Association football at the 1956 Summer Olympics

Last updated

Association football at the 1956 Summer Olympics
Tournament details
Host countryAustralia
Dates24 November – 8 December 1956
Teams11
Venue(s) Melbourne Cricket Ground
Olympic Park Stadium
Final positions
ChampionsFlag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union (1st title)
Runners-upFlag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia
Third placeFlag of Bulgaria (1948-1967).svg  Bulgaria
Fourth placeFlag of India.svg  India
Tournament statistics
Matches played12
Goals scored53 (4.42 per match)
Attendance194,333 (16,194 per match)
Top scorer(s) Flag of India.svg Neville D'Souza
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Todor Veselinović
Flag of Bulgaria (1948-1967).svg Dimitar Milanov
(4 goals each) [1]
1952
1960

The association football tournament at the 1956 Summer Olympics was won by the Soviet Union. [2] [3]

Contents

Background

Following five withdrawals, the tournament featured three Eastern bloc teams and four from Asia. The other sides included in the draw were the United States, the United Team of Germany (which was de facto West Germany), Great Britain and the hosts Australia, competing in their first Olympic football tournament.

The tendency of Eastern bloc countries to provide state-funding for their athletes put Western amateurs at a significant disadvantage. As a result, all Olympic football tournaments 1952 onwards were dominated by the Soviet Union and its satellites. [4]

Venues

Melbourne
Olympic Park Stadium Melbourne Cricket Ground
Capacity: 40,000Capacity: 104,000
Olympicparkmel.JPG VFL Grand Final in 1945 at the MCG.jpg

Final tournament

First round

German players Rudi Hoffmann (left) and Max Schwall (right) Rudi Hoffmann und Max Schwall.jpg
German players Rudi Hoffmann (left) and Max Schwall (right)

Five of the sixteen qualified teams withdrew before the final draw: Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China (who boycotted the Games to protest the reception of Taiwan), Flag of Egypt (1922-1958).svg  Egypt (who boycotted the Games to protest the Israeli, British and French invasion), Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey , Flag of South Vietnam.svg  South Vietnam , and the recent World Cup runners-up Flag of Hungary (1949-1956; 1-2 aspect ratio).svg  Hungary , a nation that was cheered in other Olympic contests due to their ongoing suppression by Soviet troops.

Therefore, only three games were played in the first round: as China and Turkey had been drawn against each other, their match was scratched.

The Soviet Union defeated the United Team of Germany 2–1, Great Britain defeated Thailand 9–0, and Australia defeated Japan 2–0.

Soviet Union  Flag of the Soviet Union.svg2–1German Olympic flag (1959-1968).svg  United Team of Germany
Isayev Soccerball shade.svg23'
Streltsov Soccerball shade.svg86'
Report Habig Soccerball shade.svg89'
Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Robert Mann (Great Britain)

Great Britain  Flag of the United Kingdom.svg9–0Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand
Twissell Soccerball shade.svg12', 20'
Lewis Soccerball shade.svg21' (pen.)
Laybourne Soccerball shade.svg30', 82', 85'
Bromilow Soccerball shade.svg75', 78'
Topp Soccerball shade.svg90'
Report

Australia  Flag of Australia (converted).svg2–0Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan
McMillan Soccerball shade.svg26' (pen.)
Loughran Soccerball shade.svg61'
Report
Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
Attendance: 3,568
Referee: Reginald Lund (New Zealand)

Byes: Bulgaria  Flag of Bulgaria (1948-1967).svg (drawn against Egypt, who withdrew), India  Flag of India.svg (drawn against Hungary, who withdrew), Indonesia  Flag of Indonesia.svg (drawn against South Vietnam, who withdrew), United States  Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg and Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia (drawn against each other: match was postponed to the quarter-finals).

Quarter-finals

Yugoslavia defeated the United States 9–1.

Great Britain lost 6–1 to Bulgaria, and at half-time, ratings from HMS Newcastle vaulted the fence and exhorted the team to show more grit, after which they were peacefully escorted off the field. [5]

The Soviets drew their game against Indonesia 0–0 and won 4–0 in the replay.

