After 12 long years of anticipation and preparation, the hosts Qatar played their first-ever men’s World Cup match. However, touching the peak of anticlimax, The Maroon were kicked out of their group within the next five days, making Qatar the earliest men’s host nation to be eliminated from the tournament.
Notwithstanding the ongoing competition, the men’s FIFA World Cup usually tend to be a happy hunting ground for host countries. In its 92-year history, football’s prime spectacle has been played 21 times in 22 nations (the 2002 World Cup was co-hosted by Japan and South Korea). Barring South Africa in 2010, all host countries have at least progressed to the next round, while on eight occasions they’ve featured in the final of the tournament, lifting the cup six times.
FootTheBall glances at how each home nation fared when they were bestowed with the privilege of hosting this great footballing extravaganza.
1930, Uruguay – Champions
Having won two consecutive Olympic golds in European lands, there was little doubt as to which nation was going to hold the first World Cup, in which 13 teams participated.
La Celeste thrashed Yugoslavia 6-1 in the semifinals to meet Argentina at the newly-constructed, magnificent Estadio Centenario, in what was a rematch of the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics gold-medal match. Uruguay came back from 2-1 down to clinch the title 4-2.
1934, Italy – Champions
With the defending champions, Uruguay, boycotting the 1934 World Cup because only four European nations travelled to the previous tournament in the South American nation, the Italians doubled up on the field to win the cup while Mussolini and his party used the competition as a propaganda vehicle off the field.
Italy started with a massive 7-1 against the United States. The second-round fixture against Spain, which lasted for 210 minutes (because of the replay!), was the toughest hurdle for the hosts’ journey to glory.
They won the semifinals versus Austria 1-0 and beat Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the final, scoring a dramatic winner in extra time.
1938, France – Quarterfinals
In a 16-team World Cup without a group stage, France became the team to play the least number of games as a host nation.
Les Bleus comfortably won their pre-quarterfinal against Belgium (3-1) before losing by the same margin to the defending and eventual champions, Italy, who reportedly played the final under the orders, “Win or Die”, given by Italy’s supreme leader
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