Maracanazo Anniversary: Uruguay Stuns Brazil 75 Years Ago

Today marks 75 years since one of football’s most dramatic upsets, the “Maracanazo,” when Uruguay defied overwhelming odds to defeat Brazil on their home soil in the 1950 World Cup final.

Footballing Upset Echoes Through Generations

In a decisive final match of the 1950 Brazil World Cup, held at the iconic Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Uruguay clinched their second World Cup title. They triumphed over the host nation, Brazil, with a nail-biting 2-1 victory. The final group stage also included Spain and Sweden.

Brazil, the clear favorites, held a slight advantage going into the final encounter, leading Uruguay by a single point. However, Uruguay’s comeback in the second half, with goals from Juan Alberto Schiaffino and Alcides Ghiggia, sealed their historic win.

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A Day of Notable Anniversaries

Beyond the Maracanazo, July 16th commemorates several other significant events and births.

Key Figures and Milestones

• In 1934, acclaimed writer, screenwriter, and journalist Tomás Eloy Martínez was born in San Miguel de Tucumán. He gained international recognition for his novels “Perón’s Novel” (1985) and “Santa Evita” (1995), translated into 36 languages.
• Uruguayan musician Rubén Rada was born in 1943.
• Panamanian musician Rubén Blades celebrates his birthday in 1948.
• Stewart Copeland, the drummer for The Police, was born in 1952.
• American actor and comedian Will Ferrell was born in 1967.
• In 1969, Apollo 11 launched, carrying astronauts Edwin Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, and Michael Collins on their historic mission to the moon.
• Welsh footballer Gareth Bale was born in 1989.
• Cuban poet Nicolás Guillén passed away in 1989.
• In 1990, an earthquake in the Philippines claimed the lives of 400 people.
• Jeff Bezos launched Amazon as an online bookstore in 1995, a year after its inception as “Cadabra.”
• John F. Kennedy Jr. died in a plane crash off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard in 1999.
• Cuban singer Celia Cruz died in 2003.
• Designer and television presenter Agatha Ruiz de la Prada died in 2011.
• American director and screenwriter George A. Romero passed away in 2017.

Argentine Navy Day is observed today, honoring the birth of Admiral Segundo Storni. The Catholic Church also celebrates the Day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Patroness of the Andes Army. In a modern context, Amazon’s origins on this day highlight the transformative power of digital commerce, with the company now valued at over $1.8 trillion globally (Statista, 2024).

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