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Football, Men

Date26 July – 13 August 1948
StatusOlympic
LocationEmpire Stadium, Wembley, London / Selhurst Park, South Norwood, London / Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, London / Lynn Road Stadium, Ilford, London / Craven Cottage, Fulham, London / White Hart Lane, Tottenham, London / Champion Hill, East Dulwich, London / Griffin Park, Hounslow, London / Green Pond Road Stadium, Walthamstow, London / Goldstone Ground, Hove / Fratton Park, Portsmouth
Participants218 from 18 countries
FormatSingle-elimination tournament.

The 1948 tournament had two favourites for the title, Sweden and the home team. Great Britain had not played at the Olympics since their 1912 victory. Players from England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales were selected by Matt Busby, the Manchester United manager (a position he held until 1969). Sweden, too was coached by a Briton, George Raynor. Britain could not impress during the Olympics, struggling past the Netherlands and France before being eliminated by Yugoslavia. Sweden, by contrast, breezed through the early rounds. In the quarter-finals, South Korea was butchered 12-0. The final saw the best play of the tournament, and Sweden won with a dominant second half, 3-1.

The victorious Swedish team featured three brothers, Bertil, Gunnar and Knut Nordahl. The most famous them was Gunnar, who played for AC Milan after the Olympics, joining fellow gold medallists Gunnar Gren and Nils Liedholm to form the Italian club’s feared “Gre-No-Li” attack line.

There were originally 23 nations entered. The final draw for the 1948 football tournament looked nothing like the original draw, because of withdrawals. The original draw for the preliminary round was as follows:

• Egypt vs. Denmark (moved to a first round match)

• Ireland vs. Netherlands (match was held)

• Burma (Myanmar) vs. India (Burma withdrew; match scheduled for 26 July at Woodside Road, Worthing, England)

• Yugoslavia vs. Pakistan (Pakistan withdrew; match scheduled for 27 July at Southend Stadium at Southend-on-Sea, England)

• Sweden vs. Austria (moved to a first round match)

• China vs. Turkey (moved to a first round match)

• Luxembourg vs. Afghanistan (match was held)

The scheduled matches for the first round were as follows:

• Poland vs. Egypt / Denmark winner (Poland withdrew, Egypt played Denmark)

• Great Britain vs. Ireland / Netherlands winner (match was held as GBR vs. IRL)

• France vs. Burma (Myanmar) / India winner (Burma withdrew France played India)

• Palestine vs. Yugoslavia / Pakistan winner (Palestine and Pakistan withdrew; Yugoslavia played Luxembourg in round one)

• United States vs. Sweden / Austria winner (Sweden played Austria in round one; United States played Italy in round one)

• Hungary vs. Italy (Hungary withdrew; Italy played United States in round one)

• Korea (South) vs. China / Turkey winner (China played Turkey in round one; Korea played Mexico in round one)

• Mexico vs. Luxembourg / Afghanistan winner (Luxembourg played Yugoslavia in round one; Mexico played Korea in round one)

