In 1938, France hosted the third edition of the FIFA World Cup from June 4 to 9. Sixteen teams were called to participate, representing four confederations.

Meanwhile, Cuba, the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), Norway, and Poland made their first appearances in the World Cup. About three months before the tournament began, one of the participating teams disappeared when Adolf Hitler ordered a military intervention in Austria on March 12 of that year, annexing it to Germany and causing international concern and astonishment.

Following the German invasion, Austrian football star Matthias Sindelar met a strange end, being found dead at the age of 35 under suspicious circumstances.

Image of Italian players celebrating after winning the 1938 World Cup

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Image of Italian players celebrating after winning the 1938 World Cup

Image of Matthias Sindelar

Sindelar's Career

Matthias Sindelar was born in February 1903 in Moravia before later moving with his family to the Austrian capital Vienna. He began his sporting career at Hertha Vienna, where he excelled in the youth categories and progressed to the senior team, performing well between 1921 and 1924.

In that latter year, the Austrian player moved to play for Austria Vienna. With this club, he played 312 matches as a striker, scoring 240 goals.

During his career, Sindelar won several Austrian league titles and cups, as well as the Mitropa Cup, which was then a European tournament involving clubs from countries like Austria, Italy, and Croatia.

Hitler, Himmler, and Heydrich during a visit to Austria

A Face of Resistance

Thanks to Sindelar and his teammates, Austria had a team in the 1930s that terrified other European nations. Before the 1934 World Cup, Austria defeated Germany twice: 6-0 and 5-0. Austria also crushed other teams like Hungary and Switzerland, which were then considered strong European sides.

A few months before the 1938 World Cup, German troops invaded Austria and annexed it in what became known as the Anschluss. Subsequently, Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party believed it was possible to form a dream team combining Austrian and German stars that could win the World Cup, which was to be held in France.

Image of Italian players celebrating after winning the 1938 World Cup

Moreover, the Nazis arranged a friendly match between their national team and the former Austrian team, hoping to polish Germany's image and demonstrate its players' ability. While many expected the match to be rigged in favor of the Germans, the Austrians defied expectations and beat Germany 2-0. In that match, Sindelar stood out by scoring a goal and securing the victory for Austria, thus becoming a face of peaceful resistance against the occupation of Austria.

Image of Matthias Sindelar's grave

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Image of Matthias Sindelar's grave

Austrians gathered to hear Hitler's voice in Vienna after the invasion

Refusal to Join Germany and Strange Death

As the 1938 World Cup approached, Austrian players accepted to wear the swastika and give the Nazi salute during the tournament, agreeing to join the German team.

In contrast, Sindelar refused and resorted to delaying tactics to avoid being called up to the German team, claiming he was ill or too old at 35. However, his true motives were his Austrian nationalism and rejection of Nazi presence. In the 1938 World Cup, Germany performed poorly, being eliminated in the first match after losing to Switzerland.

On January 23, 1939, Sindelar was found dead alongside his lover in an apartment in Vienna. According to German sources at the time, he died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

However, many doubted this German account, especially given that the Gestapo had been closely monitoring Sindelar's home and café. Later, some spoke of a planned assassination by the Nazis and a cover-up by local authorities who were bribed.

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