70 years to the day that Spain became World Champions...
On April 19, 1954, the Spanish National Football Team were crowned world youth champions; glory long ago though it is, it remains relevant today with the successes of our national youth teams in recent years.
The long trophy drought Spain endured from the 50s until 1964 did have one exception exactly 70 years ago to this day. Long before the 2010 glory, the national team became world champions... at youth level. The youth championships, created in 1948 on the initiative of Louis Pelletier, president of the Central Youth Football Committee of the French Football Federation, and with the support of FIFA general secretary Stanley Rous, were the scene of this first Spanish triumph.
Spain arrived at the 1954 World Youth Championship as champions of the 5th International Youth Tournament held in Barcelona from April 13 to 17, 1952.
In 1954, the Tournament was of a global nature for the first time and was held in Germany. The team was coached by an ever-present part of Spanish journalism and football, Ramón Melcón, who called up 18 players, some of whom were destined to make history, such as Olivella.
THE FULL SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Sierra (Zaragoza) and Joanet (Español de Barcelona).
Defenders: Olivella (Barcelona), Simó (Barcelona), Arriola (Plus Ultra de Madrid), Maraver (Sevilla), and Careaga (Atlético de Deusto).
Midfielders: Botana (Deportivo de La Coruña), Muñoz (Sabadell) and Echeverría (Deportivo Guecho).
Forwards: Vega (Granollers), Allende (Barcelona), Cela (D. Universitario de Barcelona), Martín (Plus Ultra), Polo (Madrid), Álvarez (Sevilla), Erdocia (Juventus OAR de Vizcaya) and Arberas (Andoaindarra de Andoain).
In the qualifying round, Spain beat Yugoslavia 2-0 with goals by Echeverría and Cela. Then they beat Ireland 3-1 with goals by Vega, Polo and Martín and Portugal 6-0 with a hat-trick by Cela, a brace by Polo and one goal from Álvarez.
The semi-finals were win by Germany, who beat Turkey 2-1, and Spain, who beat Argentina 1-0 thanks to a goal by Cela.
The final between Germany and Spain ended 2-2, and after extra time, Spain won the 6th FIFA International Youth Tournament.
In the final, Cela and Álvarez scored two goals to offset the brace scored by Uwe Seeler, who would go on to become a world-class player.
This achievement of our youth team was, of course, picked up on by the press of the time, who highlighted the fact that the victory had been achieved while remaining undefeated throughout the tournament, and praised the young stars and their coach
And Cela, José María Cela, who scored one of the goals in that final, is also, indirectly, the architect of this day we remember our first National Team world champions. Because a descendant of the footballer, his son, Diego, was the one who reminded us of this milestone anniversary of the victory and who has provided us with some of the photos that his family still cherish from those times. Thus we can see, in addition to the press clippings, much less predetermined and more spontaneous images, such as images captured on the train or bus of some players who took a guitar with them to help pass the time.
Those first champions are pioneers of Spanish football, and it is only right to recognise and remember them, in a country that today boasts a World Cup star on the shirts of both its men's and women's national teams. Our lower categories fill our National Football Museum with their international trophies; and that path to victory began seven decades ago today.