France 1938
Final: Italy 4-2 Hungary
Italy travelled to France and won the World Cup again but politics and the looming spectre of war kept away a number of top nations.
Austria qualified but withdrew, though some of their players appeared in the colours of Germany, and Spain were absent as their country was ravaged by civil war.
Argentina and Uruguay also stayed away. Brazil and Poland produced one of the greatest games of any World Cup in Strasbourg with the South Americans triumphing 6-5 after extra time thanks to four goals from Leonidas who played barefoot for a spell.
In the final, Italy retained their title by beating Hungary 4-2. Gino Colaussi and Silvio Piola scored twice each for Italy, while Pal Titkos and Gyorgy Sarosi found the net for Hungary.
