The 1930s was the era of Fascist government. In Benito Mussolini, Italy had a leader who was eager to use any means necessary to further the message of his Italian empire. So, when FIFA awarded the 1934 World Cup to the Italians, it was seen as an ideal propaganda tool for II Duce -and Italy had to win at all costs.

Luckily, in Vittorio Pozzo, Italy had a visionary coach. Il Vecchio Maestro, the Old Master, was a well-travelled student of European football and was one of the first true tactical coaches.

After the success of the first tournament, many more nations wanted to take part. The home nations, at loggerheads with FIFA, still refused to turn out and only four non-European nations - USA, Brazil, Argentina and Egypt -applied, but a qualification stage was now necessary. However, holders Uruguay refused to travel to Italy in a 'tit-for-tat' response to the lack of European involvement in 1930.

Even Italy had to qualify - which they did with ease - and they took their place in a simple knock-out tournament of 16 teams. The highest profile of the first-round casualties were Argentina.

They had lost top players Raimundo Orsi, Enrique Guaita and Luis Monti to the Italians, who had called up them up by virtue of them being Oriundi (of Italian ancestry). Monti had been the mainstay of Argentina's defence and so he would prove for Pozzo's team. The quarterfinals saw the Italians squeeze past Spain and their remarkable goalkeeper Ricardo Zamora, who is still regarded by many in Spain as their greatest ever.

TO BE CONTINUED