154-521: Vittorio Pozzo ( Italian pronunciation: [vitˈtɔːrjo ˈpottso] ; 2 March 1886 – 21 December 1968) was an Italian football player, manager and journalist . The creator of the Metodo tactical formation , Pozzo is regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time, and is the only manager to guide a national team to two FIFA World Cup titles as coach, leading the Italy national team to victory in
308-559: A 1–1 draw with Brazil, before beating Serbia 2–1 through a late winning goal from Xherdan Shaqiri . The game with Serbia sparked controversy for the celebrations performed by goalscorers Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka (both ethnic Albanians ), along with Stephan Lichtsteiner as the trio performed a celebration where they crossed their hands to depict a double-headed eagle , the official emblem of Albania , considered by many as an Albanian nationalist symbol, however, they were not banned by FIFA for this. Their final group game
462-601: A stele of c. 375–400 BCE in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens appears on the UEFA European Championship trophy. Athenaeus , writing in 228 CE, mentions the Roman ball game harpastum . Phaininda, episkyros and harpastum were played involving hands and violence. They all appear to have resembled rugby football , wrestling , and volleyball more than what
616-477: A 2–2 draw, Switzerland's hopes of qualifying were mathematically made impossible. In the final game, Switzerland earned redemption against Montenegro as they came out with a 2–0 win. Switzerland's top goalscorer during the qualifying period was Xherdan Shaqiri, with 4 goals. At the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Switzerland were drawn to play France , Honduras and Ecuador in the group stage . They advanced to
770-415: A FIFA World Cup record by being eliminated from the tournament despite not conceding a single goal, being eliminated by Ukraine after penalties in the round of sixteen . They did not concede a goal until a match against Chile at the 2010 FIFA World Cup , conceding in the 75th minute , setting a World Cup tournament record for consecutive minutes without conceding a goal. Switzerland and Austria were
924-488: A French XI team in 1920, and also made up most of the England team against a Scottish Ladies XI in the same year, winning 22–0. Despite being more popular than some men's football events, with one match seeing a 53,000 strong crowd in 1920, women's football in England suffered a blow in 1921 when The Football Association outlawed the playing of the game on association members' pitches, stating that "the game of football
1078-534: A broken leg at the hand of the Spaniards in the first leg, and would not play for the Italian national team again. Italy's 1–0 victory in the replay ultimately earned them a place in the semi-finals. Italy also benefited from the quarter-final draw between Hungary and Austria, which saw Austria prevail 2–1 in a highly competitive encounter. By the time of the semi-final, Johann Horvath was absent through injury, and Italy won
1232-442: A caution ( yellow card ) or dismissal ( red card ). A second yellow card in the same game leads to a red card, which results in a dismissal. A player given a yellow card is said to have been "booked", the referee writing the player's name in their official notebook. If a player has been dismissed, no substitute can be brought on in their place and the player may not participate in further play. Misconduct may occur at any time, and while
1386-564: A competitive game, and involved the kicking of a mari , a ball made of animal skin. In North America, pasuckuakohowog was a ball game played by the Algonquians ; it was described as "almost identical to the kind of folk football being played in Europe at the same time, in which the ball was kicked through goals". Phaininda and episkyros were Greek ball games. An image of an episkyros player depicted in low relief on
1540-667: A controversial penalty scored by Ricardo Rodríguez , and three days later played in the second leg , drawing 0–0 and advancing to the World Cup finals in Russia with a 1–0 aggregate win. Before the World Cup , Switzerland were ranked 6th in the world ranking , even ranking higher than eventual World Cup winners France . At the World Cup, Switzerland were drawn to play Brazil , Serbia and Costa Rica in Group E . They began their campaign with
1694-497: A deadlock; some competitions may invoke replays . A game tied at the end of regulation time may go into extra time, which consists of two further 15-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, some competitions allow the use of penalty shoot-outs (known officially in the Laws of the Game as "kicks from the penalty mark") to determine which team will progress to the next stage of
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#17328551375411848-482: A defeat. In their first match at the 2010 FIFA World Cup , the team defeated eventual champions Spain 1–0 with a goal by Gelson Fernandes , but they were still eliminated in the group stage . In the second match, a goal scored by Mark González in the 75th minute of the game against Chile ended a 559-minute streak without conceding a goal in World Cup matches, beating the record previously held by Italy by nine minutes. Switzerland did not advance further than
2002-639: A disease. After the death of his wife, he moved to Milan , where he held his job at Pirelli, alongside his work as a journalist for La Stampa in Turin, which he continued almost until his death. Pozzo returned to coach the Italy national team on a permanent basis in December 1929. Italy won the 1930 edition of the Central European International Cup , defeating Hungary 5–0 in Budapest . They pipped
2156-635: A family originally from Ponderano . He attended the Liceo Cavour in Turin, his hometown; he later studied languages and played football in France, Switzerland and England. He studied in Manchester at the turn of the 20th century and met Manchester United half-back Charlie Roberts and Derby County 's inside-left Steve Bloomer . As a player, Pozzo played professionally in Switzerland for Grasshopper Club Zürich
2310-464: A formation of the type 2–3–2–3 , or " WW ", because it repeated the form of these letters on the field. The metodo system was well–suited to highly technical teams whose strategies were predominantly based on a slower game made up of possession and much short passing on the ground, in contrast to the English sistema , which favoured faster, more aggressive, and athletic gameplay. Pozzo was also known to be
2464-400: A goal has been scored or not; this was brought in to prevent controversy. Video assistant referees (VAR) have also been increasingly introduced in high-level matches to assist officials through video replays to correct clear and obvious mistakes. There are four types of calls that can be reviewed: mistaken identity in awarding a red or yellow card, goals and whether there was a violation during
2618-566: A group that featured Russia , the Republic of Ireland , Albania and Georgia . The Swiss finished with 21 points and qualified for the finals in Portugal , where they were drawn in Group B with defending champions France , England and Croatia . They began the tournament with a 0–0 draw with Croatia before succumbing to a 3–0 defeat to England in the next match. They lost their final match against France; losing 3–1 and finishing bottom of
2772-431: A highly aggressive manner, with several players of both sides injured as a result of the extremely physical play: a foul on goalkeeper Ricardo Zamora for the equaliser in the first leg went unpunished, which ruled him out of the replay, while another on his replacement Joan Josep Nogués in the replay was also ignored; at least three Spaniards had to depart the field with injuries. The Italian Mario Pizziolo also suffered
2926-430: A journalist with La Stampa after retiring from football management, resuming a career he had worked in prior to his successes as coach of Italy. He reported on the 1950 FIFA World Cup as part of his work covering Italy national team matches. After watching Italy win the 1968 European Football Championship on home soil, the successor to the Central European International Cup title, which he had won twice with
3080-628: A latex bladder for pressurisation, but modern balls at all levels of the game are now synthetic. As the Laws were formulated in England, and were initially administered solely by the four British football associations within IFAB , the standard dimensions of a football pitch were originally expressed in imperial units . The Laws now express dimensions with approximate metric equivalents (followed by traditional units in brackets), though use of imperial units remains popular in English-speaking countries with
