The final tournament of the 1938 FIFA World Cup was a single-elimination tournament involving the 16 teams which qualified for the tournament. The tournament began with the round of 16 on 4 June and concluded with the final on 19 June 1938. Italy won the final 4–2 for their second World Cup title.
Kick off times were scheduled at 17:00 for weekend matches (round of 16, quarter-finals and both finals), at 18:00 for matches in the middle of the week (semi-finals and replays).
Bracket
Round of 16
Switzerland vs Germany
Switzerland adopted a precursor version of the Catenaccio system to try stopping the talented German forwards. Thanks to this tactical system, the Swiss managed to frustrate the Germans despite going behind after a goal from Josef Gauchel. Switzerland drew level through André Abegglen after a mistake from Willibald Schmaus. Although the Germans pushed for the win, the game ended with a draw, forcing a replay.
GK Willy HuberRB Severino Minelli (c)LB August LehmannRH Hermann SpringerCH Sirio VernatiLH Ernst LörtscherOR Lauro AmadòIR André AbegglenCF Alfred BickelIL Eugen WalaschekOL Georges AebyManager:Karl RappanGK Rudolf RaftlRB Paul JanesLB Willibald SchmausRH Andreas KupferCH Hans Mock (c)LH Albin KitzingerOR Ernst LehnerIR Rudolf GelleschCF Josef GauchelIL Wilhelm HahnemannOL Hans Pesser Manager:Sepp Herberger
Assistant referees: Johannes van Moorsel (Netherlands) Paul Marenco (France)
Hungary vs Dutch East Indies
The difference in strength between the two teams was evident as the game resulted in a humiliation for the Dutch East Indies, which managed to hold out for just 13 minutes. In the second half, although Hungary relaxed their pressure, they were never truly troubled by the opponents.
GK József HádaRB Lajos KorányiLB Sándor BíróRH Gyula LázárCH József TurayLH István BaloghOR Ferenc SasIR Gyula ZsengellérCF György Sárosi (c)IL Géza ToldiOL Vilmos KohutManagers:Károly DietzAlfréd SchafferGK Mo Heng TanRB Jack SamuelsLB Frans G. HukomRH Sutan AnwarCH Frans Alfred MeengLH Achmad Nawir (c)OR M.J. Hans TaihuttuIR Tjaak PattiwaelCF Herman ZomersIL Suvarte SoedarmadjiOL The Hong DjienManager:Jan Mastenbroek
Assistant referees: Charles de la Salle (France) Karl Weingärtner (Germany)
Sweden vs Austria Austria did not participate due to the Anschluss, so Sweden advanced directly to the quarter-finals.
Sweden advanced on walkover.
Cuba vs Romania
Cuba, who had only qualified because other Latin American selections had withdrawn, impressed against Romania. Romania scored first through either Silviu Bindea or Nicolae Kovács, depending on the source. Cuba drew level through Héctor Socorro, who converted a cross from José Magriñá and then took the lead with a goal from Magriñá himself. However, equalisers from Iuliu Baratky and Ștefan Dobay forced a replay.
GK Benito CarvajalesRB Jacinto BarquínLB Manuel Chorens (c)RH Joaquín AriasCH José Antonio RodríguezLH Pedro BergésOR José MagriñáIR Tomás FernándezCF Héctor SocorroIL Juan TuñasOL Mario SosaManager:José TapiaGK Dumitru PavloviciRB Rudolf BürgerLB Vasile ChiroiuRH Vintilă CossiniCH Gheorghe RășinaruLH László RaffinskyOR Silviu BindeaIR Nicolae Kovács (c)CF Iuliu BaratkyIL Iuliu BodolaOL Ștefan DobayManagers:Alexandru SăvulescuCostel Rădulescu
Assistant referees: Ferdinand Valprede (France) Jean Merckx (France)
France vs Belgium The hosts took the lead with only 35 seconds on the clock thanks to a shot from close range by winger Émile Veinante. France doubled their advantage soon after, but the lead was halved before the interval thanks to Hendrik Isemborghs, who connected with a free kick from Bernard Voorhoof. In the second half, Jean Nicolas got his brace, sealing the victory for France.
