Introduction
When Didier Deschamps led France to the 2022 World Cup final against Argentina, he was on the verge of a personal achievement for history.
The French coach could become only the second coach in football to defend his world title. However, he fell just short of it and the record holder remains only one – the famous Italian Vittorio Pozzo, who made his revolution in completely different football years.
Only two countries have managed to win two consecutive World Cups: Italy (1934 & 1938) and Brazil (1958 & 1962). However, in the Selecao, the Coaches change between the two tournaments.
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Vittorio Pozzo and his contributions to football
Pozzo spent 4 periods in the Squadra Azzura, the last one lasted impressive 19 years, and his contribution to the game of football did not end only with the two World Cup triumphs.
Called the Old Master (Il Vecchio Maestro) in coaching circles, he is considered a visionary and is one of the creators of the tactical formation “metodo” – an early version of the modern 4-3-3.
Despite his achievements and being hailed as one of the greatest coaches ever his story is rarely remembered and there is a reason for that.
He simply likes to work in times that neither the Italian federation nor FIFA want to be associated with today. The 1930s are too closely associated with fascism and far-right politics, and contrary to some naive claims, football cannot be separated from politics.
Pozzo’s coaching career during the fascist regime
Pozzo was coach of the national team for 1912 Olympic Games, before the National Fascist Party took the political power in Italy, but he achieved his great success during the dictatorship of Benito Mussolini.
Presently, the four stars representing the four World Cup victories of the Italian national team shirts are visible, yet controversy still surrounds the first two stars.
Vittorio Pozzo would have been much more respected in modern times if he had won those titles in different political conditions but despite all they remain in football history.
Debate over his character comes from the fact that he never openly opposed the regime, although he is not a fascist by conviction and has never been a member of the National Fascist Party.
However, we are talking about a man who stayed away from politics in general and simply did what was necessary to survive, work and develop in football under the then regime.
Mussolini and his government clearly realized the importance of football and during the time of fascism, a lot of money was poured into the sport with a one goal: success on the international stage.
Serie A was reorganized in 1929 to create stronger competition and prepare top-level players. As head of the Italian Football Federation has been appointed Fascist general Giorgio Vaccaro, but the face of the national team was unquestionably Vittorio Pozzo.
Italy’s success in the 1934 World Cup
Italy hosted the World Cup in 1934 and it was crucial for the authorities that the team became world champions, thereby reinforcing the nationalist values of the regime and presenting itself to the whole world as a modern and successful nation.
For the romantic, the 1934 title was the result of Pozzo’s tactical approach and the dedicated support the Italians received from the stands.
However, there are also rumors of unfair methods and meetings of Mussolini with the referees in the evenings before the home games.
Undisputed evidence of corruption has not emerged, although Italy’s opponents have complained about refereeing decisions, and Swiss referee René Merseth has even been expelled from his own football association – following allegations of controversial decisions in the dramatic replay of the Italy-Spain quarter-final.
Despite all above there is no doubt that Vittorio Pozzo tactical genius played its part and his team conceded only three goals in five games.
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Tactical genius, training approach and the Catenaccio
The coach adopted four defenders formation and a defensive midfielder positioned in front of them, which provided more security against the commonly used 2-3-5 system. This is the foundations beginning of the Catenaccio, with the defensive midfielder playing a crucial role in the team’s defensive strategy.
Pozzo was ahead of his time in another respect as he insisted on having full control over the selection of players for the national team. Today this is the most normal thing in the world, but back then many national selections were selected by committees appointed for the purpose. Pozzo points out that the chance of success is greatest when the coach takes full responsibility.
Because the coach has the right to call players with Italian ancestry born outside of Italy Luis Monti (who played for Argentina in the final of the first World Cup in 1930) and Raimundo Orsi (another former Argentina international who scored in the 2:1 victory over Czechoslovakia in the 1934 final) became part of the “squad”.
During fascist regime, such an approach was not widely favored. However, due to the potential of a stronger national team, the authorities permitted Pozzo to broaden the selection pool and put his ideas into practice.
The renewed squad of the coach is excellently organized, approaches the matches as battles and stops at nothing for the sake of victory. Pozzo introduced the training camps, where strongly nationalistic messages were preached and the players were treated almost like soldiers.
First World cup title was won on home soil in 1934 and Vittorio Pozzo continued to develop his approach. Italy triumphed at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and the following World Cup in France.
Controversy:
At the beginning of the 1938 World Cup comes perhaps the most controversial act of Pozzo.
Italy’s first game is against Norway in Marseille and when they go on the field, the received insults and loud boos from the crowd. Among the 22,000 spectators in the stadium are about 3,000 Italian anti-fascists who fled the regime and want to show what they think of Mussolini and his rule.
As the teams are introduced, Italy’s players do their usual fascist salute with their arms raised during the boos. Vittorio Pozzo feels that the crowd’s reaction could break his players, so he orders them to raise their hands a second time and hold the fascist gesture until the stadium falls silent.
The coach believes that with this act his team will meet the challenge and the players remain with hands raised during the anthems as well.
“Our players never dreamed of turning this match into something political, but the fascist salute is the official flag at this moment, it’s a kind of ceremony and they have to show loyalty to it,” explains Pozzo afterwards.
“I have my own understandings, but I also know what my duty is. The attempt to intimidate us was not successful.”
In the quarter-finals, Italy faced hosts France in a clash with even more political tension but showed their football class, with key role of their captain Giuseppe Meazza with 3-1 success.
Meazza scored the the penalty spot winner against Brazil in the semi-final and then assisted twice for the 4-2 win over Hungary in the final.
The significance of a second consecutive world title has not escaped the authorities in Italy and legend has it that on the eve of the final, Mussolini sent a telegram to the team saying “Win or Die”.
World Cup legend
Vittorio Pozzo history at world championships ends with the second in a row triumph. The outbreak of World War II delayed the next World Cup until 1950, when Pozzo was already banished from Italian football for his relations with the fascist government.
He never returned to coaching and became a journalist in Italy covering the national team in the popular newspaper La Stampa.
Although associated with such a controversial part of Italian and European history, he remains an undisputed and respected authority in coaching.
There is no one to take away his legendary status and 84 years later, no one has been able to level or beat his achievement.
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