3234-519: A meeting attended by representatives from Eton , Harrow , Rugby , Winchester and Shrewsbury schools. They were not universally adopted. During the 1850s, many clubs unconnected to schools or universities were formed throughout the English-speaking world to play various forms of football. Some came up with their own distinct codes of rules, most notably the Sheffield Football Club , formed by former public school pupils in 1857, which led to
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#17328551375413388-426: A penalty kick. Other markings define the position of the ball or players at kick-offs , goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks. A standard adult football match consists of two halves of 45 minutes each. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play. There is usually a 15-minute half-time break between halves. The end of the match is known as full-time. The referee
3542-509: A pioneer in his use of pre-tournament training camps. He is regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time. The other matter that Pozzo benefited from was the oriundi (that is foreign-born Italian 'nationals') which permitted Italy to take advantage of those players from other countries who could claim some type of Italian ancestry. In the 1930s he was able to call on Luis Monti , a midfielder who had appeared for Argentina in their 1930 FIFA World Cup Final defeat to Uruguay , and who
3696-416: A relatively recent history of metrication (or only partial metrication), such as Britain. The length of the pitch, or field, for international adult matches is in the range of 100–110 m (110–120 yd) and the width is in the range of 64–75 m (70–80 yd). Fields for non-international matches may be 90–120 m (100–130 yd) in length and 45–90 m (50–100 yd) in width, provided
3850-567: A similar ancient game ( cuju , or tsu chu ) was played by women during the Han dynasty (25–220 CE), as female figures are depicted in frescoes of the period playing tsu chu . There are also reports of annual football matches played by women in Midlothian , Scotland, during the 1790s. Association football, the modern game, has documented early involvement of women. In 1863, football governing bodies introduced standardised rules to prohibit violence on
4004-456: A telegram wishing us well, but no never 'win or die'." With the 1938 World Cup victory, Pozzo became the first ever manager to win two editions of the FIFA World Cup coaching one same team, a feat that has yet to be matched in men's international football, and which would stand until the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup , when Jill Ellis became the second international manager to do so as coach of
4158-523: A total match time of 90 minutes. With an estimated 250 million players active in over 200 countries and territories, it is the world's most popular sport. The game of association football is played in accordance with the Laws of the Game , a set of rules that has been in effect since 1863 and maintained by the IFAB since 1886. The game is played with a football that is 68–70 cm (27–28 in) in circumference . The two teams compete to score goals by getting
4312-554: A truce to the nation's civil war in 2006 and it helped further reduce tensions between government and rebel forces in 2007 by playing a match in the rebel capital of Bouaké , an occasion that brought both armies together peacefully for the first time. By contrast, football is widely considered to have been the final proximate cause for the Football War in June 1969 between El Salvador and Honduras . The sport also exacerbated tensions at
4466-432: A variety of positions in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the Laws. The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards . An athletic supporter and protective cup is highly recommended for male players by medical experts and professionals. Headgear
4620-415: Is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players each, who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a ball around a rectangular field called a pitch . The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposing team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular-framed goal defended by the opposing team. Traditionally, the game has been played over two 45-minute halves, for
4774-534: Is controlled by the Swiss Football Association . Switzerland's best performances at the FIFA World Cup have been three quarter-finals appearances, in 1934 , 1938 and 1954 . They hosted the competitions in 1954, where they played against Austria in the quarter-finals match, losing 7–5 , which still stands as the highest scoring World Cup match ever. At the 2006 FIFA World Cup , Switzerland set
Vittorio Pozzo - Misplaced Pages Continue
4928-463: Is governed by FIFA . Under FIFA, there are six continental confederations: AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA . Of these confederations, CONMEBOL is the oldest one, being founded in 1916. National associations (e.g. The FA in England) are responsible for managing the game in their own countries both professionally and at an amateur level, and coordinating competitions in accordance with
5082-564: Is linked closely to the success of his strikers. In the 1938 World Cup another ' oriundo ' was the Uruguayan Michele Andreolo . Brian Glanville has stated that Pozzo was not a fascist; he did, however, work alongside Giorgio Vaccaro during the 1934 World Cup campaign – a general from the fascist militia, who was also the head of the Italian Football Federation at the time. According to Gian Paolo Ormezzano, Pozzo
5236-410: Is marked by the goal line, two lines starting on the goal line 16.5 m (18 yd) from the goalposts and extending 16.5 m (18 yd) into the pitch perpendicular to the goal line, and a line joining them. This area has a number of functions, the most prominent being to mark where the goalkeeper may handle the ball and where a penalty foul by a member of the defending team becomes punishable by
5390-438: Is not a required piece of basic equipment, but players today may choose to wear it to protect themselves from head injury. Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials. A number of players may be replaced by substitutes during
5544-509: Is not possible because we will go to Paris, because we will beat you in Marseille". They then reportedly offered Pozzo the ironic hospitality of a plane ride to Paris to see them play in the final. Pozzo reported to the Italian side what the Brazilians had told him to rouse the pride of the players. It was the psychological premise for revenge in the match, which Italy went on to win 2–1. Afterwards,
5698-405: Is positioned on each goal line, midway between the two touchlines. The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 7.32 m (24 ft) apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported by the goal posts must be 2.44 m (8 ft) above the ground. Nets are usually placed behind the goal, but are not required by the Laws. In front of the goal is the penalty area. This area
5852-800: Is quite unsuitable for females and should not be encouraged." Players and football writers have argued that this ban was, in fact, due to envy of the large crowds that women's matches attracted, and because the FA had no control over the money made from the women's game. The FA ban led to the formation of the short-lived English Ladies Football Association and play moved to rugby grounds. Women's football also faced bans in several other countries , notably in Brazil from 1941 to 1979, in France from 1941 to 1970, and in Germany from 1955 to 1970. Restrictions began to be reduced in
6006-506: Is recognisable as modern football. As with pre-codified mob football , the antecedent of all modern football codes , these three games involved more handling the ball than kicking it. Association football in itself does not have a classical history. Notwithstanding any similarities to other ball games played around the world, FIFA has described that no historical connection exists with any game played in antiquity outside Europe. The history of football in England dates back to at least
