On June 29, 1950, a group of part-time soccer players achieved what remains the greatest upset in World Cup history. Playing in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, the United States Men’s National Team faced England. The odds were 3–1 that the English, known as the Kings of Football, would win the Cup. Meanwhile, the United States sat at 500-1.
Their coach, Bill Jeffrey, told reporters, “We have no chance.” The American team included a high school teacher, a machinist, factory workers, a Manhattan dishwasher, and two mailmen. and Frank Borghi as the Goalkeeper.
The game began exactly as expected. England was winning, with six clear shots on goal within the first twelve minutes. Then, in minute 37, U.S. midfielder Ed McIlvenny threw the ball in from the right flank to Walter Bahr, who pushed it into the English penalty area.
As England goalkeeper Bert Williams moved off his line to stop the ball, Gaetjens threw himself, redirecting the ball past the keeper and into the net.
The ball flew straight past the goalkeeper into the net. Brazilians in the stadium went crazy, knowing that a British loss could help their own team by eliminating England, which was their primary threat in the tournament.
The Americans held onto their 1-0 lead through the second half. As no substitutions were allowed, the team was getting really tired, but their defense remained strong. When the final whistle blew, the team could finally breathe and celebrate their win. Back home, only one U.S. journalist, Dent McSkimming of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, had traveled to cover the tournament, even paying his own travel. He later said that the American victory was “as if Oxford University sent a baseball team over here and it beat the Yankees.”
American newspapers didn’t cover football news because they were busy covering the Korean War. No one really celebrated the win, and the U.S. did not return to the World Cup until 1990 in Italy.
Teams met again at the World Cup in South Africa. That match, which was the fifth most-watched soccer game in U.S. history, ended in a 1-1 draw.
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