Association football at the 1956 Summer Olympics

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Association football at the 1956 Summer Olympics
Tournament details
Host countryAustralia
Dates24 November – 8 December 1956
Teams11
Venue(s)2 (in 1 host city)
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

Defending champions Hungary were forced to withdraw due to the Soviet invasion of their country. This was the first Olympic football tournament where all the medalists were communist countries, with Yugoslavia and Bulgaria took silver and bronze respectively.

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] [5]

Venues

Melbourne
Olympic Park Stadium Melbourne Cricket Ground
Capacity: 40,000Capacity: 104,000
ROM 1979 MiNr3625 mt B002.jpg VFL Grand Final in 1945 at the MCG.jpg

Teams

Qualification

Squads

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 defending Olympic champions and 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.

Bulgaria led Great Britain 3–1 at half-time, when ratings from HMS Newcastle vaulted the fence and exhorted the team to show more grit, after which they were peacefully escorted off the field. The British team went on to lose 6–1. [6]

The Soviet Union 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: C.H. 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. Normal time finished 0–0, and Bulgaria scored first in extra time before conceding 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)

Bronze medal match

Bulgaria took Bronze defeating India 3–0.

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

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

Soviet Union  Flag of the Soviet Union.svg1–0Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia
Ilyin Soccerball shade.svg48' Report
Melbourne Cricket Ground , Melbourne
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 (a.e.t.)2
 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

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