GK Laurent Di LortoRB Hector CazenaveLB Étienne Mattler (c)RH Jean BastienCH Auguste JordanLH Raoul DiagneOR Alfred AstonIR Oscar HeissererCF Jean NicolasIL Edmond DelfourOL Émile VeinanteManager:Gaston BarreauGK Arnold BadjouRB Robert PaverickLB Corneel SeysRH John Van AlphenCH Émile Stijnen (c)LH Alfons De WinterOR Charles Vanden WouwerIR Bernard VoorhoofCF Hendrik IsemborghsIL Raymond BraineOL Fernand BuyleManager:Jack Butler
Assistant referees: Augustin Krist (Czechoslovakia) Alfred Birlem (Germany)
Italy vs Norway Mindful of the game played against Norway at the semi-finals of the 1936 Summer Olympics, when Italy managed to scrap a win only during extra time, Vittorio Pozzo was not to be overconfident. Italy managed to grab an early lead with Pietro Ferraris, but struggle to threaten Norway's goal further besides hitting the post once. In the second half, Norway was the better team, hitting the woodwork thrice and finally drawing level in the 83rd minute. Soon inside the extra time, Silvio Piola converted in goal a rebounded shot. Italy managed to hold out for the remaining time, reaching the quarter-finals.
GK Aldo OlivieriRB Eraldo MonzeglioLB Pietro RavaRH Pietro SerantoniCH Michele AndreoloLH Ugo LocatelliOR Piero PasinatiIR Giuseppe Meazza (c)CF Silvio PiolaIL Giovanni FerrariOL Pietro FerrarisManager: Vittorio PozzoGK Henry JohansenRB Rolf JohannessenLB Øivind HolmsenRH Kristian HenriksenCH Nils Eriksen (c)LH Rolf HolmbergOR Odd FrantzenIR Reidar KvammenCF Knut BrynildsenIL Magnar IsaksenOL Arne BrustadManager: Asbjørn Halvorsen
Assistant referees: Georges Boutoure (France) Paul Tréhou (France)
Brazil vs Poland
Czechoslovakia vs Netherlands
Finalist at the 1934 World Cup, Czechoslovakia faced a modest Dutch team. Czechoslovakia dominated the ball but did not manage to convert their possession into clear-cut chances against a defensively sound Dutch team. In fact, Czechoslovakia managed to take the lead only in extra-time through a long-range effort, scoring a further two goals by the end of the game.
GK František Plánička (c)RB Jaroslav BurgrLB Ferdinand DaučíkRH Josef KošťálekCH Jaroslav BoučekLH Vlastimil KopeckýOR Jan ŘíhaIR Ladislav ŠimůnekCF Josef ZemanIL Oldřich NejedlýOL Oldřich RulcManager:Josef MeissnerGK Adri van MaleRB Mauk WeberLB Bertus CaldenhoveRH Bas PaauweCH Wim AnderiesenLH Puck van Heel (c)OR Frank WelsIR Frans van der VeenCF Leen VenteIL Kick SmitOL Bertus de HarderManager:Bob Glendenning
Assistant referees: Eugené Olive (France) Victor Sdez (France)
Replay: Switzerland vs Germany This replay was five days later. Switzerland used the same line-ups as the first game, while Germany made a few changes. Georges Aeby was injured after a few minutes, forcing Switzerland to play with 10 men. Germany took soon advantage, scoring twice. However, Switzerland reacted well, and with Aeby back on the pitch in the second half, completed a remarkable comeback.
GK Willy HuberRB Severino Minelli (c)LB August LehmannRH Hermann SpringerCH Sirio VernatiLH Ernst LörtscherOR Lauro AmadòIR André AbegglenCF Alfred BickelIL Eugen WalaschekOL Georges AebyManager:Karl RappanGK Rudolf RaftlRB Paul JanesLB Jakob StreitleRH Andreas KupferCH Ludwig GoldbrunnerLH Stefan SkoumalOR Ernst LehnerIR Josef StrohCF Fritz Szepan (c)IL Wilhelm HahnemannOL Leopold NeumerManager:Sepp Herberger
Assistant referees: Johannes van Moorsel (Netherlands) Louis Baert (Belgium)
Replay: Cuba vs Romania The performance of Cuba's replacement goalkeeper Juan Ayra was equally exceptional as the one from Benito Carvajales in the original match. Romania took the lead with Ștefan Dobay in the first half, but Cuba fought back and scored two goals in rapid succession soon after the beginning of the second and managed to hold on to the score against all odds and reach the quarter-finals.