The Indians defeated Australia 4–2 with a hat trick by centre forward Neville D'Souza, the first by an Asian in the Olympics. Prior to the game there had been debate, once again, as to whether the Indians should be shod. Sir Stanley Rous respected their decision either way, although in the end, the Indians decided to wear boots. The Indonesian referee disallowed two first half goals. Bob Bignall the Australian captain was unable to get an intelligible reply out of him during the break.

Yugoslavia  Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg9–1Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States
Veselinović Soccerball shade.svg10', 84', 90'
Antić Soccerball shade.svg12', 73'
Mujić Soccerball shade.svg16', 35', 56'
Papec Soccerball shade.svg20'
Report Zerhusen Soccerball shade.svg42'
Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
Attendance: 5,292
Referee: Maurice Swain (New Zealand)

Soviet Union  Flag of the Soviet Union.svg0–0 (a.e.t.)Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia
Report
Soviet Union  Flag of the Soviet Union.svg4–0Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia
Salnikov Soccerball shade.svg17', 59'
Ivanov Soccerball shade.svg19'
Netto Soccerball shade.svg43'
Report
Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
Attendance: 6,735
Referee: Reginald Lund (New Zealand)

Bulgaria  Flag of Bulgaria (1948-1967).svg6–1Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Dimitrov Soccerball shade.svg6'
Kolev Soccerball shade.svg40', 85'
Milanov Soccerball shade.svg45', 75', 80'
Report Lewis Soccerball shade.svg30'
Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
Attendance: 6,748
Referee: Ron Wright (Australia)

Australia  Flag of Australia (converted).svg2–4Flag of India.svg  India
Morrow Soccerball shade.svg17', 41' Report D'Souza Soccerball shade.svg9', 33', 50'
Krishnaswamy Soccerball shade.svg80'
Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
Attendance: 7,413
Referee: Chris Wensveen (Indonesia)

Semi-finals

Yugoslavia defeated India 4–1. It would be their third consecutive Olympic final, after losing both in 1948 and 1952.

The Soviets defeated Bulgaria 2–1. Bulgaria scored first and conceded two goals in the last six minutes of the game.

Yugoslavia  Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg4–1Flag of India.svg  India
Papec Soccerball shade.svg54', 65'
Veselinović Soccerball shade.svg57'
Salam Soccerball shade.svg78' (o.g.)
Report D'Souza Soccerball shade.svg52'

Soviet Union  Flag of the Soviet Union.svg2–1 (a.e.t.)Flag of Bulgaria (1948-1967).svg  Bulgaria
Streltsov Soccerball shade.svg112'
Tatushin Soccerball shade.svg116'
Report Kolev Soccerball shade.svg95'
Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne
Attendance: 21,079
Referee: Robert Mann (Great Britain)

Finals

Yugoslavia were playing Red Star Belgrade's Dragoslav Šekularac in this tournament; he would feature in the 1960 European Nations' Cup final. They lost 1–0 to a second half Anatoli Ilyin goal.

Bulgaria took Bronze defeating India 3–0.

Bronze Medal match

Bulgaria  Flag of Bulgaria (1948-1967).svg3–0Flag of India.svg  India
Diev Soccerball shade.svg37', 60'
Milanov Soccerball shade.svg42'
Report

Gold Medal match

Soviet Union  Flag of the Soviet Union.svg1–0Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia
Ilyin Soccerball shade.svg48' Report
Attendance: 86,716
Referee: Ron Wright (Australia)

Bracket

Indian team at a tussle against Bulgaria in the bronze-medal match. India national football team at1956 Olympics.png
Indian team at a tussle against Bulgaria in the bronze-medal match.
First roundQuarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia
November – Olympic Park
 bye
 Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia 9
 Flag of the United States.svg  United States 1
 Flag of the United States.svg  United States
December – MCG
 bye
 Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia 4
November
 Flag of India.svg  India 1
 Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2
December – MCG
 Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg  Japan 0
 Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2
 Flag of India.svg  India 4
 Flag of India.svg  India
December – MCG
 bye
 Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia 0
 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 1
 Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia
December – Olympic Park
 bye
 Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia 0
November
 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 4
 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 2
December – Olympic Park
 German Olympic flag (1959-1968).svg  United Team of Germany 1
 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 2 (a.e.t.)
 Flag of Bulgaria (1948-1967).svg  Bulgaria 1
 Flag of Bulgaria (1948-1967).svg  Bulgaria
December – MCG
 bye
 Flag of Bulgaria (1948-1967).svg  Bulgaria 6
NovemberDecember – MCG
 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 1
 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 9 Flag of India.svg  India 0
 Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand 0 Flag of Bulgaria (1948-1967).svg  Bulgaria 3

Goalscorers

There were 53 goals scored in 12 matches, for an average of 4.42 goals per match.

