There is no event in the world that attracts as much attention as a World Cup. The popularity of this tournament reaches an audience of billions every four years. But how was it in the beginning, how did this tournament come about, who were those who founded the first World Cup?



Curiosities and lasting memories are part and parcel of every exciting World Cup, and this was already evident in Uruguay in 1930: The European teams needed two weeks to cross the ocean by ship. The Belgians kept fit with apparatus gymnastics, the French relied more on card games. The Yugoslavs felt like they were on a cruise, hardly any training, but plenty of food. When they arrived in Montevideo, many of the Balkan players had too many pounds on their backs.



Gilberto de Almeida Rêgo, a referee, had previously caused a stir. He blew the whistle 6 minutes too early on the preliminary round match between Argentina and France, at a moment when a Frenchman was charging alone at the Argentine goalkeeper and could have scored the possible equalizer. In the Uruguay - Yugoslavia semifinal, Almeida Rêgo generously overlooked the fact that a policeman placed outside the pitch had given the assist for the South Americans' 2-1.



Argentina, the favorite, was also involved in one of the tournament's most controversial incidents, and once again a referee played a major role. In the Albiceleste's 6-3 win over Mexico, referee Ulysses Saucedo called five penalties for no apparent reason.



The Argentine fans had to mourn a moderate disaster before the final match. Thousands of them had set off on boats in the direction of Montevideo, but were then stranded on the Rio de la Plata due to thick fog and eventually had to listen to the game via radio broadcast. In the excessive jubilation and celebration over the temporary lead, some of the Argentine boats ran aground off the Uruguayan coast.


THE STORY OF THE FIRST WORLD CUP tells the incredible story of the first World Cup, a furious tournament full of excitement, emotion and turbulence. Previously unused original footage from government and private archives is used here. Scenes from the 1930 World Cup matches, protagonists, audiences and events, precursors of public viewing, newsreels and events surrounding the tournament are shown. Players, historians and football experts from all over the world take a stand on questions that were as relevant then as they are today: How much commercialization can the beautiful game tolerate? Is football a message of peace and international understanding, or does it symbolize violence? What role do antagonisms and prejudices play in the world's biggest sporting event? Using the example of Qatar 2022 and the Saudi Arabian first leg Al-Nassr FC, the successes of the Saudi and especially the Moroccan teams, we examine how the World Cup has changed over time.



There are many films with and about football, but not yet a film about the first World Cup. The first World Cup in 1930 in Uruguay was undoubtedly the big bang of football and gave birth to legends. Today it is a myth, but the founding fathers and the heroes of the first World Cup are almost forgotten. This is the untold story of the first World Cup in Uruguay in 1930.