Hitler missed the goal

With Goebbels as a henchman, Hitler attached great importance to his regime's propaganda. I would not overlook the mass phenomenon that was already at that time football and From his arrival to the Government he used sport to boast of German power, but several times they did not end as he expected.

At the JJ OO in Berlin in 1936, Peru humiliated Austria (the country of origin of the Führer), despite the Nazi effort to avoid it. The referee was threatened and came to cancel three Peruvian goals. The match was suspended due to the behavior of the South American fans, who invaded the field of play (ordered by Goebbels). With the intention of repeating the game, Peru and Colombia (in solidarity) left the JJ OO.

Again with Austria as the protagonist, Germany organized a friendly match with its neighbors to celebrate the Anschluss (The annexation of both countries also involved the soccer teams). Austrian Mathias Sindelar won the match by himself and refused to play the German World Cup that summer in France. That party ended his professional career and his accidental death in January 1939 remains an intrigue.

Hitler requested to host the 1942 World Cup for the same reason of exhibiting himself to the world. FIFA had doubts and deferred its decision until 1940. The war did not change the plans of the highest soccer body and Germany would be declared host at a meeting in Luxembourg, but a Nazi bombardment in the area and the advance of German troops suspended the decision and the tournament.

On April 20 it became a national holiday to mark the birthday of the Führer and in 1941 he decided to celebrate it with a match in Bern against the Swiss team. “That was like a crime of high treason”, declared Sepp Herberger, German coach. Upon learning of the defeat, Goebbels sent a telegram to Hans von Tschammer, head of the German Sports Office: “It is forbidden in the future to organize sporting events in which there are doubts of victory. End. Heil Hitler”.

But the failed show of strength that we remember most today in the famous 1981 film Evasion or Victory was known as Death match. FC Start, a team of former soccer players, defeated a team from the German Army in Kiev despite the consequences they already knew. “They entered resigned to lose, trembling with fear and hunger, but they could not resist the desire to be worthy”Eduardo Galeano wrote.

Although Spain did not participate fully in the war, the team played a friendly match in Berlin. They had all the comforts of the world and served as a tribute to the Blue Division. There are several stories of soldiers who pursued their careers after the war. Bert Trautmann, parachutist of the Luftwaffe who ended up in Manchester City, or Fritz Walter, captain of the Germany champion of the World Cup 54 (the Miracle of Bern), who escaped from going to the fields of the Gulag when he was recognized by a Soviet soldier.

England. In general, football did not stop in the first years except in England, where they learned from their mistake 25 years ago. Nevertheless, tournaments were organized without FA recognition. The Wartime League and the Football league war cup they were the entertainment of a country that had to meet a series of rules. No more than 8,000 spectators due to the risk of German bombardments (in one of the Cup finals at Wembley they exceeded 40,000 in a football victory over fear) and displacements always less than 50 miles (80 km).