URUGUAY 4-2 ARGENTINA

On Wednesday, 30th July 1930, the first ever World Cup final saw host nation Uruguay take on their fierce rivals Argentina in Montevideo's Centenario Stadium in front of a large and passionate crowd. The match got off to a bizarre start when neither team would agree to use a ball provided by their opponents, and after a long disagreement the two sides agreed to use an Argentinian ball in the first half and a Uruguayan ball in the second.

Uruguay made the perfect start when they took the lead after only 12 minutes, Pablo Dorado shooting through the goalkeeper's legs. The crowd went wild, but were silenced just eight minutes later when Francisco Varallo set up Carlos Peucelle for the equalising goal. Seven minutes before half-time, Argentina took a controversial lead when the tournament's leading goalscorer Guillermo Stábile scored from what Uruguay claimed was an offside position, but the goal stood and it was the visitors who held a narrow 2-1 lead at the interval.

Uruguay had to wait just 13 minutes into the second half before finding their equaliser, Pedro Cea shooting home on 58 minutes. Uruguay were now in the ascendancy, and just ten minutes later Santos Iriarte drove home a wonderful goal from outside the penalty area to put the hosts 3-2 ahead. Again, the stadium erupted in celebration, but there was still more than enough time for Argentina to fight back.

Uruguay survived a real scare when Stábile shot against the crossbar just moments later, and had to wait until the 89th minute before they could really celebrate victory. Dorado put in a cross towards Hector Castro, who had lost part of his left arm in an accident, and Castro headed home a fourth goal for Uruguay. Just moments later the final whistle blew and Uruguay had added the first World Cup to their consecutive Olympic titles in 1924 and 1928. The following day was declared a national holiday in Uruguay as the people took to the streets to celebrate the victory.