Observatory: The curious World Cup of David Randall

Broadest interpretation of nationality and corruption laws

In 1934, Italy's coach Vittorio Pozzo stretched nationality laws to poach three South Americans for his side, including Monti, Argentina's centre-half in the 1930 final. His side also included Luigi Allemandi, banned for life for bribery after trousering 25,000 lire from a bent Torino director, but then reinstated to play in the World Cup.

Only altruistic action by a man in a blazer

With the Nazi armies about to arrive in Rome, an Italian football association official called Dr Ottorino Barassi was concerned that the German looters' shopping list might include the World Cup trophy. So he wrapped it up, took it home and, for the duration of the war, kept it hidden under his bed in a shoe box.

Best Sherlock Holmes impersonation by ref

The Belgian Jean Langenus appeared for the 1930 Argentina v Uruguay final wearing plus fours, a red-striped tie and a deerstalker hat. Apart from that, it was all quite normal, with death threats aimed at officials, armed guards for both teams, soldiers with fixed bayonets encircling the stadium, and neither side able to agree on the match ball.

Best situation comedy by an organising committee

Brazil's staging of the 1950 tournament set hilarious new standards for future organising committees. Czechoslovakia would not enter; neither would Hungary or the Soviet Union. Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Burma, Ecuador, India and Peru all withdrew without kicking a ball, and Turkey and Scotland pulled out after qualifying. Fifa invited France to take Turkey's place, but after seeing their arduous itinerary they refused to play. Portugal were invited to fill the gap but said no. In the end there were only 13 teams left. They were put in two groups of four, one of three, and one of two. The lucky pair were Bolivia and Uruguay, both of whom qualified without playing a game. And there was no knock-out stage and no final.

Worst team picked by a reigning monarch

In 1930, King Carol of Romania called a brief halt to the incessant traffic through his bedroom to secure funding for his team's trip to Uruguay. He then insisted he should be allowed to pick the squad. His selections lost 4-0 to the hosts and returned home.

Owner of the least-reliable watch

Brazilian ref Almeida Rego ended the 1930 match between Argentina and France six minutes early – just as France looked like equalising. After some French arm-waving, he restarted the game, but France could not equalise and were out.

Most extreme reaction by a tabloid to an England defeat

When the sensational 0-1 defeat of England by the USA in 1950 was flashed across the world by the wire services, one newspaper took it as a transmission error and reported it as a 10-1 England win in the Stop Press box. The US player who scored the goal, Larry Gaetjens, was Haitian by birth and later died a political prisoner in a Haiti jail.

Most casualties caused by a dressing-room brawl

Hungary beat Brazil 4-2 in a bad-tempered 1954 quarter-final which saw three players sent off. The aftermath was even more violent. Brazil's players invaded the Hungarian dressing-room and a spectacular punch-up ensued, which left Gustav Sebes knocked out and Pinheiro, the Brazilian centre-half, being treated for a five-inch head wound caused by a broken bottle.

Best attempt to take home the courtesy transport

At the start of the 1974 finals a German company gave each side a luxury coach in team colours. After Zaire were eliminated, a man from the firm called at the team hotel to reclaim the vehicle, only to be told it had already left with the Zaire squad inside, and was tooling down the autobahn towards Africa. Only the swift actions of the local polizei stopped it reaching the border.

Best use of special effects by the bench

In the 1930 USA v Argentina match, the American trainer took such a grave exception to a decision against his team that he ran on the pitch and began waving his arms about and haranguing the referee. In a final theatrical flourish, he emphasised his point by flinging down his little bag of medicaments. This was a mistake. His gesture smashed an economy-sized bottle of chloroform, its soporific vapours engulfed him, and his near- comatose body had to be borne back to the sidelines where it belonged.

Least successful attempt at long-term planning

Brazil's coach decided that for the 1938 semi v Italy he would leave out strikers Leonidas and Tim. "They are being rested for the final," he said. Sure enough, they were rested, as were all the side after their 2-1 semi-final defeat.

Best attempt to win Golden Boot before half-time

Austria were trailing Switzerland 3-0 in their 1954 match. Within 10 minutes they scored five, took the lead, conceded a goal, missed a penalty, and so took a 5-4 lead into the break. They finally won 7-5, with all 12 goals coming in 49 minutes. Referee Ulysses Saucedo tried to win the Golden Boot in 1930 by giving five penalties in one game.

Great unsung goalscoring heroes of the World Cup

Eladio Rojas of Chile, who, when he scored a goal in 1962 against Russia, was so delighted to have beaten the great Lev Yashin that he hugged him instead of his team-mates... Polish forward Wilimowski, who netted four against Brazil in 1938, only to be on the wrong end of a 6-5 defeat... Hector Castro of Uruguay, whose lack of a hand (lost in childhood accident) did not stop him scoring the winner in 1930 final.

Most fatal heart-attacks by winning supporters: Eight by Uruguay, 1930 Most damage caused to public utility by neutral fans: Wrecking of two electricity plants by 200 Bangladeshis after power cut halted a telecast of the US v Switzerland game, 1994 Most extreme gesture by a Scottish manager in vain attempt to actually win a game: Andy Beattie, who resigned on the eve of Uruguay match, 1954. Scotland lost 7-0 Wisest observation in history of Cup: John Motson – "The World Cup – truly an international event"