Chile hosted the 1962 World Cup at the back of an earthquake, the largest ever recorded at 9.5 magnitude. They were forced to rebuild the infrastructure due to major damage.
The competition was also marred by overly defensive and often violent tactics of the teams, in which 50 players were injured during the first four days of the championship. The first round match between Italy and Chile was termed as the Battle of Santiago, which Chile won 2-0.
Brazil were struggling with injury to their star player Pele following their second group match against Czechoslovakia. The USSR saw their goalkeeper Lev Yashin show poor form including a 2-1 loss to hosts Chile as that team, inspired by team spirit, captured third place.
Brazil beat Czechoslovakia 3-1 to lift their second World Cup in a row with Garrincha and Amarildo spearheading the campaign in Pele’s absence. In this edition, Colombia’s Marcos Coll made World Cup history when he scored a goal direct from a corner kick (called an Olympic Goal in Latin America) — the only one ever recorded in a World Cup.
— N.D. Prashant/Staff Reporter
