Sweden made it into the 1938 World Cup quarterfinals only because Austria pulled out when it was being invaded by Germany!

Sweden made it into the 1938 World Cup quarterfinals only because Austria pulled out when it was being invaded by Germany!

The World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of FIFA.

The championship has been awarded every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the Second World War. The current champions are Spain, who won the 2010 tournament in South Africa.

The 1938 World Cup was Sweden's second qualification for the World Cup. In the first round, they were scheduled to play against Austria, but after the Germans occupied the nation of Austria could not continue playing in the tournament. Instead, Sweden went straight to the quarterfinal match against Cuba.

In the semi-final match against Hungary, Sweden lost. Sweden's next match was the 3rd place match against Brazil. In that game the Swedes lost, and ended in 4th place for the first and only time in Swedish football history.

(Source)

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