6160-579: Is the dominant region in women's football, with the United States winning the most FIFA Women's World Cups and Olympic tournaments. Europe and Asia come second and third in terms of international success, and the women's game has been improving in South America. Association football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game . The game is played using a spherical ball of 68–70 cm (27–28 in) circumference, known as
6314-451: Is the official timekeeper for the match, and may make an allowance for time lost through substitutions, injured players requiring attention, or other stoppages. This added time is called "additional time" in FIFA documents, but is most commonly referred to as stoppage time or injury time , while lost time can also be used as a synonym. The duration of stoppage time is at the sole discretion of
Vittorio Pozzo - Misplaced Pages Continue
6468-435: Is thought to have been borrowed from the slang of Rugby School . Initially spelt assoccer (a shortening of "association"), it was later reduced to the modern spelling. This form of slang also gave rise to rugger for rugby football, fiver and tenner for five pound and ten pound notes , and the now-archaic footer that was also a name for association football. The word soccer arrived at its current form in 1895 and
6622-404: Is to score goals; defenders , who specialise in preventing their opponents from scoring; and midfielders , who dispossess the opposition and keep possession of the ball to pass it to the forwards on their team. Players in these positions are referred to as outfield players, to distinguish them from the goalkeeper. These positions are further subdivided according to the area of the field in which
6776-421: The football (or soccer ball ). Two teams of eleven players each compete to get the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts and under the bar), thereby scoring a goal. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw. Each team is led by a captain who has only one official responsibility as mandated by
6930-403: The 1912 Summer Olympics , the Italy national team was guided by "technical commissions", when Pozzo was appointed as the first head coach of the national team during the debut of an Italian selection in an official competition. Italy was eliminated in the first round after a 3–2 loss to Finland in extra time , on 29 June. Pozzo resigned after his third match, being defeated 5–1 by Austria in
7084-473: The 1934 and 1938 FIFA World Cups . Nicknamed Il Vecchio Maestro ("The Old Master"), he also led Italy to a gold medal at the 1936 Olympic football tournament , becoming the only manager to win both Olympic Games and World Cup , and managed the Italian championship squads of the 1930 and 1935 editions of the Central European International Cup . Vittorio Pozzo was born in Turin , Italy on 2 March 1886, into
7238-438: The 1936 Summer Olympics on the back of a run which had seen them lose only to Austria and England; they went on to win the gold medal in the tournament , defeating Austria 2–1 in extra time. By the time of the 1938 World Cup in France, Italy remained undefeated in recent competitions under Pozzo. Silvio Piola earned his first cap in 1935, scoring regularly for the national side and proving an effective partner for Meazza. In
7392-458: The Caribbean and Oceania regions (except Australia ) have yet to make a mark in international football. When it comes to men's national teams, Europeans and South Americans continue to dominate the FIFA World Cup, as no team from any other region has managed to even reach the final. These regional trends do not hold true for the women's game, as the United States women's national team has won
7546-423: The United States women's team . Between 1938 and 1939, Pozzo held the record for most consecutive wins for Italy, with nine, until the record was eventually broken in 2019 by Roberto Mancini . From 24 November 1935 against Hungary until 20 July 1939 against Finland, Pozzo also led Italy on a record 30-match unbeaten streak, until it was surpassed in 2021. During World War II, Pozzo remained in position throughout
7700-542: The WM , or 'sistema', practiced by the Arsenal side of Herbert Chapman , and the 'metodo', whose fathers are commonly identified as Vittorio Pozzo and his friend and rival Hugo Meisl , who served as the manager of the Austria national football team for 25 years. Pozzo and Meisl developed the idea of an array with two defenders as full-backs and a player in a central position in front of
7854-446: The consolation tournament , on 3 July. He returned to work at Pirelli; only to return to the national team in 1921 as part of a "technical commission", a committee composed of federal managers, referees, players, former players, coaches and journalists. Throughout his first term, the national team was guided by this diverse group of people. With the brief exception of Augusto Rangone (in 1925–1928) and Carlo Carcano (1928–1929), Pozzo
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#17328551375418008-452: The metodista was not solely tasked with breaking down possession, but also with starting attacking plays after winning back the ball. Compared to the sistema, the forward displacement of the central defender gave more support to the half-backs. Finally, the retreat towards the median of the two ' inside forwards ' of the pyramid (also called " mezzali ," or "half-wings," in Italian – not to be confused with wing half-backs ) gave rise to
8162-476: The quarter-finals in 1938 , after beating Germany in the round of sixteen , winning 4–2 after a replay but were knocked out by Hungary , losing 2–0. At the 1950 World Cup , Switzerland were drawn in a group with Brazil , Yugoslavia and Mexico , where they lost 4–0 to Yugoslavia in the opening match, drew 2–2 with Brazil in their second match and beating Mexico 2–1 in their final group mach, and finished third in their group. On 22 July 1946, Switzerland
8316-400: The round of sixteen with a 3–0 win over Honduras , with a hat-trick from Xherdan Shaqiri . In the knockout match against Argentina, they lost 1–0, conceding to Ángel Di María in the 118th minute. At Euro 2016 , Switzerland were selected to play in Group A of the tournament; alongside hosts France , Albania and Romania . In the first game, Switzerland won 1–0 over Albania, with
8470-407: The 1905–06 season, before returning to Italy where he helped found Torino F.C. (then "Foot-Ball Club Torino"), a team with which he played for five seasons until retiring from football in 1911. He would serve as the technical director of Torino from 1912 to 1922. After completing his studies, he joined Pirelli , where he became manager, a position he would leave for the Italian national team. Until
8624-620: The 1960s and 1970s. The Italian women's football league was established in 1968. In December 1969, the Women's Football Association was formed in England, with the sport eventually becoming the most prominent team sport for women in the United Kingdom. Two unofficial women's World Cups were organised by the FIEFF in 1970 and in 1971 . Also in 1971, UEFA members voted to officially recognise women's football, while The Football Association rescinded
8778-454: The Argentinian shirt. Orsi, never a prolific goalscorer, would reward Pozzo's faith with a goal in the 1934 World Cup final. Not that he dispensed with home-grown talent, but his penchant for attacking play is demonstrated by the fact that as well as Schiavio, Pozzo was successful in converting Giuseppe Meazza , who was captain in 1938, from a striker into an inside forward; indeed Pozzo's reign
8932-709: The Azzurri, Pozzo died later that year, on 21 December, at the age of 82. He is buried in the cemetery of his family's hometown, Ponderano. In 1986, the Stadio Communale di Torino was renamed after Pozzo in his honour; the stadium is now known as the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino . In 2016, a museum featuring his memorabilia in Ponderano was inaugurated in his honour. Association football Association football , more commonly known as football or soccer ,
9086-504: The Brazilians did not want to sell their plane tickets to the Italians, who were then forced to reach Paris by train. In the resulting final , Italy duly won their second world title 4–2 against Hungary. There is a common legend that the Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini sent a telegram to the Italian team prior to the final, stating: "Win or die!"; however, Pietro Rava later denied this, commenting: "No, no, no, that's not true. He sent
