Jules Rimet, the inventor of the World Cup

Last update 29 May, 2014 por Alberto Llopis

We usually spend Colgados for football players talking, coaches or presidents who have made history in the world of football throughout history. Sin embargo, our character of this narrative is not any thing nor the other, but rather, something more important, the creator of the World and FIFA president longest: French Jules Rimet.

Born in Theuley one 14 de octubre de 1873, If football is what it is, It is partly a legacy. Counsel, his charisma and good work transformed the sport king forever. Because Rimet was referee at the beginning, but above all an excellent leader and very clever one type. His love of football, you create the Red Star French, Gallo modest team still existing platform that will serve to spearhead the creation of the French Football Federation 1919, Federation which preside over 23 años.

A position he alternated the presidency of FIFA in 1923, the turning point of his career and long life of football. Because aware of the importance that was acquiring it in more and more countries, He began to promote it further by the media, He made it accessible to any social layer and greatly enhanced discipline in the Olympic Games 1924 y 1928, years in which participated the best national teams and football issues where competing as equals in importance to athletics, something unthinkable decades ago.

Precisamente, the good reception in the Olympics football led to his masterpiece: creating a world championship exclusively for football discipline every four years. An idea somewhat criticized at the time by the difficulties of intercontinental travel and the terrible situation that several countries lived in such a difficult period as the global interwar, but which ultimately proved to be one of the better decisions you have ever taken a sports leader.

Because the opening of the World Cup 1930 was a success despite the absence for various reasons some European powers and their repetition in Italy 1934 and France 1938 confirmation that “something big” He had done forever.

Of course, if important was the creation by Jules Rimet Cup World, no less would be what would after World War II. After a terrible war that left hatred and resentment of some nations with other, Rimet sought that football was the way of conflict settlement, the union and the nexus of people from all those countries faced and succeeded well despite the initial negative.

En 1950, World Cup returned to be played, this time in Brazil, Rimet giving the rewards so sought after award. Switzerland's World 1934 It would be his last competition as FIFA president. El motivo, two years later, Jules Rimet to pass away 81 years leaving themselves one of the most beautiful stories of world sport. Sin él, there is no doubt that football will not be the same.

Anecdotes of Jules Rimet:

– It was legal procurator in the Paris Stock Exchange, but he did not practice any sport although he liked much.

– He decided to grant the World Cup 1930 to Uruguay because it was twice Olympic champion, He had promised to build a stadium (The centenary) and he had made an irresistible offer: pay all travel expenses and accommodation for participating teams, incluyendo 75 dollars per person, in addition to “half a dollar per day for incidental expenses”.

– His trip to Uruguay did in transatlantic, en el “Green Count” next to Romania and Belgium and cup champion, cup that eventually bear his name as a nice tribute.

– I had to deal heavy pressure of not a few dictators, which he earned him to be nominated for Nobel Peace Prize.

– He was president of FIFA 1921 a 1954 and the French Federation 1919 a 1942. It was one of the initiators of the creation of the French league, back in 1910.