So just 13 teams joined the host nation in the finals although, after a 21-year exile, the British nations were able to take part at last, having rejoined Fifa four years before.
Only England and Scotland qualified, but the Scots then said they would only go if they became British champions.
In the end they refused to attend after finishing runners-up in the British Championship to England, who beat them 1-0 at Hampden Park in April.
England must have wished they had also stayed at home with the Scots after suffering the most humiliating exit imaginable.
Having refused to take part in the previous competitions, England began their first foray into the World Cup as one of the favourites but ended it in ignimony.
After beating Chile 2-0, a 1-0 defeat against the United States in Belo Horizonte shocked the world of football and the players flew home suitably chastened.
Brazil, Spain, Sweden and Uruguay won their groups, the Swedish amateurs suprisingly beating Italy 3-2, and went on to play a round-robin series of matches to decide the champion.
The Brazilians thrashed Sweden 7-1, Spain 6-1 and the hosts got ready to party.
Their final match was against the competition's first ever winners, Uruguay.
Their draw against Spain and 3-2 defeat of Sweden had left Brazil needing just a draw to win the trophy.
Brazil took the lead through Friaca early in the second half in front of about 200,000 partisan fans (officially 174,000) at the massive new Maracana Stadium, which was barely finished in time.
However, Uruguay drew level through Schiaffino and then Ghiggia scored the winner 11 minutes from time to win the World Cup for the second time.
Defeat was too much for the Brazilian officials and they forgot to present the trophy to the winners, leaving Jules Rimet himself to seek out the Uruguayan captain and belatedly do the honours.
Group 1 results:
Brazil 4-0 Mexico
Yugoslavia 3-0 Switzerland
Yugoslavia 4-1 Mexico
Brazil 2-2 Switzerland
Brazil 2-0 Yugoslavia
Switzerland 2-1 Mexico
Group 2 results:
England 2-0 Chile
Spain 3-1 United States
Spain 2-0 Chile
United States 1-0 England
Spain 1-0 England
Chile 5-2 United States
Group 3 results:
Sweden 3-2 Italy
Sweden 2-2 Paraguay
Italy 2-0 Paraguay
Group 4 result:
Uruguay 8-0 Bolivia
Final round group results:
Brazil 7-1 Sweden
Uruguay 2-2 Spain
Brazil 6-1 Spain
Uruguay 3-2 Sweden
Sweden 3-1 Spain
Uruguay 2-1 Brazil
Uruguay finished top of final round group
