The thirteenth indoor soccer World Cup is now history. In Tecate and Tijuana, a new chapter in the history of this beautiful sport was written, which began to spread like wildfire throughout the world shortly after the brilliant conception of the Uruguayan professor Juan Carlos Ceriani.
First, South America was the pillar of support for the international competitions that began in 1965 at the Comuneros stadium in Asunción, where in that hot month of January and at the time of the parallel founding of the South American Confederation, the first event by nations was held, which left as undefeated champion to Paraguay, vice to Brazil, third to Uruguay and fourth to Argentina.
In Belo Horizonte, in March 1980, was the first serious attempt at world organization, the main antecedent of the ecumenical jousts that would come immediately after. At the Mineirinho stadium in Belo Horizonte, four countries completed that pioneering tournament. Paraguay was once again the champion, beating Brazil away in the final by 3 to 2, while Mexico was in third position and France in fourth.
Two years later, the first official World Cup was held, which Brazil won by beating Paraguay 1-0 in the final.
Today thirteen editions were completed. And Paraguay stood alone at the top of the statistics with four achievements, followed by Colombia with three, Brazil and Argentina with 2, Venezuela and Portugal with one.
Graphic courtesy of Nicolás de León @nicodeloeonorue
