Battle of Highbury

As Battle of Highbury ( German: " Battle of Highbury " ) is referred to a special football match between the English and the Italian national football team, which was held on 14 November 1934 at the known as " Highbury " Arsenal Stadium in London. England won this highly contested and partially characterized by brute force game - which had the appropriate naming of the result - against the reigning world champions 3-2.

Ahead of the game

This game was the first game of the Italian national team after they had won in the previous summer at home the World Cup. Since the English Football Association " Football Association " (FA) was leaked in 1928 from the world football body FIFA, England had in this tournament can not participate. Nevertheless, the motherland of football has been considered at the time as one of the most powerful nations in the sport and the game was therefore at least viewed in England as "real" World Cup finals. In Italy, too, the importance of the game was considered very high and was as reported, to even the dictator Benito Mussolini to each player, if successful, have filed an Alfa Romeo and a premium equivalent to 150 British pounds in prospect (the present value after this corresponds to about 9000 EUR ).

The game was already waiting at the beginning of a record, as in the England team for the first time seven members of the same club - were used ( this record was set only in 2001 ) - from Arsenal FC. In addition, the game was still held in the home of Arsenal FC. In addition to these seven Arsenal players ( Frank Moss, George Male, Eddie Hapgood, Wilf Copping, Ray Bowden, Ted Drake and Cliff Bastin ) was the young Stanley Matthews, who came thus to his third international game, just in the starting line-up as yet Cliff Britton Jack Barker and Eric Brook. Since all English players used them have fewer than ten international matches, the team was very inexperienced.

The first half

Already the start to the game revealed that the two teams should go with a high physical effort to work. After only ten minutes of the game, the Italian defensive midfielder Luis Monti broke after a battle with Drake 's foot. Since at this time no player changes were allowed, had the Italian team as a result, in the rest of the time with only ten men. Apparently angered by this violation suffered, the Italian player retaliated by numerous fouls to their English counterparts, thereby Eddie Hapgood a broken nose drew upon ( which forced him to a 15 - minute break in the game), Bowden injured his ankle, Drake dealt a blow Brook got and broke his arm.

During the first season, Brook awarded first in the first minute penalty after previously Drake had been fouled by Ceresoli. A later "double compensation" was already in this half than Brook did in the lead after a header and a free kick hit England 2-0. Even before the break Ted Drake rose to 3-0.

The second half

However, the Italian team wanted to not be so easily defeated the reigning world champion and shifted the game from now on in the second 45 minutes into the English half. Giuseppe Meazza scored two goals and failed by a post and hit some good defensive actions by Frank Moss just wide of the compensation. The best player of the game has been recognized for his fighting spirit and his tackles in midfield Wilf Copping.

Hindsight the game

The game was received very ambivalent in the aftermath. Although the English team could claim victory for himself and - even in the face of the young team that was used - looked upon as a sort of unofficial world champions, also the Italian team could be argued that they had acted over almost the entire season shorthanded. Undoubtedly, however, was the extreme hardship in the game, which meant that the FA thought about it, wanting to withdraw completely from international football. Stanley Matthews later resulted in his memoirs that the "Battle of Highbury " had been in his long career, probably the most brutal game.

In Italy, the team - continue as the "Lion of London " celebrated - in spite of the formal defeat.

Statistics

• Football game
• English national football team
• Football in Italy
• Sports 1934
• Football in Britain
• Sporting event in London
• London Borough of Islington