Coupe des Nations

Last updated
Coupe des Nations
Coupe des Nations 1930.jpg
Organising body Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Servette FC
Founded1930
Abolished1930;95 years ago (1930)
RegionEurope
Number of teams10
Related competitions Small Club World Cup
Last champions Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946).svg Újpest

Coupe des Nations 1930 (English: Cup of Nations) was a football tournament in the summer of 1930 in Geneva, Switzerland, organized by local club Servette FC. Servette had just won the Swiss championship, and organized this event as a counterpoint to the first FIFA World Cup held at the same time in Uruguay, to which only few European countries (Belgium, France, Romania and Yugoslavia) sent a team. The tournament also marked the inauguration of the Stade des Charmilles. [1]

Contents

Some people regard this competition as a predecessor of UEFA Champions League, since it was the first organized competition for the national champion teams in Europe. The champions of all major European football nations of the pre-war years were invited, except for the British Home Nations, who were withdrawn from FIFA at the time.

The competition was won by Hungarian Újpest FC who scored 16 goals and conceded only 1 in 4 games. After winning the Coupe des Nations trophy, Újpest declared themselves 'Champion of the Champions'. [1]

In later years several attempts were made to create a tournament for the Champions of Europe. North-Italian cities were planning to host the competition in 1931, but it was abandoned due to financial reasons. [2] Finally in 1937, during the Paris Expo a tournament was held as a successor of the Geneva tournament, but only two champion teams accepted the invitation. [3] After the tournament Zürich, as the host of the 1939 Expo and Rome, the 1942 host made attempts to create the tournament, but both city's attempts failed. [4] The next time that the major European champions were called together was after the 1954 creation of UEFA who started the European Cup in 1955.

Participants

Notes:

First round

DateTeam #1ResultTeam #2
28 June Servette Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 0 – 7 Flag of Austria.svg First Vienna
29 June Séte Flag of France.svg 3 – 4 (aet) Flag of Germany.svg Fürth
29 June Slavia Flag of the Czech Republic.svg 4 – 2 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Cercle Brugge
30 June Újpest Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946).svg 3 – 1 Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg Irún
2 July Go Ahead Flag of the Netherlands.svg 0 – 4 Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg Bologna

Consolation round (losers first round)

DateTeam #1ResultTeam #2
1 July Servette Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 2 – 1 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Cercle Brugge
1 July Irún Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg 5 – 1 Flag of France.svg Sète

(Losing teams eliminated, winners progress to quarterfinals)

Quarter-finals

DateTeam #1ResultTeam #2
2 July First Vienna Flag of Austria.svg 7 – 1 Flag of Germany.svg Fürth
3 July Go Ahead Flag of the Netherlands.svg 0 – 7 Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946).svg Újpest
3 July Irún Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg 1 – 2 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Slavia
4 July Servette Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 4 – 1 Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg Bologna

Semi-finals

DateTeam #1ResultTeam #2
5 July Újpest Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946).svg 3 – 0 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Servette
5 July First Vienna Flag of Austria.svg 1 – 3 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Slavia

Third place match

DateTeam #1ResultTeam #2
6 July First Vienna Flag of Austria.svg 5 – 1 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Servette

Final

DateTeam #1ResultTeam #2
6 July Újpest Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946).svg 3 – 0 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Slavia

Match details

Coupe des Nations Final
Újpest Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946).svg 3–0 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Slavia Prague
János Köves Soccerball shade.svg25', 64', 77' Report
Stade des Charmilles , Geneva
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: Stanley Rous (England)

Final classification

References

  1. 1 2 Coupe des Nations 1930 by Bart Ceulemans and Michiel Zandbelt on the RSSSF
  2. Nemzeti Sport, July 9, 1930, page 3.
  3. RSSSF - Tournoi International de l'Expo Universelle de Paris 1937.
  4. Nemzeti Sport, August 1, 1937, page 1.

See also