PosNumberTeamNOC
1SwedenSWEGold
Torsten Lindberg
Knut Nordahl
Erik Nilsson
Birger Rosengren
Bertil Nordahl
Sune Andersson
Kjell Rosén
Gunnar Gren
Gunnar Nordahl
Henry Carlsson
Nils Liedholm
Börje Leander
Karl Svensson DNS
Pär Bengtsson DNS
Rune Emanuelsson DNS
Egon Jönsson DNS
Stellan Nilsson DNS
Stig Nyström DNS
CoachGeorge Raynor
2YugoslaviaYUGSilver
Ljubomir Lovrić
Miroslav Brozović
Branko Stanković
Zlatko Čajkovski
Miodrag Jovanović
Aleksandar Atanacković
Zvonko Cimermančić
Rajko Mitić
Stjepan Bobek
Željko Čajkovski
Bernard Vukas
Franjo Šoštarić
Prvoslav Mihajlović
Franjo Velfl
Kosta Tomašević
Božo Broketa DNS
Ivan Jazbinšek DNS
Ratko Kacian DNS
Frane Matošić DNS
Bela Palfi DNS
Aleksandar Petrović DNS
Josip Takač DNS
CoachMikica Arsenijević
3DenmarkDENBronze
Eigil Nielsen
Viggo Jensen
Knud Børge Overgaard
Axel Pilmark
Dion Ørnvold
Ivan Jensen
Johannes Pløger
Knud Lundberg
Carl Aage Præst
John Hansen
Jørgen Leschly Sørensen
Holger Seebach
Karl Aage Hansen
Jørgen Hansen DNS
Poul Eyvind Petersen DNS
Knud Bastrup-Birk DNS
Hans Colberg DNS
Ove Jensen DNS
Erik Kuld Jensen DNS
Erling Sørensen DNS
Per Knudsen DNS
Edvin Hansen DNS
CoachReg Mountford
4Great BritainGBR
Andy Aitken
Bill Amor
Allan Boyd
Angus Carmichael
Frank Donovan
Eric Fright
Bob Hardisty
Tommy Hopper
Denis Kelleher
Peter Kippax
Eric Lee
Kevin McAlinden
Douglas McBain
Jimmy McColl
Harry McIlvenny
Gwyn Manning
Jack Neale
Jack Rawlings
Ronnie Simpson
David Letham DNS
Ron Phipps DNS
Julian Smith DNS
CoachMatt Busby
=5FranceFRA
André Strappe
Bernard Bienvenu
Christian Rouellé
Guy Rouxel
Gabriel Robert
Jean Palluch
Joseph Heckel
Marius Colau
Raoul Courbin
René Hebinger
René Persillon
Raymond Krug
Robert Bottini DNS
Gustave Ducousso DNS
Lazare Gianessi DNS
Hacène Hamoutène DNS
Jean Lanfranchi DNS
Marcel Lanfranchi DNS
François Mercurio DNS
Guy Rabstejnek DNS
Lucien Schaeffer DNS
CoachGabriel Hanot
=5ItalyITA
Adone Stellin
Angelo Turconi
Cesare Presca
Emilio Caprile
Emidio Cavigioli
Francesco Pernigo
Giacomo Mari
Guglielmo Giovannini
Giuseppe Casari
Maino Neri
Tommaso Maestrelli
Valerio Cassani
Glauco Vanz DNS
Francesco Antonazzi DNS
Romolo Bizzotto DNS
Enzo Menegotti DNS
Renzo Burini DNS
Egisto Pandolfini DNS
CoachVittorio Pozzo
=5Republic of KoreaKOR
Choi Seong-Gon
Jeong Guk-Jin
Jeong Nam-Sik
Hong Deok-Yeong
Kim Gyu-Hwan
Kim Yong-Sik
Min Byeong-Dae
Park Dae-Jong
Park Gyu-Jeong
U Jeong-Hwan
Bae Jeong-Ho
An Jong-Su DNS
Cha Sun-Jong DNS
Lee Si-Dong DNS
Lee Yu-Hyeong DNS
Oh Gyeong-Hwan DNS
CoachLee Young-Min
=5TurkeyTUR
Bülent Eken
Cihat Arman
Erol Keskin
Fikret Kırcan
Gündüz Kılıç
Hüseyin Saygun
Lefter Küçükandonyadis
Murat Alyüz
Naci Özkaya
Selahattin Torkal
Şükrü Gülesin
Vedii Tosuncuk
Muzaffer Tokaç DNS
Hikmet Alpaslan DNS
Halit Deringör DNS
Ahmet Erol DNS
Galip Haktanır DNS
Erdoğan Atlıoğlu DNS
Reha Eken DNS
Samim Var DNS
Yavuz Üreten DNS
CoachUlvi Yenal
=9AustriaAUT1
Alfred Körner
Erich Habitzl
Ernst Melchior
Ernst Ocwirk
Karl Kowanz
Franz Pelikan
Josef Epp
Ernst Happel
Leopold Mikolasch
Siegfried Joksch
Willy Hahnemann
Theodor Brinek, Jr. DNS
Karl Decker DNS
Ludwig Durek DNS
Bruno Engelmeier DNS