9240-567: The Czechs, while a defeat to Hungary was only averted because of a missed penalty. This led to Pozzo bringing back the Bologna player Angelo Schiavio , who had been a regular goalscorer for his club, but in February 1934 with the World Cup looming Austria defeated Italy in Turin 4–2, Pozzo once again axed the team's captain, Umberto Caligaris , on this occasion. During the 1934 FIFA World Cup on home soil,
9394-570: The FIFA Women's World Cup four times, more than any other women's team. Football is played at a professional level all over the world. Millions of people regularly go to football stadiums to follow their favourite teams, while billions more watch the game on television or on the internet. A very large number of people also play football at an amateur level. According to a survey conducted by FIFA published in 2001, over 240 million people from more than 200 countries regularly play football. Football has
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#17328551375419548-861: The Football Association, the Scottish Football Association , the Football Association of Wales , and the Irish Football Association . FIFA , the international football body, was formed in Paris in 1904 and declared that they would adhere to the Laws of the Game of the Football Association. The growing popularity of the international game led to the admittance of FIFA representatives to the IFAB in 1913. The board consists of four representatives from FIFA and one representative from each of
9702-486: The French players, and also for the ball bursting during a challenge between Antoine Griezmann and Valon Behrami when they both converged on the ball, with the game also attracting attention for its poor surface, which was criticised by both coaches and players of the two teams; after the game, Switzerland's kit manufacturer had blamed "faulty material" for the incidents regarding the jerseys being ripped. Switzerland, due to
9856-464: The Game while the ball is in play. The offences that constitute a foul are listed in Law 12. Handling the ball deliberately, tripping an opponent, or pushing an opponent, are examples of "penal fouls", punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick depending on where the offence occurred. Other fouls are punishable by an indirect free kick . The referee may punish a player's or substitute's misconduct by
10010-470: The IFAB Laws. Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes ), one of whom must be the goalkeeper . Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team, which is usually seven. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, provided they do so within the penalty area in front of their own goal. Though there are
10164-538: The Keeper. The design of this scheme is given to the team of the famous British university, and its launch is due to Blackburn Rovers , who applied it for the first time in the 1890s, and won five league cups. For over 30 years this form experienced uninterrupted luck in the British Isles and, by extension, the world. In the years after World War I, by evolution, from the pyramid, two tactical systems originated simultaneously:
10318-430: The Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5), and whose decisions are final. The referee is assisted by two assistant referees . In many high-level games there is also a fourth official who assists the referee and may replace another official should the need arise. Goal line technology is used to measure if the whole ball has crossed the goal-line thereby determining whether
10472-657: The Laws of the Game. The most prestigious senior international competitions are the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup . The men's World Cup is the most-viewed sporting event in the world, surpassing the Olympic Games . The two most prestigious competitions in club football are the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Women's Champions League , which attract an extensive television audience worldwide. The final of
10626-475: The Laws of the Game: to represent their team in the coin toss before kick-off or penalty kicks . The primary law is that players other than goalkeepers may not deliberately handle the ball with their hands or arms during play, though they must use both their hands during a throw-in restart. Although players usually use their feet to move the ball around, they may use any part of their body (notably, "heading" with
10780-583: The Swiss were inferior to the Koreans by number of goals scored, meaning that the last game a must-win. The Swiss then managed to beat South Korea 2–0 in the final match, occupying first place in their group while knocking the Asians out of the tournament. In the round of sixteen, Switzerland faced Ukraine , but lost on penalty shootout in a match that has been criticized as the worst game in World Cup history. Yet, Switzerland
10934-422: The Swiss. In qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup , Switzerland were drawn with Portugal , Hungary , Faroe Islands , Latvia and Andorra . The Swiss began their qualifying group with a shock 2–0 win over European champions Portugal, who had won the tournament less than two months prior to playing with them on 6 September. Afterwards, they beat Hungary 2–3, Andorra 2–1, Faroe Islands 2–0, Latvia 1–0 in
11088-530: The United States. A notable exception is New Zealand, where in the first two decades of the 21st century, under the influence of international television, "football" has been gaining prevalence, despite the dominance of other codes of football, namely rugby union and rugby league . The term soccer comes from Oxford "-er" slang, which was prevalent at the University of Oxford in England from about 1875, and
11242-643: The away game, took a 2–0 lead before being pegged back to a 2–2 draw, and also took four points from Scotland, winning 3–1 at home and drawing 1–1 away. Against the Portuguese, Switzerland drew 1–1 at home and lost 1–0 in the away fixture in Porto, their only defeat of the qualifying campaign. Their opening match against hosts United States , on 18 June 1994, was played indoors at the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit , and
11396-452: The ball into the other team's goal (between the posts, under the bar, and fully across the goal line). When the ball is in play, the players mainly use their feet, but may also use any other part of their body, such as their head, chest and thighs, except for their hands or arms, to control, strike, or pass the ball. Only the goalkeepers may use their hands and arms, and that only within the penalty area . The team that has scored more goals at
11550-456: The ban that prohibited women from playing on association members' pitches in England. Women's football still faces many struggles, but its worldwide growth has seen major competitions being launched at both the national and international levels, mirroring the men's competitions. The FIFA Women's World Cup was inaugurated in 1991: the first tournament was held in China, featuring 12 teams from
11704-410: The beginning of each playing period with a kick-off until the end of the playing period, the ball is in play at all times, except when either the ball leaves the field of play, or play is stopped by the referee. When the ball becomes out of play, play is restarted by one of eight restart methods depending on how it went out of play: A foul occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of
11858-525: The beginning of the Croatian War of Independence of the 1990s, when a match between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade degenerated into rioting in May 1990. Women's association football has historically seen opposition, with national associations severely curbing its development and several outlawing it completely. Women may have been playing football for as long as the game has existed. Evidence shows that
12012-404: The buildup, direct red card decisions, and penalty decisions. The ball is spherical with a circumference of between 68 and 70 cm (27 and 28 in), a weight in the range of 410 to 450 g (14 to 16 oz), and a pressure between 0.6 and 1.1 standard atmospheres (8.5 and 15.6 pounds per square inch ) at sea level. In the past the ball was made up of leather panels sewn together, with
12166-457: The centre of the field, ordered them to perform another Roman salute. He later commented on the incident, stating: "Having won the battle of intimidation, we played." Pozzo ordered the players to continue with the fascist salute during the national anthem. Afterwards he declared: "The match was immediately surrounded by polemic–political undertones. And unfairly so. Because our players don't even dream of making something political out of this, but
