Iconic Moments in Football No.39
This week’s iconic moment comes from 14th May 1938 and was a pivotal moment in the history of the sport. It remains one of the darkest moments of England’s football history.
The Nazi party were starting to gain momentum in Germany. Under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, Germany had just invaded Austria.
This didn’t stop the Football Association from sending out an England side to play the Germans in a friendly match. The game was played at the end of the 1937/38 season at the national stadium in Berlin.
Before the game, both teams stood for the national anthems before giving the famous Nazi salute, raising their right arm. The image of the England players standing, and saluting is quite haunting given the events that would lead to the outbreak of the Second World War only sixteen months later.
Adolf Hitler wasn’t at the game but was pleased to hear of Germany’s opponents performing the salute. It was a great source of propaganda for the Nazi party as the 105,000 in attendance and the many people who would later see the image would see the team agreed to the German’s request.
The English press were outraged that the Football Association allowed the incident to happen. England won the match 6-3 but the result was soon forgotten after the political faux pas.
The England line-up that day was: Vic Woodley (Chelsea), Bert Sproston (Leeds United), Eddie Hapgood (Arsenal), Ken Willingham (Huddersfield Town), Alfred Young (Huddersfield Town), Don Welsh (Charlton Athletic), Stanley Matthews (Stoke City), John Robinson (Sheffield Wednesday), Frank Broome (Aston Villa), Len Goulden (West Ham United), Cliff Bastin (Arsenal).
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