August 13 - Hitler Applies for 1942 World Cup

FOR millions around the world, football is more than just a game. The impact of the world’s most popular sport is not just felt on the pitch, but across the whole of culture and society. It is no surprise therefore, that politicians have always used the game as a way to tap into the psyche of their people, be it Tony Blair playing keepy-uppy with Kevin Keegan or Adolf Hitler applying to host the 1942 World Cup, as he did on this day in 1936.

The Third Reich movement was characterised by the belief that the Arian race was superior to all others and Hitler believed that one way to show this off was through sport. The 1936 Olympics have become synonymous with this philosophy, and Hitler was keen to seize upon football’s massive popular appeal and exploit it as a vehicle for propaganda. Hitler himself was never a massive football fan. He had been born too early to grow up with the game and preferred activities such as boxing, shooting and wrestling, that he believed would make his people better soldiers.

It is believed that Hitler only ever watched one football match - a two nil loss for Germany against Norway at the 1936 Olympics. The little man wasn’t very impressed, storming out in a huff and refusing to go and watch the rowing that he was scheduled to attend. However, due to the popularity of the game in Germany he couldn’t afford to ignore it, so applying to host the World Cup was an ideal way to put Nazi Germany in the international spotlight as the Berlin Olympics had.

Germany’s submission to host the World Cup was put in despite FIFA already promising to give the tournament to Brazil in 1942, with Argentina also putting in a bid. In the end though, it would all prove to be academic, as the Second World War broke out and the 1942 World Cup was understandably cancelled. Despite this, international matches were played by several nations until 1942, and the German domestic leagues carried on until Hitler’s suicide in 1945, in an effort to distract the population from the struggles they faced during the war.

The World Cup returned in 1950, when Brazil hosted the tournament after the vice-president of FIFA, Ottorino Barassi had hidden the World Cup trophy from the Nazi’s in a shoe-box under his bed.

If you want to find out where Adolf Hitler’s footballing loyalties were, watch the clip below and be sure to join us tomorrow to look at one of English football’s greatest perms.