12320-732: The champions of these two club competitions would contest the Intercontinental Cup to prove which team was the best in the world. In the 21st century, South America has continued to produce some of the best footballers in the world, but its clubs have fallen behind the still dominant European clubs, which often sign the best players from Latin America and elsewhere. Meanwhile, football has improved in Africa , Asia and North America , and nowadays, these regions are at least on equal grounds with South America in club football, although countries in
12474-429: The co-hosts of UEFA Euro 2008 , where the Swiss made their third appearance in the competitions, but failed for a third time to progress from the group stage. However, since then, the Swiss made it to the round of 16 during Euro 2016 , and achieved a record-best quarter-finals showing at Euro 2020 after eliminating world champions France . Overall, Switzerland's best ever result at an official football competition
12628-631: The colours of the shorts and socks are interchangeable if there is a minor clash. Switzerland, since being established in 1895, have always had the same colour code, as tradition and homage to the national colours which are derived from the Swiss flag . The current kit manufacturer is Puma , who have made their kits since 1998. The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled. Win Draw Loss Fixture The following players were called up to
12782-517: The country's first World Cup since 1994. In the tournament, Switzerland was drawn in Group G with former world champions France , 2002 World Cup's fourth-place finisher South Korea and debutant Togo . In their first encounter, Switzerland bravely held the mighty France and Zinedine Zidane 0–0, before overcoming the Togolese 2–0 in the second match, tied with the South Koreans four points, however
12936-425: The course of the game. The maximum number of substitutions permitted in most competitive international and domestic league games is five in 90 minutes, with each team being allowed one more if the game should go into extra-time; the permitted number may vary in other competitions or in friendly matches . Common reasons for a substitution include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or timewasting at
13090-487: The defence, between the two half-backs , who effectively functioned as a central or defensive midfielder , who was a key component of the system; this position was known as that of the centre-half -back, or centromediano metodista in Italian, and was seen as a precursor to the regista or deep-lying playmaker role, as the metodista' s responsibilities in Pozzo's system were not entirely defensive but also creative. As such,
13244-486: The draw, finished second in the group to set up a tie against Poland in the round of sixteen ; initially the Swiss conceded but managed to find a late equalizer from Xherdan Shaqiri , who scored a bicycle-kick to send the game into extra-time, but the Swiss were knocked out as Granit Xhaka had missed the second penalty during the penalty shootout , as all other players managed to convert their penalties, with Poland winning 5–4 on penalties to go through and knock out
13398-453: The eighth century. The modern rules of association football are based on the mid-19th century efforts to standardise the widely varying forms of football played in the public schools of England. The Cambridge rules , first drawn up at the University of Cambridge in 1848, were particularly influential in the development of subsequent codes, including association football. The Cambridge rules were written at Trinity College, Cambridge , at
13552-420: The end of a finely poised game. In standard adult matches, a player who has been substituted may not take further part in a match. IFAB recommends "that a match should not continue if there are fewer than seven players in either team". Any decision regarding points awarded for abandoned games is left to the individual football associations. A game is officiated by a referee , who has "full authority to enforce
13706-405: The end of the game is the winner. There are situations where a goal can be disallowed, such as an offside call or a foul in the build-up to the goal. Depending on the format of the competition, an equal number of goals scored may result in a draw being declared with 1 point awarded to each team, or the game goes into extra time or a penalty shoot-out . Internationally, association football
13860-650: The fascist government, and of participating in the Italian Social Republic ; as such, the new Turin stadium was not dedicated to him. Despite his associations with fascism, however, he was not a member of the National Fascist Party , and documents demonstrated that he collaborated with the National Liberation Committee as of September 1943. The 1938 edition of the FIFA World Cup took place in France, where numerous refugees who had escaped
14014-531: The fascist regime in Italy were strongly against the Italian national team's participation in the tournament. In the first match of the Italian national team, against the Norway national team , among the 22,000 spectators there were 3,000 escaped anti-fascist Italians who opposed "Mussolini's national team," and jeered at them in protest. Pozzo replied to the demonstration with a memorable and highly controversial episode. During
14168-478: The fascist salute is the official flag of the moment, it's a sort of ceremony and they must show allegiance to it. They represent our country, and naturally they wear its colours and insignias with dignity. [...] I have my ideas, but I know what my duty is. When we take to the field, as expected, a solemn attack of deafening hisses and insults attends us. And we don't lower the hand until the hisses are stopped. The action of intimidation has not succeeded". Pozzo became
14322-448: The first five games, leading the group on maximum points. In the reverse fixtures, they beat Faroe Islands 2–0, Andorra 3–0, Latvia 3–0 and Hungary 5–2, before facing Portugal in the final group game, where they lost 2–0, meaning they would have to play in the play-offs ; where they were ranked as the best second-placed team , and were drawn to play Northern Ireland . In the first leg , played on 9 November, they won 1–0 through
14476-463: The first tournament on the European continent, Pozzo's Italian side benefited from controversial officiating, which was thought to have been influenced by the political situation in Italy at the time; indeed, the Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini had apparently met with several officials prior to Italy's matches, including Ivan Eklind , who refereed Italy's semi-final and final victories. Eklind
14630-420: The forehead) other than their hands or arms. Within normal play, all players are free to play the ball in any direction and move throughout the pitch, though players may not pass to teammates who are in an offside position. During gameplay, players attempt to create goal-scoring opportunities through individual control of the ball, such as by dribbling , passing the ball to a teammate, and by taking shots at
14784-514: The formation of a Sheffield FA in 1867. In 1862, John Charles Thring of Uppingham School also devised an influential set of rules. These ongoing efforts contributed to the formation of The Football Association (The FA) in 1863, which first met on the morning of 26 October 1863 at the Freemasons' Tavern in Great Queen Street , London. The only school to be represented on this occasion
14938-517: The four British associations. For most of the 20th century, Europe and South America were the dominant regions in association football. The FIFA World Cup , inaugurated in 1930 , became the main stage for players of both continents to show their worth and the strength of their national teams. In the second half of the century, the European Cup and the Copa Libertadores were created, and
15092-695: The game in a specific position, there are few restrictions on player movement, and players can switch positions at any time. The layout of a team's players is known as a formation . Defining the team's formation and tactics is usually the prerogative of the team's manager . There are 17 laws in the official Laws of the Game, each containing a collection of stipulations and guidelines. The same laws are designed to apply to all levels of football for both sexes, although certain modifications for groups such as juniors, seniors and people with physical disabilities are permitted. The laws are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on
