8 June 1958 - The Journey Of Five World Cup Trophies Starts With A Single Win

On 8 June 1958, Brazil started their World Cup campaign with a 3-0 win over Austria before a crowd of 17,778 at the Rimnersvallen in Uddevalla, Sweden. It was the first step toward securing the first of their record five World Cup trophies.

The Austrians were optimistic, having advanced to the semifinals in 1954, but were overwhelmed from the start by the Brazilians' free-flowing attack. Forward José Altafini, better known as "Mazzola," scored the first goal with blast from distance in the 37th minute, then defender Nílton Santos, playing in an advanced position, blew past an Austrian defender in the 50th minute and chipped the ball over the diving keeper to put Brazil up 2-0. Mazzola rifled the final shot in the 85th minute to complete the win.

It was a powerful performance, especially considering that Brazil left Pelé, Garrincha, and Vavá on the bench. All were instrumental throughout the remainder of the tournament, which ended with Brazil winning the Final 2-5 over hosts Sweden.