By Brian Koerber From Mashable

Italian goalkeeper Carlo Ceresoli helping an England player who had been knocked down during the International match between England and World Cup Champions Italy at Arsenal Football ground, Highbury, London, on Nov. 14, 1934.

Did you know American football may be partly responsible for the success of the FIFA World Cup?

When soccer competitions in the Olympics started to gain popularity, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), led by their president at the time, Jules Rimet, decided to stage their own international competition.

The first FIFA World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930, but the country’s location in South America meant an expensive and time-consuming trip for many European teams. Only 13 teams made the trip, and Uruguay won the competition on home turf.

1930 World Cup

Uruguay’s first goal in the World Cup Final against Argentina, in Montevideo, Uruguay, July 30, 1930. Uruguay defeated Argentina by four goals to two.

At the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, organizers dropped soccer to promote American football instead. The sport later returned to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, and American football never returned — despite efforts to make it a medal sport at the 2024 Olympics.

The exclusion of soccer from the 1932 Olympics allowed the FIFA World Cup to grow and become a more prestigious competition in 1934, when it was held in Italy.

The tournament has been held every four years since (excluding during World War II in 1942 and 1946). In 1950, it was held in Brazil for the first time.

FIFA World Cup, 1930

The World Champions of Uruguay pose before the final game against Argentina, played in Montevideo, Uruguay on July 30, 1930.

The average attendance for the 18 matches in the 1930 World Cup was 32,808 people, compared to 52,491 people in 64 matches for the 2010 World Cup.

Argentina soccer team poses prior to the start of the World Cup Final. Argentina was defeated by Uruguay 4-2.

Argentina went on to win the 1978 and 1986 World Cup.

Jules Rimet hands over the World Cup trophy to Dr. Raul Jude, president of the Uruguayan football association on July, 5 1930 in Montevideo.

The Jules Rimet Trophy was stolen in 1983 and has never been recovered.

FIFA World Cup, 1934

Italian forward Guaita scores the winning goal in the World Cup semifinal against Austria in Milan, Italy. The home team went on to reach the final thanks to a 1-0 victory.

Italy later defeated Czechoslovakia 2-1 in extra time to win the Rimet Cup on June 10, 1934 in Rome.

Despite being held in Europe, only 363,000 people attended the 17 matches of the 1934 World cup, compared to 590,549 in 1930.

The 1934 World Cup was the first competition where teams needed to qualify to compete.

FIFA World Cup, 1938

Italian coach Vittorio Pozzo, surrounded by his players, holds the Jules Rimet Cup, after Italy won the World Cup Final, in Colombes Stadium, Paris, France, June 19, 1938.

Italy defeated Hungary 4-2.

Only Italy and Brazil have won World Cup back-to-back.

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Argentina and Uruguay did not enter the 1938 World Cup because of anger over the cup being held in Europe for two consecutive tournaments.

1938 saw the first and only participation from Cuba.

Norway’s first World Cup was in 1938, but didn’t qualify for another tournament until 1994.

In 1938, Spain became the first country prevented from competing due to war.

1938 was the first year that hosts and title holders, France and Italy, respectively, were automatically qualified for the match.

This rule was abolished in 2006.

369,720 people attended the 18 matches in 1938.

In 1938, the games were held in 10 different venues in 10 different cities.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS/ASSOCIATED PRESS

EASTERN EUROPEAN FOOTBALL TUBE

STAFF/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

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Start Believing: Cuba’s clairvoyant keeper

The story of how Benito Carvajales successfully predicted his side’s victory over Romania in the 1938 World Cup features in the latest of our series chronicling the power of belief

It’s fair to say that only a clairvoyant would have predicted that the baseball-mad island of Cuba would have made it to the 1938 World Cup to become the first Caribbean country to play at the finals. Perhaps the only member of the team not surprised to see the Cubans head for France was their goalkeeper Benito Carvajales, whose apparent gift of predicting the future would make him an unlikely star of the ’38 series.

Hopes for even a respectable showing at the tournament weren’t high, and only the presence of the Dutch East Indies relieved Cuba of the label of tournament “whipping boys”. But where there was Carvajales between the sticks, there was hope. The 1938 tournament was a straight knockout, and the Cubans exceeded expectations by earning a 3-3 draw after extra time with Romania.

Gentlemen, I shall not be playing, but we shall win the replay, that’s certain. The Romanian game has no more secrets for us. I say to you that we shall score twice, they will score only once. Adios

The Cuban coach announced that Carvajales would be dropped for the replay, but Carvajales piqued the interest of the European press corps by dramatically calling a press conference in the aftermath of the match. “Gentlemen, I shall not be playing, but we shall win the replay, that’s certain. The Romanian game has no more secrets for us. I say to you that we shall score twice, they will score only once. Adios, Caballeros.”

In Toulouse on June 5, 1938, that’s exactly what happened. Romania led 1-0 at half time, but the Cubans roared back to win 2-1, their winner coming after a linesman flagged for offside but the referee allowed it to stand anyway. Carvajales, recalled for the next match, had accurately predicted the first bona fide World Cup shock, but oddly, he kept his thoughts to himself for the quarter-final match in Sweden.

Perhaps he had a portend of things to come, as the Swedes rattled eight goals past him without reply. His team-mates claimed they’d been hammered “due to unforeseen circumstances”. Hmm.

PHOTO: Getty Images

For more on this story go to: http://www.goal.com/en-my/news/3889/main/2014/06/21/4901054/start-believing-cubas-clairvoyant-keeper