Gustav Gerhart DNS
Leopold Gernhardt DNS
Josef Musil DNS
Ernst Stojaspal DNS
Josef Stroh DNS
Turl Wagner DNS
CoachEdi Frühwirth
=9ChinaCHN
Zhang Jinhai
Zhang Banglun
Zou Wenzhi
Xie Wenliang
Zhu Yongqiang
Hou Rongsheng
He Yingfen
Liu Songsheng
Li Dahui
Yan Shixin
Song Lingsheng
Feng Jingxiang DNS
Zhu Zhicheng DNS
Gao Baozheng DNS
Guo Yingqi DNS
Li Zhaorong DNS
Xie Jinhong DNS
Ye Qingrong DNS
CoachLi Huitang
=9EgyptEGY
4Abdel Aziz El-Hammami
5Ahmed Mekkawi
Sayed El-Dhizui
10Abdel-Karim Sakr
Fouad Sedki
2Hanafy Bastan
8Helmi Abou El-Maati
9Hussein Madkour
6Mohammed Abou Habaga
3Mohamed El-Guindi
7Yehia Imam
Ali Osman DNS
Mohamed Mekhimar DNS
Yusri Soliman DNS
Ad-Diba DNS
Kamal El-Sabbagh DNS
Hamdein El-Zamek DNS
Mahmoud Hafez DNS
Hamdi Karwan DNS
Kamal Hamed DNS
Galal Koraitim DNS
Mohamed Sheta DNS
CoachEric Keen
=9IndiaIND2
S. A. Basheer
Ahmed Khan
KV Varadaraj
Mahabir Prasad
Ramchandra Parab
Rabi Das
Sahu Mewalal
Sarangapani Raman
Sailen Manna
Taj Mohammed
Talimeren Ao
K. P. Dhanraj DNS
S. M. Kaiser DNS
Anil Nandy DNS
Santosh Nandy DNS
T. M. Varghese DNS
Sanjeeva Uchil DNS
Balasundra Vajravelu DNS
CoachBalaidis Chatterjee
=9LuxembourgLUX3
Benny Michaux
Fernand Schammel
Jean Feller
Jim Kremer
Jules Gales
Lucien Konter
Max Paulus
Nic Kettel
Nic Pauly
Nic May
Remy Wagner
Vic Feller
Camille Wagner DNS
Jean Becker DNS
Nicolas Birtz DNS
Fernand Guth DNS
Emile Nurenberg DNS
Marcel Rewenig DNS
Léon Schumacher DNS
Paul Steffen DNS
Marcel Welter DNS
François Magnani DNS
CoachJean-Pierre Hoscheid
=9MexicoMEX
Alfredo Córdoba
Carlos Thompson
Eduardo Garduño
Fernando Figueroa
Francisco Quintero
Jorge Rodríguez
Jorge Ruiz
José Mercado
José Rodríguez
Mario Sánchez
Raúl Cárdenas
Antonio Carbajal DNS
José María Cobián DNS
Julio Parrales DNS
Rubén Ruiz DNS
Julio Trujillo DNS
Fidel Villalobos DNS
CoachAbel Ramírez
=9NetherlandsNED4
Abe Lenstra
Bram Appel
André Roosenburg
Arie de Vroet
Kees Krijgh
Kees van der Tuijn
Kees Rijvers
Henk Schijvenaar
Jeu van Bun
Rinus Terlouw
Piet Kraak
Faas Wilkes
Loek Biesbrouck DNS
Mick Clavan DNS
Guus Dräger DNS
Jan Everse DNS
Rinus Schaap DNS
Joop Stoffelen DNS
Wim Landman DNS
Sjaak Alberts DNS
Jos Beenhakkers DNS
Henk Temming DNS
CoachJesse Carver
=9United StatesUSA
Walter Bahr
Ray Beckman
Bill Bertani
Charlie Colombo
Joseph Costa
Joe Ferreira
Manuel Martin
Benny McLaughlin
Ed Souza
John Souza
Archie Strimel
Bob Annis DNS
Steve Grivnow DNS
Gino Pariani DNS
Rolf Valtin DNS
CoachWalter Giesler
=17AfghanistanAFG
Abdul Ahad Kharot
Abdul Ghafoor Yusufzai
Abdul Hamid Tajik
Abdul Shacour Azimi
Abdul Ghafoor Assar
Abdul Ghani Assar
Mohammad Anwar Afzal
Mohammad Anwar Kharot
Mohammad Sarwar Yusufzai
Mohammad Ibrahim Gharzai
Yar Mohammad Barakzai
Abdul Wahid Aitimadi DNS
M. M. Azami DNS
A. S. Mohamedzai DNS
M. U. Sadat DNS
M. I. Tokhi DNS
Coach?
=17IrelandIRL5
Brendan O'Kelly
Des Cleary
Donald Lawler
Emmett McLaughlin
Frank Glennon
Paddy Kavanagh
Peter McDonald
Bobby Smith
Billy Richardson
Billy Barry
Willie O'Grady
Harry Boland DNS
Bill Brennan DNS
Bobby Browne DNS
Michael Collins DNS
M. Farrell DNS
Patsy McGonagle DNS
John Morris DNS
CoachJohnny Carey