15246-425: The goal, which is guarded by the opposing goalkeeper. Opposing players may try to regain control of the ball by intercepting a pass or through tackling the opponent in possession of the ball; however, physical contact between opponents is restricted. Football is generally a free-flowing game, with play stopping only when the ball has left the field of play or when play is stopped by the referee for an infringement of
15400-470: The group after a 0–0 draw with Honduras in the third and final group match. Switzerland did not qualify for UEFA Euro 2012 ; missing out on the tournament for the first time in a decade, as they finished third in the qualifying group, a group featuring England , Montenegro , Wales and Bulgaria . Switzerland's initial start in qualifying was overall poor; losing 1–3 to England in the first game played, in which Xherdan Shaqiri scored his first goal for
15554-409: The group, losing all three games, losing 3–1 to Chile , 2–1 to West Germany and 3–0 to Italy. A similar result occurred at the 1966 World Cup , where Switzerland again finished at the bottom of their group losing all three of their matches, 5–0 to West Germany, 2–1 to Spain and 2–0 to Argentina . In 1992, Switzerland appointed English manager Roy Hodgson as head coach of the national team; at
15708-506: The group. Their only goal of the entire tournament was scored by Johan Vonlanthen , who became the youngest ever goalscorer at the Euros when he scored the equalizing goal against France; surpassing the previous record set only four days earlier by Wayne Rooney by three months. The Swiss managed to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup , overcoming Turkey by the away goals rule in Istanbul ,
15862-404: The highest global television audience in sport. In many parts of the world, football evokes great passions and plays an important role in the life of individual fans , local communities, and even nations. Ryszard Kapuściński says that Europeans who are polite, modest, or humble fall easily into rage when playing or watching football games. The Ivory Coast national football team helped secure
16016-528: The hostilities. At the 1948 Summer Olympics , Pozzo's last match as Italy head coach came as a 5–3 defeat to Denmark in the quarter-finals at Highbury Stadium in London. Pozzo finished with a record of 63 wins, 17 draws and 16 defeats from 95 matches (an additional two wins were recorded as part of a technical commission in 1921). He holds the record for the longest reign of any European men's senior national team coach. His last, excruciating, official act, in 1949,
16170-602: The instigation of Alcock. England is also home to the world's first football league , which was founded in Birmingham in 1888 by Aston Villa director William McGregor . The original format contained 12 clubs from the Midlands and Northern England . Laws of the Game are determined by the International Football Association Board (IFAB). The board was formed in 1886 after a meeting in Manchester of
16324-475: The knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams. In the round of 16 , they defeated World Cup champions France on penalties, after finishing 3–3 and overcoming a 1–3 second half deficit, to have their first knockout phase win in a major tournament since the 1938 World Cup. In the subsequent quarter-final game against Spain , they once again took the game to penalties, after trailing 1–0. However, after converting only one of their four penalties, they exited
16478-745: The lack of a crossbar, rules which made it remarkably similar to Victorian rules football being developed at that time in Australia. The Sheffield FA played by its own rules until the 1870s, with the FA absorbing some of its rules until there was little difference between the games. The world's oldest football competition is the FA Cup , which was founded by the footballer and cricketer Charles W. Alcock , and has been contested by English teams since 1872. The first official international football match also took place in 1872, between Scotland and England in Glasgow , again at
16632-510: The match over Austria by a single goal. Enrique Guaita , one of the squad's Oriundi , scored the only goal of the match from close range after Giuseppe Meazza had fallen over goalkeeper Peter Platzer . In the final on 10 June, at the Stadio Nazionale PNF in Rome, with temperatures surpassing 40 °C (104 °F), Italy came from behind to defeat Czechoslovakia 2–1 in extra-time to win
16786-607: The men's tournament is the most-watched annual sporting event in the world. Association football is one of a family of football codes that emerged from various ball games played worldwide since antiquity. Within the English-speaking world, the sport is now usually called "football" in Great Britain and most of Ulster in the north of Ireland, whereas people usually call it "soccer" in regions and countries where other codes of football are prevalent, such as Australia, Canada, South Africa, most of Ireland (excluding Ulster), and
16940-451: The national team, followed by a 1–0 defeat to Montenegro. Switzerland then recorded a 4–1 win over Wales before consecutive draws against Bulgaria (0–0) and England (2–2). Switzerland's hopes of qualifying were restored with a 3–1 win over Bulgaria, with a hat-trick from Xherdan Shaqiri. However, following a 2–0 loss to Wales (in which Reto Ziegler earned a red card ) and Montenegro's surprising last-minute equalizer against England in
17094-525: The nature of the game. The Laws of the Game are published by FIFA, but are maintained by the IFAB. In addition to the seventeen laws, numerous IFAB decisions and other directives contribute to the regulation of association football. Within the United States, Major League Soccer used a distinct ruleset during the 1990s and the National Federation of State High School Associations and NCAA still use rulesets that are comparable to, but different from,
17248-594: The next round. Following the match, Pozzo learned that the Brazilians were so confident of appearing in the final in Paris that they had requisitioned the only airplane from Marseille to Paris on the day after the semi-final against Pozzo's Italy. Pozzo went to the Brazilians that sunbathed in the Côte d'Azur and asked them to surrender him the aerial bookings in case of an Italian victory. The Brazilians apparently arrogantly answered "it
17402-631: The next stoppage of play. The referee's decision in all on-pitch matters is considered final. The score of a match cannot be altered after the game, even if later evidence shows that decisions (including awards/non-awards of goals) were incorrect. Switzerland national football team The Switzerland national football team ( German : Schweizer Fussballnationalmannschaft , Italian : Nazionale di calcio della Svizzera , French : Équipe nationale suisse de football , Romansh : Squadra naziunala da ballape da la Svizra ) represents Switzerland in men's international football . The national team
17556-426: The offences that constitute misconduct are listed, the definitions are broad. In particular, the offence of "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences. A referee can show a yellow or red card to a player, substitute, substituted player, and to non-players such as managers and support staff. Rather than stopping play,
17710-414: The only goal being scored by Fabian Schär in the fifth minute of the game. The next match was a 1–1 draw with Romania, with Switzerland initially conceding from a penalty but equalizing in the second half following a goal from Admir Mehmedi . The final group game was against France, drawing 0–0 . However, the game spread notoriety for several Swiss players' jerseys being ripped during challenges with
17864-461: The original thirteen laws of the game. The sticking point was hacking, which a twelfth club at the meeting, Blackheath FC , had wanted to keep, resulting in them withdrawing from the FA. Other English rugby clubs followed this lead and did not join the FA, and instead in 1871, along with Blackheath, formed the Rugby Football Union . The FA rules included handling of the ball by "marks" and
18018-432: The pitch does not become square. In 2008, the IFAB initially approved a fixed size of 105 m (115 yd) long and 68 m (74 yd) wide as a standard pitch dimension for international matches; however, this decision was later put on hold and was never actually implemented. The longer boundary lines are touchlines , while the shorter boundaries (on which the goals are placed) are goal lines . A rectangular goal
