The Maracanazo: The game that changed a jersey

Brazil 1950 World Cup team. Getty images.

Such was the confidence of a maiden Brazilian World Cup victory on home soil in 1950, that the nation’s fans and media started celebrations well before a ball was kicked.

Prior to the final, the Selecao looked to be in impeccable form.

The hosts pulled off a 7-1 rout against Sweden before replicating their form in the penultimate stages of the World Cup with a 6-1 thrashing of Spain. And with that, Flavio Costa’s men entered the match as undoubted favourites to take home their first Copa do Mundo.

For Uruguay, well, things looked bleak.

A lacklustre draw against Spain in Estadio do Pacaembu was followed by a tight 3-2 win against Sweden - things weren’t looking great.

Sure, progressing to a World Cup final was and still is an achievement in itself, but the prospect of losing in an undignified manner against a rampant Brazilian side in front an additional 200,000 Brazilian citizens in a packed Maracana stadium was the stuff of nightmares.

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