"God help them if they lose" were the encouraging words from Benito Mussolini to Italian players on the eve of the 1934 World Cup.
Il Duce demanded nothing less than victory from his country and saw the tournament as the ideal vehicle to promote his fascist policies, as did Aldolf Hitler two years later, when the Winter and Summer Olympics were held in Garmisch and Berlin.
Italy were determined to win at all costs and handed citizenship to four Argentine players, Raimundo Orsi, Luis Monti, Enrique Guaita and Atilia Demaria as well as the Brazilian Anfilogino Guarisi.
The competition had a much stronger European profile than the inaugural championships four years earlier when tiny Uruguay put on a distinctly South American affair.
Final goes to extra-time
While nine teams from the Americas were present in 1930, only three made the trip to Italy.
Holders Uruguay, dogged by problems with players, were not among them, leaving Argentina, Brazil and the United States with the task of making the long journey to Europe knowing that they might play only one game.
That was exactly the case for the Americans as Italy barely stretched their legs while inflicting a 7-1 first round defeat to eliminate the 1930 semi-finalists.
Spain proved hard work for Italy but Giuseppe Meazza got the winner in a replay to set up a semi-final date against Austria.
On the other side of the draw, Czechoslovakia had few problems dispatching Germany 3-1 to book a place in the final.
Italy again had to battle, scraping past a gifted Austrian team to move within one match of Mussolini's dream.
The Fascist Party stadium was packed with confident Italians, including their dictator, but the Czechs silenced the crowd when they took the lead with 20 minutes left through Puc.
With time running out and desperation setting in, Italy carved out an equaliser with eight minutes left when Orsi weaved his way into the box and sent a swerving shot past Frantisek Planicka's despairing drive.
The pressure was off and Italy got the goal they needed in extra time when Schiavio fought off the fatigue that was affecting most of the players to conjure up the winner with a marvellous finish.
Italy were champions, Mussolini was happy and the players who pocketed a tidy 1,800 dollars each could breathe easy again.
Tags: world cup/world cup memories