Uruguay didn’t make the trip to defend their world title in Italy- a unique occurrence in the history of the tournament. This was said to be in response to the way in which European teams had snubbed ‘their’ finals in 1930- there was also some suggestion that the top Uruguayan clubs discouraged their players from going to Europe for fear that it would prove to be a one way trip. There was a vogue for South American players to ‘return’ to their countries of origin- which brings us on to Luisado Monti.One of 3 such oriundi in the victorious Italian side, Monti had played for his native Argentina in the 1930 final- now with the Azzurri he became the only man to play in a World Cup final for 2 different countries.
Africa was represented for the first time through the participation of Egypt (managed by Scotsman, James McRea), who steamed across the Med to Naples to lose their only game to Hungary. Their goalkeeper, Mustafa Kamel Mansour, who later played for Glasgow side Queens Park, maintained until his death in 2002 that the Egyptians were robbed in this match.
