Brazil, who were playing in their sixth finals out
of six in Sweden, presented a 17 year-old Pelé to the world; who went on to score against
Wales, claim a hat-trick in Brazil's (5:2) semi-final win over France and bag another two
in the final against the 1958 hosts, Sweden.
Eight years after their disappointing performance against Uruguay,
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil returned home with the
Jules Rimet Cup.... which they would keep forever after their third win, in 1970.
While the young Pelé was making the headlines, there was one record
he would never beat: Just Fontaine of France scored a record 13 goals in the tournament.
Pelé would only manage 12, in four World Cup Finals appearances.
The1958 World Cup is also the only time all British teams have made it
to the World Cup Finals. Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England were all drawn in
seperate groups, but none of them would make it to the semi-final stage.
The 16 teams were again arranged into four groups of 4 teams each,
with the first two teams moving on to the quarter-finals.
This time, unlike in
Switzerland, all the teams would play each other in their group. Again this would
result in a few play-offs for second place; where Wales would overcome Hungary; Northern
Ireland see off the challenge of Czechoslovakia; and England go out to the USSR.