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

Medalists

GoldSilverBronze
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia Flag of Bulgaria (1948-1967).svg  Bulgaria
Lev Yashin
Nikolai Tishchenko
Mikhail Ogonkov
Aleksei Paramonov
Anatoli Bashashkin
Igor Netto
Boris Tatushin
Anatoli Isayev
Eduard Streltsov
Valentin Ivanov
Vladimir Ryzhkin
Boris Kuznetsov
Iosif Betsa
Sergei Salnikov
Boris Razinsky
Anatoli Maslenkin
Anatoli Ilyin
Nikita Simonyan
Yury Belyayev
Anatoli Porkhunov
Sava Antić
Ibrahim Biogradlić
Mladen Koščak
Dobroslav Krstić
Luka Liposinović
Muhamed Mujić
Zlatko Papec
Petar Radenković
Nikola Radović
Ivan Santek
Dragoslav Šekularac
Ljubiša Spajić
Todor Veselinović
Blagoja Vidinić
Stefan Bozhkov
Todor Diev
Georgi Dimitrov
Milcho Goranov
Ivan Petkov Kolev
Nikola Kovachev
Manol Manolov
Dimitar Milanov
Georgi Naydenov
Panayot Panayotov
Kiril Rakarov
Gavril Stoyanov
Krum Yanev
Yordan Yosifov
Pavel Vladimirov
Iliya Kirchev

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1958 FIFA World Cup</span> Association football tournament in Sweden

The 1958 FIFA World Cup was the sixth FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial football tournament for men's senior national teams, and was played in Sweden from 8 to 29 June 1958. It was the first FIFA World Cup to be played in a Nordic country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1962 FIFA World Cup</span> Association football tournament in Chile

The 1962 FIFA World Cup was the seventh edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football championship for senior men's national teams. It was held from 30 May to 17 June 1962 in Chile. The qualification rounds took place between August 1960 and December 1961, with 56 teams entering from six confederations, and fourteen qualifying for the finals tournament alongside Chile, the hosts, and Brazil, the defending champions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UEFA Euro 1992</span> 9th European association football championship

The 1992 UEFA European Football Championship was hosted by Sweden between 10 and 26 June 1992. It was the ninth UEFA European Championship, which is held every four years and supported by UEFA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 AFC Asian Cup</span> International football competition

The 2007 AFC Asian Cup was the 14th edition of the men's AFC Asian Cup, a quadrennial international football tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The finals were held from 7 to 29 July 2007. For the first time in its history, the competition was co-hosted by four countries in Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam; it was the first time in football history more than two countries joined host of a major continental competition and the only one to had ever taken place until UEFA Euro 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1956–57 European Cup</span> 2nd season of the UEFA club football tournament

The 1956–57 European Cup was the second season of the European Cup, Europe's premier club football tournament. The competition was won for the second time by Real Madrid, who beat Fiorentina 2–0 in the final at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid, on 30 May 1957.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bulgaria at the 1956 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Bulgaria competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia and Stockholm, Sweden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Football at the 1984 Summer Olympics</span> International football competition

The association football (soccer) tournament at the 1984 Summer Olympics started on July 29 and ended on August 11, taking place throughout the United States. It was the first Olympic soccer competition in which officially professional players were allowed. Until then, the amateur-only rule had heavily favored socialist countries from the Eastern Bloc whose players were professionals in all but name. However, as agreed with FIFA to preserve the primacy of the World Cup, the Olympic competition was restricted to players with no more than five "A" caps at tournament start, regardless of age.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estadio El Teniente</span> Stadium in Rancagua, Chile

