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As the world watches and embraces the excitement of the World Cup, let us be reminded that the our ancestors did not have that privilege.
The FIFA World Cup has only been cancelled twice in its history: 1942 and 1946, both because of the effects of World War II.
1942 World Cup
After the successful 1938 World Cup in France, FIFA began planning the next tournament for 1942.
Germany officially submitted its bid in 1936, while Brazil followed in 1939. FIFA had not yet selected a host when the political situation in Europe deteriorated.
On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland, beginning World War II. International football immediately became a very low priority, and FIFA abandoned plans for the tournament before a host nation could even be chosen.
1946 World Cup
Europe's infrastructure had been devastated, many stadiums were damaged, transportation networks were disrupted, and FIFA itself lacked the money and personnel needed to organize a global tournament. FIFA's first postwar meeting did not even occur until July 1946.
Loss of players
Due to the cancellation of the 1942 and 1946 World Cups meant that an entire generation of footballers lost their best chance to play on the biggest stage. Some even died before peace returned.
For instance, the Ukrainian players Nikolai Trusevich, Ivan Kuzmenko and Oleksiy Klimenko did not survive the war.
Even non-player staff, like the coach Arpad Weisz (from Hungary) was not spared.
World War II erased an entire generation's chance to compete in what should have been the 1942 and 1946 World Cups, and therefore their opportunity to make a mark.
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