Qualifying Round

Date26 July 1948
FormatSingle-elimination.
MatchDate/TimeCompetitorsNOCResultCompetitorsNOC
Match #126 JulLuxembourgLUX6 – 0AfghanistanAFG
Match #226 JulNetherlandsNED3 – 1IrelandIRL

Round One

Date31 July – 2 August 1948
FormatSingle-elimination
MatchDate/TimeCompetitorsNOCResultCompetitorsNOC
Match #131 Jul 18:30DenmarkDEN3 – 1EgyptEGYAET
Match #231 Jul 18:30Great BritainGBR4 – 3NetherlandsNEDAET
Match #331 Jul 18:30FranceFRA2 – 1IndiaIND
Match #431 Jul 18:30YugoslaviaYUG6 – 1LuxembourgLUX
Match #502 Aug 18:30SwedenSWE3 – 0AustriaAUT
Match #602 Aug 18:30Republic of KoreaKOR5 – 3MexicoMEX
Match #702 Aug 18:30ItalyITA9 – 0United StatesUSA
Match #802 Aug 18:30TurkeyTUR4 – 0ChinaCHN

Quarter-Finals

Date5 August 1948
FormatSingle-elimination.
MatchDate/TimeCompetitorsNOCResultCompetitorsNOC
Match #105 Aug 18:30SwedenSWE12 – 0Republic of KoreaKOR
Match #205 Aug 18:30DenmarkDEN5 – 3ItalyITA
Match #305 Aug 18:30YugoslaviaYUG3 – 1TurkeyTUR
Match #405 Aug 18:30Great BritainGBR1 – 0FranceFRA

Semi-Finals

Date10 – 11 August 1948
FormatSingle-elimination.
MatchDate/TimeCompetitorsNOCResultCompetitorsNOC
Match #110 Aug 18:30SwedenSWE4 – 2DenmarkDEN
Match #211 Aug 18:30YugoslaviaYUG3 – 1Great BritainGBR

Final Round

Date13 August 1948
FormatMedal round.
MatchDate/TimeCompetitorsNOCResultCompetitorsNOC
Match 1/213 Aug 18:30SwedenSWE3 – 1YugoslaviaYUG
Match 3/413 Aug 14:00DenmarkDEN5 – 3Great BritainGBR