**In the 1924 Olympic final, Switzerland played against the superior Uruguay. José Andrade (with the ball) was the star of the tournament.** Pozzo Archive / FIFA Museum

Switzerland is European champion!

100 years ago, the Swiss national team celebrated the greatest triumph in its history. It was almost prevented - due to a lack of faith and a great deal of stinginess.

Mämä Sykora

Mämä Sykora is editor-in-chief of the football magazine ‘Zwölf’.

The lack of confidence in the run-up to the tournament now became a real problem. In view of the strong competition and the fact that the 1924 Olympic Football Tournament in Paris is played in a knockout system, the Swiss had opted for the cheap travel option and bought a collective ticket that was only valid for ten days. But now the national team was on a winning streak. The ticket expired, and the Swiss were running out of money. The newspaper Sport asked its readers for support, and the response was overwhelming: fans flocked to the editorial office in Zurich and deposited five-franc pieces and ten-franc notes, companies collected money from their employees or made generous donations themselves. Within one day, 6,000 francs – today that would be around 40,000 – were collected. In addition, thousands of supporters arrived on special trains from home to attend the match in which the best team on the planet would be crowned: Switzerland versus Uruguay.

In 1924, there existed neither a World Cup nor a European Championship in football. The Olympics are the biggest thing for this relatively young sport. Although there are professional players in some places, they are not permitted at the Olympics. However, FIFA and the Olympic Committee are arguing about how the status "professional" is defined. Therefore, Great Britain and Denmark have cancelled their participation in Paris, but still, the tournament with 22 nations from four continents would be the first ever international tournament. Paris has dressed up for the big event. Traffic is flowing, the bars and cafés are full and the sounds of jazz bands beckon from the nightclubs. Everyone is hoping to do good business with the Olympic tourists. Students are unceremoniously kicked out of their hotels and prices are raised; the train ticket to the Stade de Colombes, the main venue for the football tournament, costs three times more than usual – which leads to people taking the bus and looking like they've been turned in flour in their Sunday suits after the journey on the dusty streets.

The opening ceremony of the 1924 Olympic Games at the stade de Colombes. — **The opening ceremony of the 1924 Olympic Games at the *Stade de Colombes*.** gallica / Bibliothèque nationale de France

17 players were selected for the Swiss national team. Among them was one of the few international players at the tournament: Adolphe Mengotti from Geneva, the son of a diplomat who played for Real Madrid. No fewer than seven players of Servette FC were taking part, including Charles Bouvier, who would go on to win Olympic gold in the four-man bobsleigh twelve years later. Paul Sturzenegger, striker for FC Zurich, also had multiple sportive skills. He was a former long jump Swiss champion. The national team got off to a flying start: they swept away the inferior Lithuanians 9:0, still the highest victory in their history to date. However, it was the Uruguayans, who were competing outside South America for the first time, who caused more of a stir. Their reputation as the “eighth wonder of the world” preceded them. Hardly anyone had seen them play. Allegedly, the Yugoslavians, their first opponents in the tournament, sent spies to their training, which the Uruguayans realized and deliberately fumbled every ball. The South American champions went on to win the match 7:0.

**The Swiss national football team of 1924.** Sport Archive / FIFA Museum

In the round of 16, the Swiss faced the highly favoured Czechoslovakians. The remarkable 1-1 meant that a replay was necessary, with Robert Pache scoring the only goal shortly before the end. At home, the euphoria gathered pace: Thousands called the editorial office of Sport to find out the result. “Telephone secretaries fall unconscious from their chairs,” wrote the paper. It became even more intense when the national team also defeated Italy three days later. In Bern, a huge crowd gathered in front of the editorial office of the newspaper Der Bund in anticipation of the result. When the telegram finally arrived, cheers broke out that lasted until midnight. Ahead of the semi-final against Sweden, Sport was certain: “Never before has anything been as topical in sporting terms as this game!” The Swiss are superior in the second half. Fässler hits the post, Dietrich misses alone in front of goal, and finally Abegglen capitalizes on a pass from Schmiedlin with a powerful shot. 2-1, Switzerland is through to the final of the “World Cup”, as the tournament is known!

**Switzerland against Italy. Paul Sturzenegger (right) also scored in this game. In the end, Switzerland won 2-1.** Pozzo Archive / FIFA Museum

And the players savoured their triumph. At a reception in the Eiffel Tower restaurant, the menu included Escalope de Veau lithuanienne, Contrefilet Tchèco-Slovaquie, Salade italienne and Bombe Schmiedlin. And Sport writes: “The name of our country is on everyone's lips. From the Far East to the Cordillera, from the Australian steppes to the far north.” However, all Paris really talked about, was the Swiss' opponents in the final: Uruguay. In the 5-1 victory over hosts France, José Leandro Andrade dribbled around the entire defence and then crossed for his team-mate, who only had to slide the ball in. Europe has never seen anything like it!

**There was no way around Uruguay in Paris. The South Americans played football in another dimension!** Pozzo Archive / FIFA Museum

By lunchtime on the day of the final, the streets leading to the stade de Colombes were already jammed with people queuing at the entrances. 10,000 waiting fans had to be turned away. Those football fans who had gathered at the Tonhalle in Zurich were also disappointed: For the first time, a national team match was to be broadcast live on the radio. But the wind blew down the balloon with radio-telephone equipment floating above the Paris pitch, and the broadcast was cancelled. The hopes of the Swiss footballers did not last long either. They hardly saw a ball, goalkeeper Pulver was literally bombarded. After just eight minutes, Uruguay were 1-0 up and Pulver could not even get his hands up for the shot by Pedro Petrone, known as the “Artillero”. The Swiss somehow managed to save themselves into half-time, but things continued in the same vein afterwards. Petrone shot from all angles, Andrade played his opponents dizzy on the wing, the players of Uruguay took corner by corner and were in almost constant possession. After an hour, Cea added to his tally and Romano later scored to make the final score 3-0, a result with which the Swiss were well served.

The 1924 "World Cup" final between Uruguay and Switzerland . YouTube

José Leandro Andrade, the dark-skinned star of the tournament, stayed in Paris and toured the variety shows as a dancer and singer. He also became famous in the nightlife before Josephine Baker overtook him. In 1928, Uruguay won the next Olympic title with Andrade in Amsterdam, and in 1930 the first World Cup title at home. The Swiss were celebrated on their return home. In Basel, they received flowers, watches and wine. The procession to the town hall brought tram traffic to a standstill. Zurich's main railway station is even “black with people”, as Sport writes. The crowds clamoured for FC Zurich player Paul Sturzenegger and carried him out of the hall on their shoulders. After all, as the best team on the continent, they were – at least unofficially – European champions.

The Swiss national team became European football champions in 1924. At least unofficially. Second from the left is Paul Sturzenegger, the tournament's fourth-highest scorer with five goals. — **The Swiss national team became European football champions in 1924. At least unofficially. Second from the left is Paul Sturzenegger, the tournament's fourth-best scorer with five goals.** Pozzo Archive / FIFA Museum

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