The thirteen teams were drawn into four groups, with all the games being played in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo. Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil and the USA were seeded, and were kept apart in the draw that took place in Montevideo. The USA were seeded on account of the professional soccer league in the USA at the time. Since there were no qualifying games, the opening two matches of the tournament were the first ever World Cup games, taking place simultaneously on July 13; France beat Mexico 4-1 at the Estadio Pocitos, while the United States defeated Belgium 3-0 at the same time at the Estadio Gran Parque Central. France's Lucien Laurent was the scorer of the first ever World Cup goal. Laurent later said: "We were playing Mexico and it was snowing, since it was winter in the southern hemisphere. One of my team mates centred the ball and I followed its path carefully, taking it on the volley with my right foot. Everyone was pleased but we didn't all roll around on the ground - nobody realised that history was being made. A quick handshake and we got on the with game. And no bonus either; we were all amateurs in those days, right to the end."
Group 1
The first group was the only one to contain four teams: Argentina, Chile, France and Mexico. Two days after France's victory over Mexico, they faced Argentina. The only goal of the game was scored by Argentina's Luis Monti from a free kick. The game featured an officiating controversy when referee Almeida Rego erroneously blew the final whistle six minutes early; play only resumed after protests from the French players. Argentina's second match, against Mexico, featured the first penalty of the tournament. A total of five penalties were awarded during the match which was refereed by the Bolivian coach Ulises Saucedo, three of them controversial. Guillermo Stábile scored a hat-trick on his international debut as Argentina won 6-3. Qualification was decided by the final group match, between Argentina and Chile who had beaten France and Mexico respectively. The game which was marred by a brawl sparked by a foul on Arturo Torres by Monti. Argentina won 3-1 against their neighbours and progressed to the semi-finals.
Group 2
The second group contained Brazil, Bolivia and Yugoslavia. Brazil, the group seeds, sent a team composed primarily of players from Rio de Janeiro due to an internal dispute, but were nonetheless expected to progress. However, in the group's opening match Yugoslavia gained an unexpected 2-1 victory. Both teams beat Bolivia comfortably (although there was considerable confusion during the Brazil v Bolivia game when, for 45 minutes, the teams were attired in the same colours. Ulises Saucedo's side finally changing into an alternate kit). Yugoslavia qualified for the semi-finals.
Group 3
Hosts Uruguay were in a group with Peru and Romania. The opening match in this group saw the first sending off in the competition, when Plácido Galindo of Peru was dismissed against Romania. Romania made their man advantage pay; their 3-1 win included two late goals. Due to construction delays at Estadio Centenario, Uruguay's first match was not played until five days into the tournament. The first to be held at the Centenario, it was preceded by a ceremony in honour of the Uruguayan centenary celebrations. The hosts won a tight match against Peru 1-0 which was viewed as a poor performance by the Uruguayan press, but lauded in Peru. Uruguay subsequently defeated Romania with ease, scoring four first half goals to win 4-0.
Group 1
The first group was the only one to contain four teams: Argentina, Chile, France and Mexico. Two days after France's victory over Mexico, they faced Argentina. The only goal of the game was scored by Argentina's Luis Monti from a free kick. The game featured an officiating controversy when referee Almeida Rego erroneously blew the final whistle six minutes early; play only resumed after protests from the French players. Argentina's second match, against Mexico, featured the first penalty of the tournament. A total of five penalties were awarded during the match which was refereed by the Bolivian coach Ulises Saucedo, three of them controversial. Guillermo Stábile scored a hat-trick on his international debut as Argentina won 6-3. Qualification was decided by the final group match, between Argentina and Chile who had beaten France and Mexico respectively. The game which was marred by a brawl sparked by a foul on Arturo Torres by Monti. Argentina won 3-1 against their neighbours and progressed to the semi-finals.
Group 2
The second group contained Brazil, Bolivia and Yugoslavia. Brazil, the group seeds, sent a team composed primarily of players from Rio de Janeiro due to an internal dispute, but were nonetheless expected to progress. However, in the group's opening match Yugoslavia gained an unexpected 2-1 victory. Both teams beat Bolivia comfortably (although there was considerable confusion during the Brazil v Bolivia game when, for 45 minutes, the teams were attired in the same colours. Ulises Saucedo's side finally changing into an alternate kit). Yugoslavia qualified for the semi-finals.
Group 3
Hosts Uruguay were in a group with Peru and Romania. The opening match in this group saw the first sending off in the competition, when Plácido Galindo of Peru was dismissed against Romania. Romania made their man advantage pay; their 3-1 win included two late goals. Due to construction delays at Estadio Centenario, Uruguay's first match was not played until five days into the tournament. The first to be held at the Centenario, it was preceded by a ceremony in honour of the Uruguayan centenary celebrations. The hosts won a tight match against Peru 1-0 which was viewed as a poor performance by the Uruguayan press, but lauded in Peru. Uruguay subsequently defeated Romania with ease, scoring four first half goals to win 4-0.
Group 4
The United States dominated the fourth group. The US team, which contained one ex-professional of British origin, and some international migrants along with mostly natural-born players, were reputedly dubbed "the shot-putters" by an unnamed source in the French contingent. Their first opponents, Belgium, were beaten 3-0. The ease of the victory was unexpected; Uruguayan newspaper Imparcial wrote that "the large score of the American victory has really surprised the experts". Belgian reports bemoaned the state of the pitch and refereeing decisions, claiming that the second goal was offside. The group's second match witnessed the first tournament hat-trick, scored by Bert Patenaude of the United States against Paraguay. Until 10 November 2006 the first hat-trick that FIFA acknowledged had been scored by Guillermo Stábile of Argentina, two days after Patenaude; however, in 2006 FIFA announced that Bert Patenaude's claim to being the first hat-trick scorer was valid, as teammate Tom Florie's goal in the match against Paraguay was reattributed to Patenaude. The four eventual group winners, Argentina, Yugoslavia, Uruguay, and the United States, moved to the semi-finals.
The United States dominated the fourth group. The US team, which contained one ex-professional of British origin, and some international migrants along with mostly natural-born players, were reputedly dubbed "the shot-putters" by an unnamed source in the French contingent. Their first opponents, Belgium, were beaten 3-0. The ease of the victory was unexpected; Uruguayan newspaper Imparcial wrote that "the large score of the American victory has really surprised the experts". Belgian reports bemoaned the state of the pitch and refereeing decisions, claiming that the second goal was offside. The group's second match witnessed the first tournament hat-trick, scored by Bert Patenaude of the United States against Paraguay. Until 10 November 2006 the first hat-trick that FIFA acknowledged had been scored by Guillermo Stábile of Argentina, two days after Patenaude; however, in 2006 FIFA announced that Bert Patenaude's claim to being the first hat-trick scorer was valid, as teammate Tom Florie's goal in the match against Paraguay was reattributed to Patenaude. The four eventual group winners, Argentina, Yugoslavia, Uruguay, and the United States, moved to the semi-finals.
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