Brazil Lost the World Cup! By Dave Bartholemew

Yes, you read that correctly... Brazil lost the World Cup! But when was that and how come they still haven't got over it?

OK, you'll have to go back a while. Sixty years in fact. The thing was they were hosting the event. The one and only time that Brazil host the World Cup and they go and lose it. Lose it to near neighbours Uruguay in the final in front of over 199,000 people!

That crowd is a record by the way, a record for any football match. The final was held at the Estadio Maracana in Rio de Janeiro on July 4th 1950 and obviously Brazil were clear favourites to win. But it was more than that. The nation did not hope for a win... they expected it. A team containing the 'three musketeers', Ademir, Zizinho and Jair in attack just could not lose.

And they scored first, two minutes into the second half, Friaca's goal was met with the loudest roar of all time.

The crowd were silenced however in the 66th minute as Uruguayan legend Schiaffino equalised.

With Brazil continuing to press forward Ghiggia caught them on the break with the winner on 79 minutes.

The unthinkable had happened. Brazil had beaten beaten at home in their own footballing citadel, The Maracana. A huge stadium built for this day.

In a crowd of nearly 200,000 people there was utter silence and disbelief. The effect on the Brazilian nation of that defeat is still felt by many today. At the time Brazilians did not believe they could become a great nation until they had won the World Cup.

And to this day they still regard it as shameful.

Incredible isn't it? The Brazilians have won the World Cup a record breaking 5 times, in Ronaldo they have the highest scorer in World Cup history.

Brazil have seven of the past Golden Ball winners, four of the past Golden Boot winners, more than any other nation.

And yet they still haven't got over that defeat in the Maracana stadium 60 years ago!

I guess only victory in 2014 (when they again host the event) will finally satisfy them.
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