18172-437: The pitch, making it more socially acceptable for women to play. The first match recorded by the Scottish Football Association took place in 1892 in Glasgow . In England, the first recorded game of football between women took place in 1895. Women's football has traditionally been associated with charity games and physical exercise, particularly in the United Kingdom. Association football continued to be played by women since
18326-437: The player spends the most time. For example, there are central defenders and left and right midfielders. The ten outfield players may be arranged in any combination. The number of players in each position determines the style of the team's play; more forwards and fewer defenders creates a more aggressive and offensive-minded game, while the reverse creates a slower, more defensive style of play. While players typically spend most of
18480-400: The players and spectators by holding up a board showing this number. The signalled stoppage time may be further extended by the referee. Added time was introduced because of an incident which happened in 1891 during a match between Stoke and Aston Villa . Trailing 1–0 with two minutes remaining, Stoke were awarded a penalty kick. Villa's goalkeeper deliberately kicked the ball out of play; by
18634-401: The presentation of the teams on the field, the Italian players had made the fascist salute, as it was custom for them to do at the time. As a result, they were overwhelmed by the jeers and whistles of protest from the crowd. Pozzo feared that that reception would demoralise the players. When the whistles diminished, after the players had lowered their arms, Pozzo, who was lined up with the team in
18788-518: The quarter-finals against the hosts in Colombes , as both teams normally played in blue, Italy were controversially ordered to play in all-black attire (possibly by Mussolini himself), a colour which is associated with fascism, along with bearing a Fascio Littorio on the left breast, alongside the Savoy shield . Despite a hostile reception from the home crowd, Italy managed to win the match 3–1 and advance to
18942-416: The referee may allow play to continue if doing so will benefit the team against which an offence has been committed. This is known as "playing an advantage". The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within "a few seconds". Even if an offence is not penalised due to advantage being played, the offender may still be sanctioned for misconduct at
19096-419: The referee. Stoppage time does not fully compensate for the time in which the ball is out of play , and a 90-minute game typically involves about an hour of "effective playing time". The referee alone signals the end of the match. In matches where a fourth official is appointed, towards the end of the half, the referee signals how many minutes of stoppage time they intend to add. The fourth official then informs
19250-440: The respective six confederations. The World Cup has been held every four years since; by 2019 , it had expanded to 24 national teams, and 1.12 billion viewers watched the competition. Four years later , FIFA targeted the 32-team 2023 Women's World Cup at an audience of 2 billion, while about 1.4 million tickets were sold, setting a Women's World Cup record. Women's football has been an Olympic event since 1996 . North America
19404-534: The rules. After a stoppage, play recommences with a specified restart. At a professional level, most matches produce only a few goals. For example, the 2022–23 season of the English Premier League produced an average of 2.85 goals per match. The Laws of the Game do not specify any player positions other than goalkeeper, but a number of specialised roles have evolved. Broadly, these include three main categories: strikers , or forwards, whose main task
19558-543: The sexes are so widely divided are all on the side of emancipation , and I look forward to the time when ladies may sit in Parliament and have a voice in the direction of affairs, especially those which concern them most." Honeyball and those like her paved the way for women's football. However, the women's game was frowned upon by the British football associations and continued without their support. It has been suggested that this
19712-451: The split between the FIGC and CCI , before merging again the following year. In 1924, for the occasion of the 1924 Summer Olympics , Pozzo was again appointed sole head coach. This time Italy were able to reach the quarter-finals, where they were defeated 2–1 by Switzerland . After this defeat, Pozzo resigned and returned to devote himself to his work and his wife, who shortly after died due to
19866-526: The squad for the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League matches on 15 and 18 November 2024 against Serbia and Spain , respectively. On 11 November, Manuel Akanji , Pascal Loretz , Dan Ndoye , and Denis Zakaria withdrew from the squad due to injury, so Ulisses Garcia and David von Ballmoos were called up in their absence. On 16 November, Cédric Zesiger was called up to replace the injured Aurèle Amenda , ill Ardon Jashari , and suspended Breel Embolo . The following active players have also been called up in
20020-447: The time it was recovered, the clock had run out and the game was over, leaving Stoke unable to attempt the penalty. The same law also states that the duration of either half is extended until a penalty kick to be taken or retaken is completed; thus, no game can end with an uncompleted penalty. In league competitions, games may end in a draw. In knockout competitions where a winner is required, various methods may be employed to break such
20174-559: The time of his appointment, the Swiss had not qualified for any major tournament since 1966. Under his guidance, Switzerland rose to 3rd in the FIFA World Ranking in August 1993, which still remains their highest FIFA ranking to this day. Hodgson led Switzerland to the 1994 FIFA World Cup , losing just one game during qualifying, in a group that included Italy , Portugal , and Scotland . The Swiss won their home tie with Italy, and in
20328-531: The time of the first recorded women's games in the late 19th century. The best-documented early European team was founded by activist Nettie Honeyball in England in 1894. It was named the British Ladies' Football Club . Honeyball is quoted as, "I founded the association late last year [1894], with the fixed resolve of proving to the world that women are not the 'ornamental and useless' creatures men have pictured. I must confess, my convictions on all matters where
20482-532: The title from Meisl's Austrian side, the so-called Wunderteam , who went on to win the second edition of the tournament two years later. Following the 1930 defeat to Spain , Pozzo left Adolfo Baloncieri , who had served as Italy captain and who had been an international of ten years standing, out of the team. In the 1932 edition of the Central European International Cup, Italy finished in second place behind Austria; Austria beat Italy, as did
20636-477: The title. On the back of the World Cup success, Pozzo was awarded the title of Commendatore for achieving greatness in his profession. Pozzo also coached Italy in the Battle of Highbury on 14 November 1934 against England , led by Arsenal's Wilf Copping at the team's home ground, which ended 3–2 in favour of England. Italy defended their Central European International Cup title in 1935 under Pozzo, going into
20790-645: The tournament at this stage. On 9 August 2021, Yakin became the manager of the Swiss national team. During the 2022 World Cup qualification , Switzerland finished in the first place ahead of Italy in Group C , which granted them a spot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. During the World Cup, Switzerland finished second in Group G to qualify the round of 16, where they lost 6–1 to Portugal. In 2023, Switzerland played against Romania, Israel , Belarus , Kosovo , and Andorra to qualify for Euro 2024 . The Swiss finished second behind Romania. The Euro 2024 tournament
20944-422: The tournament or be the champion. Goals scored during extra time periods count towards the final score of the game, but kicks from the penalty mark are only used to decide the team that progresses to the next part of the tournament, with goals scored in a penalty shoot-out not making up part of the final score. In competitions using two-legged matches , each team competes at home once, with an aggregate score from