GK Juan AyraRB Jacinto BarquínLB Manuel Chorens (c)RH Joaquín AriasCH José Antonio RodríguezLH Pedro BergésOR José MagriñáIR Tomás FernándezCF Héctor SocorroIL Juan TuñasOL Mario SosaManager:José TapiaGK Robert SadowskiRB Rudolf BürgerLB Iacob FelecanRH Andrei BărbulescuCH Gheorghe Rășinaru (c)LH László RaffinskyOR Ion BogdanIR Ioachim MoldoveanuCF Iuliu BaratkyIL Gyula PrasslerOL Ștefan DobayManagers:Alexandru SăvulescuCostel Rădulescu
Assistant referees: Georges Capdeville (France) Paul Marenco (France)
Quarter-finals
Hungary vs Switzerland Hungary looked like the stronger team as the Swiss were missing key players such as Georges Aeby and Severino Minelli. Hungary took the lead with a header from György Sárosi. The result was in doubt for most of the second half, until Gyula Zsengellér sealed the game with a long-range effort in the dying minutes. Switzerland's manager Karl Rappan resigned after the game.
GK Antal SzabóRB Lajos KorányiLB Sándor BíróRH Antal SzalayCH József TurayLH Gyula LázárOR Ferenc SasIR Jenő VinczeCF György Sárosi (c)IL Gyula Zsengellér OL Vilmos KohutManagers:Károly DietzAlfréd SchafferGK Willy HuberRB Adolf StelzerLB August Lehmann (c)RH Hermann SpringerCH Sirio VernatiLH Ernst LörtscherOR Lauro AmadòIR André AbegglenCF Alfred BickelIL Eugen WalaschekOL Tullio GrassiManager:Karl Rappan
Assistant referees: Alois Beranek (Germany) Georges Boutoure (France)
Sweden vs Cuba
The result was never in doubt as Sweden was more accustomed to playing at this level. Gustav Wetterström netted a hat-trick before half-time, with the Cubans unable to deal with the relentless Swedish forward play, especially after Joaquín Arias was forced to leave the pitch injured. Tomás Fernández missed a penalty for Cuba.
GK Henock AbrahamssonRB Ivar ErikssonLB Olle KällgrenRH Erik AlmgrenCH Sven JacobssonLH Kurt SvanströmOR Arne NybergIR Sven JonassonCF Harry AnderssonIL Tore Keller (c)OL Gustav WetterströmManager: József NagyGK Benito CarvajalesRB Jacinto BarquínLB Manuel Chorens (c)RH Joaquín AriasCH José Antonio RodríguezLH Pedro BergésOR Pedro FerrerIR Tomás FernándezCF Héctor SocorroIL Juan TuñasOL Juan AlonzoManager:José Tapia
Assistant referees: Karl Weingärtner (Germany) Victor Sedez (France)
Italy vs France
Title-holders Italy met hosts France in what was considered one of the most enticing games of the tournament. Italy wore their Fascist affiliated black shirts despite the anti-Fascism protests that the team had received in France. Italy had a better start, scoring within the first nine minutes, but France levelled immediately. In the second half, France tried to control the ball but, in doing so, they left themselves open for the lethal Italian counter-attack. Silvio Piola scored a brace while unmarked, leading Italy to the semi-finals.
GK Aldo OlivieriRB Alfredo FoniLB Pietro RavaRH Pietro SerantoniCH Michele AndreoloLH Ugo LocatelliOR Amedeo BiavatiIR Giuseppe Meazza (c)CF Silvio PiolaIL Giovanni FerrariOL Gino ColaussiManager:Vittorio PozzoGK Laurent Di LortoRB Hector CazenaveLB Étienne Mattler (c)RH Jean BastienCH Auguste JordanLH Raoul DiagneOR Alfred AstonIR Oscar HeissererCF Jean NicolasIL Edmond DelfourOL Émile VeinanteManager:Gaston Barreau
Assistant referees: Hans Wüthrich (Switzerland) Ivan Eklind (Sweden)
Brazil vs Czechoslovakia
Replay: Brazil vs Czechoslovakia
GK WalterRB JaúLB NarizRH BrittoCH BrandãoLH ArgemiroOR RobertoIR LuisinhoCF Leônidas (c)IL TimOL PateskoManager:Adhemar PimentaGK Karel BurkertRB Jaroslav Burgr (c)LB Ferdinand DaučíkRH Josef KošťálekCH Jaroslav BoučekLH Arnošt KreuzOR Václav HorákIR Karel SeneckýCF Josef LudlIL Vlastimil KopeckýOL Oldřich RulcManager:Josef Meissner
Assistant referees: Ernest Kissenberger (France) Paul Marenco (France)
Semi-finals Hungary vs Sweden Sweden took the lead after just 35 seconds, but that remained the only goal scored by them. Hungary quickly settled in control of the game, scoring thrice before half-time. Sweden, who had impressed in previous games, could not resist the vastly superior opponent, who scored two additional goals in the second half, cruising towards the final after a comfortable win.