The 1938 FIFA World Cup was staged at 10 venues throughout France between June 4 and June 19, 1938 and, unusually, featured 15 teams, rather than the 16 that originally qualified. After qualifying, Austria was formally annexed into Nazi Germany on March 12, 1938, such that the national team withdrew from the World Cup and their proposed opponents, Sweden, received a bye into the quarter-finals. The tournament would also be the last for 12 years, as the result of World War II, which started on September 1, 1939.
Italy, who had won the 1930 FIFA World Cup on home soil, under contentious circumstances, eventually defened their title. In the round of 16, they beat Norway 2-1, after extra time, at the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille, with centre-forward Silvio Piola scoring the winner early in the first period. Piola, again, scored twice in a 3-1 quarter-final victory over the hosts, France, at the Stade Olympique de Colombes in Colombes to set up a semi-final meeting with Brazil.
Brazil, for their part, had been involved in the infamous ‘Battle of Bordeaux’ in their quarter-final against Czechoslovakia at the Stade du Parc Lescure in Bordeaux, during which, for the first time in World Cup history, three players were sent off. The initial meeting between the teams finished 1-1 after extra time, but Brazil won a less eventful replay 2-1 at the same venue two days later.
Again at the Stade Vélodrome, Italy took the lead through a Gino Colaussi goal after 51 minutes and extended that lead nine minutes later when Giuseppe Meazza scored from the penalty spot. Brazil were limited to a late consolation goal from Romeu Pellicciari three minutes from time, so Italy won 2-1 and progressed to the World Cup final at the Stade Olympique de Colombes, where they would meet Hungary.
Italy led 3-1 at half-time, courtesy of a brace of goals from Colaussi and another from Piola. Hungarian centre-forward, and captain, György Sárosi pulled a goal back for his team after 70 minutes, but Piola added his second goal eight minutes from time to give Italy a 4-2 victory and their second successive World Cup.