Orlandini (ITA)

Gold-medal match

Two goals from Puskás and Zoltán Czibor saw Hungary beat Yugoslavia and take the gold medal.[3]

1952 Summer Olympics Football Final
Hungary 2–0 Yugoslavia
Puskás 70'
Czibor 88'		 Report
Attendance: 58,553
Referee: Arthur Ellis (GBR)

Bracket

First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
            
 Hungary 3
 Italy 0
 Hungary 7
 Turkey 1
 Turkey 2
Netherlands Antilles 1
 Hungary 6
 Sweden 0
 Sweden 4
 Norway 1
 Sweden 3
 Austria 1
 Finland 3
 Austria 4
 Hungary 2
 Yugoslavia 0
 Denmark 2
 Poland 0
 Denmark 3
 Yugoslavia 5
 Yugoslavia 5 (3)
 Soviet Union 5 (1)
 Yugoslavia 3
 West Germany 1
 Luxembourg 1
 Brazil 2
 Brazil 2
 West Germany (a.e.t.) 4
 West Germany 3
 Egypt 1

Medalists

Gold: Silver: Bronze:
 Hungary
Gyula Grosics
Jenő Dalnoki
Imre Kovács
László Budai
Ferenc Puskás
Zoltán Czibor
Lajos Csordás
Jenő Buzánszky
Gyula Lóránt
Mihály Lantos
József Bozsik
József Zakariás
Nándor Hidegkuti
Sándor Kocsis
Péter Palotás		  Yugoslavia
Vladimir Beara
Branko Stanković
Tomislav Crnković
Zlatko Čajkovski
Ivan Horvat
Vujadin Boškov
Tihomir Ognjanov
Rajko Mitić
Bernard Vukas
Stjepan Bobek
Branko Zebec
Dušan Cvetković
Milorad Diskić
Ratko Čolić
Slavko Luštica
Zdravko Rajkov
Vladimir Čonč
Vladimir Firm		  Sweden
Karl Svensson
Lennart Samuelsson
Erik Nilsson
Holger Hansson
Bengt Gustavsson
Gösta Lindh
Sylve Bengtsson
Gösta Löfgren
Ingvar Rydell
Yngve Brodd
Gösta Sandberg
Olof Åhlund

Goalscorers

7 goals
6 goals
5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
Own goal

Soviet Union vs Yugoslavia

The first meeting between the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia is still the most famous one. On the political level, the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and the Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito split in 1948, which resulted in Yugoslavia being excluded from the Communist Information Bureau. The origin of the conflict was Tito's refusal to submit to Stalin's interpretations and visions of politics and in process becoming a Soviet satellite state. Before the match, both Tito and Stalin sent telegrams to their national teams, which showed just how important it was for the two head of states. Yugoslavia led 5–1, but a Soviet comeback in the last 15 minutes resulted in a 5–5 draw. The match was replayed, Yugoslavia winning 3–1. The defeat to the archrivals hit Soviet football hard, and after just three games played in the season, CDKA Moscow, who had made up most of the USSR squad, was forced to withdraw from the league and later disbanded. Furthermore, Boris Arkadiev, who coached both USSR and CDKA, was stripped of his Merited Master of Sports of the USSR title.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Football at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Games". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  2. ↑ "Puskas on life and football". The Guardian. 19 November 2006. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  3. ↑ Football at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Games Archived 14 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. sports-reference.com
  4. ↑ "USSR – Yugoslavia, the Story of Two Different Football Conceptions". russianfootballnews.com. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
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