21098-597: The transmission of cuju outside of China, especially the form of the game popular in the Tang dynasty , the period when the inflatable ball was invented and replaced the stuffed ball. Other East Asian games include kemari in Japan and chuk-guk in Korea, both influenced by cuju . Kemari originated after the year 600 during the Asuka period . It was a ceremonial rather than
21252-439: The two matches deciding which team progresses. Where aggregates are equal, the away goals rule may be used to determine the winners, in which case the winner is the team that scored the most goals in the leg they played away from home. If the result is still equal, extra time and potentially a penalty shoot-out are required. Under the Laws, the two basic states of play during a game are ball in play and ball out of play . From
21406-491: The two teams drew 1–1 in the opening match of the World Cup. In the next match, they won 4–1 over Romania, and in their final game against Colombia, the Swiss lost 2–0. Nevertheless, Switzerland still qualified from the group , but were knocked out by Spain , losing 3–0. At UEFA Euro 1996, Switzerland once again easily qualified for the tournament hosted in England , as they topped their qualifying group, losing just once, which
21560-510: Was Charterhouse . The Freemasons' Tavern was the setting for five more meetings of The FA between October and December 1863; the English FA eventually issued the first comprehensive set of rules named Laws of the Game , forming modern football. The laws included bans on running with the ball in hand and hacking (kicking an opponent in the shins), tripping and holding. Eleven clubs, under the charge of FA secretary Ebenezer Cobb Morley , ratified
21714-847: Was a 1–2 defeat to Turkey. They were drawn in Group A , but their tournament was disappointing overall; as they finished bottom of the group. Their opening match was against hosts England , and the two sides drew 1–1. In their second match, they lost 2–0 to the Netherlands, and in their final group game, lost 1–0 to Scotland. Switzerland failed to qualify for the 1998 FIFA World Cup , hosted in France , as they finished fourth in their qualifying group , winning three games; 3–2 against Finland , 1–0 against Hungary and 5–0 against Azerbaijan , drawing one game against Hungary (1–1), and losing three games; 1–0 against Azerbaijan and losing both games against Norway , losing 1–0 at home and 5–0 away. In qualifying for UEFA Euro 2004 , Switzerland finished top of
21868-579: Was a major success for Switzerland, as they finished second in their group with 5 points, moving onto the Round of 16. During the Round of 16, Switzerland caused a major upset by defeating defending champions Italy and reaching the Quarter-Finals for the second time in their history. The Switzerland national team's traditional home kit is red shirts, white shorts and red socks, with the away kit being reverse with white shirts, red shorts and white socks, although
22022-446: Was an important part of the success of the Italian team in the 1934 World Cup. In response to the criticisms surrounding his decision to call upon oriundi players in the victorious World Cup of 1934, he said: "If they can die for Italy, they can also play for Italy", referring to the fact that they had also served in the Italian army. He was also a fan of Raimundo Orsi , an Argentinian from Buenos Aires after an undistinguished stint in
22176-475: Was awarded the right to host the 1954 World Cup unopposed, in Luxembourg City . At the World Cup, Switzerland finished second in their group behind England ; beating Italy and losing to England, but qualified for the quarter-finals after beating Italy in a group play-off . They were knocked out of the tournament after losing 7–5 to Austria . At the 1962 World Cup , Switzerland finished bottom of
22330-527: Was first recorded as in exercise in the Zhan Guo Ce , a military history from the Han dynasty . Cuju players would pass the ball around, having to avoid it touching the ground at any point. It was then passed to a designated player, who attempted to kick it through the fengliu yan , a circular goal atop 10–11 meter poles. During the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), cuju games were standardised and rules were established. The Silk Road facilitated
22484-419: Was first recorded in 1889 in the earlier form of socca . Kicking ball games arose independently multiple times across multiple cultures. The Chinese competitive game cuju ( 蹴鞠 , literally "kickball"; also known as tsu chu ) resembles modern association football as well as a mix of basketball, and volleyball. This is the earliest form of a kicking game for which there is historical evidence. The game
22638-518: Was helping with the recognition of the torn bodies of the players of the Grande Torino team, his friends and pupils, who died on 4 May in the Superga air disaster from which he escaped himself for not being able to go with the team to Lisbon . Until the 1930s, a common tactic in football was the so-called pyramid of Cambridge , which is a 2–3–5 in the shape of an inverted pyramid that had its apex in
22792-455: Was later accused of favouring the Italians with his decisions. Italy's game against Spain in the quarter-finals, which ended in a 1–1 draw after extra-time, also raised questions against the performance of the referee Louis Baert in the match; in the replay, Swiss referee Rene Mercet did not escape criticism either, and was banned by the Swiss FA upon his arrival home. Both matches were played in
22946-497: Was motivated by a perceived threat to the "masculinity" of the game. Women's football became popular on a large scale at the time of the First World War , when female employment in heavy industry spurred the growth of the game, much as it had done for men 50 years earlier. The most successful team of the era was Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. of Preston, England . The team played in one of the first women's international matches against
23100-613: Was neither a fascist nor anti-fascist, while Giorgio Bocca considered him to be an officer of the Alpini and a reluctant fascist of the regime by association, "...one who appreciated punctual trains, but could not stand squadrismi , who paid homage to the monument dedicated to the Alpini, but not to the fascists' memorials." Following the Second World War, however, Pozzo was excluded from Italian football, due to being accused of cooperating with
23254-550: Was the silver medal they earned in 1924 , after losing to Uruguay 3–0 in the finals of the 1924 Olympic Games . At the 1924 Paris Olympic Games , Switzerland finished with a silver medal after losing to Uruguay in the final , losing 3–0. The team's debut appearance at the World Cup was in 1934 , where they reached the quarter-finals after beating the Netherlands 3–2 in the round of sixteen before getting knocked out by Czechoslovakia . Switzerland once again reached
23408-559: Was the only person to play the role of sole commissioner until the sixties. Pozzo would also serve with the Alpini as lieutenant during the First World War. In 1921, Pozzo was commissioned by the Football Association to study a draft reform of the league to address the tensions between the bigger and the smaller teams, because it was thought that the number of participants in the championship had to be reduced. The mediation failed resulting in
23562-564: Was the only team to be eliminated without conceding a single goal. Switzerland, along with Austria, were chosen as co-hosts of UEFA Euro 2008 . The Swiss were drawn in Group A with Portugal , Turkey and the Czech Republic . Their opening match was a 1–0 loss to the Czech Republic, followed by a 1–2 defeat to Turkey. Their third match was against Portugal, with Switzerland winning 2–0 to ensure that Portugal would top their group with
23716-797: Was with Costa Rica; which they drew 2–2 , with Blerim Džemaili and Josip Drmić scoring; thus finishing second in the group. They were drawn to play Sweden in the round of sixteen , a fixture they lost 1–0 , getting knocked out of the tournament. On 23 January 2018, Switzerland were selected to play in the inaugural edition of the UEFA Nations League , a tournament contested by all UEFA member's national teams , being drawn to play in League A , in Group 2 , against Belgium and Iceland . At Euro 2020 , postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19 , Switzerland finished third in Group A which contained Italy, Wales and Turkey; however, they managed to qualify to
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