Battle of Bern

The quarter-final match between Brazil and Hungary during the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland is known as the Battle of Bern . The game took place on June 27, 1954 in the Wankdorf stadium in Bern and ended 4-2 for Hungary. Because the English referee Arthur Ellis sent three players off the field, it is considered one of the most brutal world championship games. The unsportsmanlike conduct between the players continued in the changing rooms even after the final whistle.

Starting position

The 1954 World Cup is the highest-scoring World Cup to date , with an average of 5.38 goals scored per game.

The Brazilian team was known for their attractive attacking football. In her two group games she scored six goals, with Mexico beaten 5-0 and against Yugoslavia 1-1 after extra time. Since the goal difference was not taken into account for the determination of the table position in this tournament, the lot had to decide. Thus, Brazil became second in the group.

Hungary had revolutionized football in post-war Europe with its offensive football; In 1953 the national team won a 6-3 away win against England, which had been unbeaten at home by non-British teams. At the beginning of the 1954 World Cup, the team around star striker Ferenc Puskás had been undefeated for four years. In their group, the Hungarian team scored 17 goals in two games. South Korea were beaten 9-0 and Germany 8-3.

Course of the game

The game started in pouring rain. The slippery and soggy ground made it difficult for both teams to control the ball. Nándor Hidegkuti gave Hungary the lead in the third minute, and Sándor Kocsis extended the lead to 2-0 four minutes later. In the 18th minute, referee Ellis decided on a penalty for Brazil. Djalma Santos converted the penalty and reduced it to 2: 1.

While the game was inconspicuous in the first half, it was marked by hardship and excesses in the second half. In the 60th minute, Ellis whistled a penalty for Hungary, which upset Brazilian journalists and officials. Several Brazilians stormed the pitch and could only be made to leave the pitch through the use of police officers. Mihály Lantos converted the penalty to 3-1. Now the game was repeatedly interrupted by brutal fouls. The Brazilian striker Julinho scored the next goal in the 65th minute to make it 3-2. In the 70th minute, József Bozsik was fouled by Nilton Santos . There was a fist fight between the two players and Ellis sent them both off the field. The rest of the season was characterized by rude attacks. In the 78th minute, the Hungarian Gyula Lóránt was kicked out by Humberto Tozzi . Tozzi was also expelled from the field. Two minutes before the end, Kocsis then scored the 4-2 final score.

Referee Ellis whistled 42 free kicks and two penalties. He issued four warnings and sent three players off the field. The Brazilians broke into the Hungarian dressing room, where there were further fights and fights.

After the game

The English referee Ellis, to whom Italian reporters certified an authoritative demeanor and whose game management it was generally believed that the chaos did not get worse, was insulted as a communist by angry Brazilian fans after the game. In his biography, published in 1962, Ellis wrote that he was convinced that after years of retrospect, this game was a battle of politics and religion between the politics of communist Hungary and the religion of Catholic Brazilians . He described the game as appalling. So many players would have been kicked off the pitch today that the game should have been abandoned. His only thought was that he had to go through the game steadfastly. For him it was also surprising that FIFA did not impose any sanctions. Ellis was convinced that many of the committee members feared having to cancel trips to beautiful areas.

The Hungarian coach Sebes also spoke of a battle, a brutal and uncivilized game. Sebes himself suffered a wound on his face in the fights after the game, which was sewn with four stitches. Also Ferenc Puskas , the Hungarian playmaker who could not be used because of injury, took part in the fights after the game.

In the further course of the tournament, the victorious Hungarians reached the final after Uruguay had been beaten 4-2 after extra time in the semifinals . In the final, Hungary met their opponents in the preliminary round, Germany. The game, this time again with Ferenc Puskas, went down in football history as a miracle of Bern and ended with a 3-2 victory for the German team.

The exited Brazilians, however, were celebrated as heroes on their return. One newspaper called for honor for those who know how to fight.