The World Cup
The idea for the World Cup came from a
President of FIFA, Jules Rimet. He wanted all FIFA
countries to play together in a ‘football Olympics’.
This competition is officially called the Jules Rimet
Trophy. It is better known as the World Cup.
Only twelve nations entered the first competition in 1930.
There were no television cameras there to record that
Uruguay were the first winners.
Today every country in the world tries to qualify for the
final tournament. In north and south America, in Asia and
Africa, across the Pacific and in every corner of Europe
players dream of competing in a World Cup final.
In the sixteen tournaments since that first tournament
there have been only seven winning nations.
Brazil, Germany and Italy
Three countries have dominated
Brazil, Germany and Italy. But every tournament has
produced results that surprised the world. Who expected
North Korea to beat Italy in 1966? Or Cameroon to defeat
the holders, Argentina in 1990.
Every country that qualifies for the final has a chance of
winning. Perhaps that is why more than two billion people
will watch twenty four teams competing for a small gold
trophy in 2010.