26 October 1938 - England Conquers Europe

On 26 October 1938, Europe put together their first continental XI to challenge England. They lost 3-0.

England had split from FIFA ten years earlier over a dispute about payments for amateur players, but continued to play other nations in a series of friendlies, including a win over World Cup champions Italy in 1934 and a 6-3 pounding of Germany in Berlin during a May 1938 European tour. It is not clear what prompted the formation of that first European XI, but the match coincided with the 75th anniversary of the founding of England's Football Association.

45,000 people turned out to watch the teams at London's Highbury Stadium. England were led by captain Eddie Hapgood (pictured) and his Arsenal teammate Wilf Copping, but the side also included up-and-coming stars like Stoke's Stanley Matthews, who had scored a hat-trick against Czechoslovakia the previous year. Europe, meanwhile were led by Italian national Silvio Piola, who had scored twice in the Azzurri's 4-2 win over Hungary in the 1938 World Cup Final. The side included three other Italians, as well as players from Belgium, France, Norway, and Hungary.

England went up 2-0 by halftime, with goals from George Hall (20') and Thomas Lawton (39'), before Len Goulden finished the day's scoring in the 73rd minute to end the match at 3-0.

3 August 1903 - Vercelli Goes Pro

On 3 August 1903, members of the Società Ginnastica Pro Vercelli, formed in 1892, established a separate football division, playing their first match that day against a team from Novara. Pro Vercelli went on to become one of Italy's most successful clubs before fading into obscurity.

The result of that first match is not recorded, but Pro Vercelli quickly rose to prominence, winning their first Italian Football Championship titles in 1908 and 1909. After losing the 1910 Final to Inter after a scheduling conflict forced them to field a junior side, Pro Vercelli proceeded to win the next three titles (1911, 1912, 1913). Along the way, they contributed several players to the newly-formed Italian national team.

After World War I, Pro Vercelli remained near the top of Italian football, but did not win their next title until 1921. They promptly followed it up with their seventh title in 1922, then fell into an inexplicable decline. Despite the presence of players such as Silvio Piola, one of the co-inventors of the bicycle kick, the club started a slow descent through the Italian football pyramid. They were relegated to Serie B in 1935, then to Serie C five years later.

Pro Vercelli currently plays in Italy's fourth division.

19 June 1938 - Italy Doesn't Disappoint Il Duce

On 19 June 1938, Italy became the first nation to win consecutive World Cup titles by beating Hungary 4-2 in that year's Final. It was a relief for many people who believed the Italian players had received death threats from Benito Mussolini should they lose.

Italy, who had won the previous tournament by beating Czechoslovakia 2-1 in Rome, fielded a very different side in the 1938 Final. Of the 11 players who beat the Czechs, forward Giuseppe Meazza was the only returning starter, but he was joined again by manager Vittorio Pozzo. The Azzurri advanced to the title by virtue of their strong defense, conceding no more than one goal in each of their previous matches, with wins over Norway (2-1, aet), hosts France (3-1), and Brazil (2-1). The win over Brazil was particularly impressive, as the Italians shut down the tournament's leading scorer, forward Leônidas da Silva, who scored in every other match for Brazil.

In the Final, played before a crowd of 60,000 at the Stade Olympique de Colombes in Paris, the Azzurri again held their opponents' leading scorer - forward Gyula Zsengellér - without a goal. Zsengellér had found the net six times in Hungary's wins over the Dutch East Indies (6-0), Switzerland (2-0), and Sweden (5-1), but was continually frustrated in the Final. Italy took a 3-1 lead by the break thanks to goals from forwards Gino Colaussi (6', 35') and Silvio Piola (16'). Piola scored another in the 82nd minute to seal the 4-2 win. Afterward, Hungarian keeper Antal Szabo said "I may have let in four goals, but at least I saved their lives."

As it turned out, Mussolini had sent telegrams to the players saying "Vincere o morire!" But while the literal translation is "win or die," it was in reality a common Italian phrase of encouragement that simply meant "do your best."