Estadio El Teniente, also known as Estadio El Teniente-Codelco for sponsorship reasons, is a multi-purpose stadium in Rancagua, Chile. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium can fit 14,087 people and was built in 1945 with the name Braden Copper Company Stadium (Estadio Braden Copper Co.). The stadium is home to football club O'Higgins, which is based in Rancagua.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Football at the 1952 Summer Olympics</span> International football competition

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

The 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship, the second staging of the FIFA World Youth Championship, was held in Japan from 26 August to 7 September 1979. It was the first FIFA tournament played in Asia. The tournament took place in four cities — Kobe, Omiya, Tokyo and Yokohama — where a total of 32 matches were played, four more than in the previous edition due to the addition of a quarterfinal round in the knockout stage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1993 FIFA World Youth Championship</span> International football competition

The 1993 FIFA World Youth Championship, known as the 1993 FIFA/Coca-Cola World Youth Championship for sponsorship purposes, was the 9th edition FIFA World Youth Championship. U20 Brazil defeated Ghana, 2–1 for its third title. It took place across five cities in Australia. The tournament was originally to be held in Yugoslavia, but due to the Yugoslav Wars, was moved to Australia.

The 2006 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup was a series in the Australian A-League football competition held in July and August in the lead up to the start of the main season. The opening round was 15 July 2006. The competition featured a group stage, with three regular rounds and a bonus round, followed by a two-week finals playoff. The bonus group round matched up teams against opponents from the other group, and also offered the incentive of "bonus points" based on goals scored.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1960 European Nations' Cup final</span> Association football match

The 1960 European Nations' Cup Final was a football match at the Parc des Princes, Paris, on 10 July 1960, to determine the winner of the 1960 European Nations' Cup. It was the first UEFA European Football Championship final, UEFA's top football competition for national teams. The match was contested by the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. En route to the final, the Soviet Union defeated Hungary over a two-legged tie before receiving a walkover in the quarter-final after Spain withdrew from the tournament. In the semi-final, the Soviet Union won 3–0 against Czechoslovakia. Yugoslavia defeated Bulgaria, Portugal and France, the host nation for the finals.

The 1948 Balkan Cup, officially called the Balkan and Central European Championship, was played between April and November 1948 between Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Poland and Czechoslovakia. It was Poland and Czechoslovakia's first and only participation in the tournament, which was not completed. Hungary was leading the table at the time it was abandoned.

The men's qualification for association football tournament at the 1956 Summer Olympics was the first time the qualifying round was done on a home-and-away basis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Switzerland at the FIFA World Cup</span> Overview of the performance of Switzerland at the FIFA World Cup

The FIFA World Cup, sometimes called the Football World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the first tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 due to World War II.

The 1955–60 Central European International Cup was the final edition of the Central European International Cup. It was replaced by the European Nations Championship. Yugoslavia took part for the first time.

The knockout stage of the 1962 FIFA World Cup was the second and final stage of the competition, following the group stage. The knockout stage began on 10 June with the quarter-finals and ended on 17 June 1962 with the final match, held at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago. The top two teams from each group advanced to the knockout stage to compete in a single-elimination style tournament. A third place play-off also was played between the two losing teams of the semi-finals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India national football team results (1938–1959)</span>

Results of India national football team from 1933–1959.

The 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification was an international men's under-23 football competition which decided the participating teams of the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.

References

  1. Olympic Football Tournament Melbourne 1956 – Top goalscoring players. FIFA.com
  2. "Football at the 1956 Melbourne Summer Games". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
  3. Esamie, Thomas (sources: Sydney Morning Herald ; personal records of Alan Garside Snr) (25 October 1999). "Games of the XVI. Olympiad: Football Tournament (Melbourne, Australia, 24th November – 8th December 1956)". RSSSF . Archived from the original on 22 September 2008. Retrieved 14 October 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. "Australian Online Soccer Museum". Archived from the original on 3 November 2005. Retrieved 3 November 2006.
  5. "News .....taken from "The Socceroos and their Opponents" by Laurie Schwab". Australian Online Soccer Museum. Australian Soccer Preservation Society. Archived from the original on 27 August 2006.