UNDOUBTEDLY, the Greatest Single Sport Event – World Cup Football – captures the imagination and attention of the World without equal. From the very inauguration in 1930 in Uruguay to present day, heading to Mother Africa, the quest for the biggest Title and Prize in World football has grown enormously in popularity and certainly –financially.
The idea of bringing the world’s best National football teams, in one country, to compete for the enviable honour of being crowned Champions of the World is credited to a duo of French football administrators who relentlessly and at times diplomatically championed the destiny and birth of the dream.
The commitment and devotion of Jules Rimet and Henri Delaunay in realising what was continuously debated for close to three decades was exemplary.
Rimet, who was later accorded the distinction of being the first President of the Football International Federation of Associations (FIFA) to be given the title Honorary President when he was decorated with the honour in 1954 is also the longest-serving president of FIFA, having led from 1920 to 1954. The man who possessed extraordinary persuasive skills also ruled the French Football Federation (FFF) from 1919 to 1952.
The other half who was full of energy and was the foot soldier made sure that things were done. Delaunay served the FFF as secretary from 1919 until his passing in 1956.
Together they had one ingredient in common and that was they were both visionaries. Of course they differed on opinions, at times, but that never interfered with their goal. They are remembered as the pioneers of French, European and World football.
In 1904 at the very first meeting of FIFA held in Paris, and without the presence of the British, it was unanimously and grandly decided that FIFA, alone, had the right to organize a World football Championship. This right was not exercised until 26 years later. In 1920 at FIFA’s Antwerp Congress held concurrently with the Olympics Games accepted in principle the thought of World Cup football Championship.
Four years later at the Paris Olympics, FIFA deliberated in more detail the idea of the first World Cup. Two years on at another FIFA Congress it was Delaunay who proclaimed, “Today International football can no longer be held within the confines of the Olympics; and many countries where Professionalism is now recognised and organised cannot any longer be represented there by their best players’. It was Delaunay’s resolution that plans for the staging of the first World Cup be put in motion, at once, was adopted.
Among the aspiring host Nations for the inaugural Cup were: Italy, Spain, Sweden, Holland and Uruguay.
Uruguay who, with their proud football history, had just retained their Olympics football title, offered to pay the travelling and accommodation expenses of all the visiting teams and promised to build a new stadium to commemorate the country’s 100 years of Independence in the said 1930. The other countries withdrew their offers to host and also none of them made the trip to the first Edition of the World Cup.
In 1929 at the FIFA Congress held in Barcelona, Spain, it was officially announced that little Uruguay with a mere population of 2 million will host the debut World Cup football tournament, and so the advent of the much anticipated competition headed for South America, the continent with half of the 18 titles contested for so far.     
Despite the numerous changes during almost 80 years of positive growth the Beautiful Game still remains the People’s Game and the main focus of the World Cup hasn’t changed – lifting the solid Gold Trophy – the pinnacle of every footballer’s career.