The first FIFA World Cup was held in 1930. The tournament was hosted by Uruguay, who had won the soccer events at the 1924 and 1928 Olympics, and were also celebrating their centenary as a country that year.
Just thirteen teams competed (largely due to the difficult logistics of traveling to South America at the time), and France, Yugoslavia, Romania and Belgium were the only countries represented outside of the Americas.
Tournament hosts Uruguay ultimately won the inaugural World Cup, beating Argentina 4-2 at the final in Montevideo. Interestingly enough, the 1930 World Cup still represents the United States' best ever finish at the event, and their third-place result is still the highest finish by a team outside of Europe and South America.
With all the fanfare around the 2014 World Cup, we're answering all the questions soccer initiates might have about the world's most-watched sporting event. Make sure to check out our Ultimate World Cup Guide for the complete FAQ!
