United States v England (1950 FIFA World Cup) United States v England (1950 FIFA World Cup) The United States defeated England 1–0 on 29 June 1950, in a group match of the 1950 FIFA World Cup at Estádio Independência in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The result is notable as one of the biggest shocks in the tournament's history. Before the game, England were heavy favorites against a hastily assembled U.S. team, which was composed of part-time players. The game's only goal was scored by the U.S.'s Haitian-born center forward Joe Gaetjens. This game and the U.S. team were profiled by author Geoffrey Douglas in his book "The Game of
1938 FIFA World Cup 1950. As a result, Italy were the reigning World Cup holders for a record 16 years, from 1934 to 1950. The Italian Vice-President of FIFA, Dr. Ottorino Barassi, hid the trophy in a shoe-box under his bed throughout the Second World War and thus saved it from falling into the hands of occupying troops. Ten cities were planned to host the tournament; of these, all hosted matches except Lyon, which did not due to Austria's withdrawal. For a list of all squads that appeared in the final tournament, see "1938 FIFA World Cup squads". With seven goals, Leônidas is the