Football World Cup Quiz

[MLN:RUGBY]

Already posted this but cant get a positive answer!

Which team travelled 4,000 miles to a World Cup finals, and left without competing in the competition?

[Sonyme]

Try posting this on Sport

[MLN:RUGBY]

Sonyme:
Have done, no positive answer so I've also posted on "Quizzes"

[joeluke]

World Cup 1934 in Italy

Mexico lost in a play-off game with USA in Rome 3 days before the final tournament began

[MLN:RUGBY]

Joeluke:
Like your answer, but Mexico to Italy is 6000+miles, so I'm still not sure!

[joeluke]

MLN

Got my answer from a reference book I own 'The Complete Book of the World Cup' by an author called Cris Freddi

Quote from book "Mexico had travelled 4,000 miles to play a single match and not even in the competition proper"

Maybe the originator of your question took his info from this book?

Excerpt from wikipedia page on 1934 WC qualifying:

'The match to decide whether USA or Mexico would qualify was played in Italy only three days before the start of the final tournament, as the USA team submitted their entry too late. Thus, the match was played on Italian ground, so that the winner would effectively stay for the tournament (the teams travelled by ship at that time, and travelling from America to Europe took around 15 days).'

[MLN:RUGBY]

Joeluke:

I'd been searching since Saturday and had hit a brick wall.
Many thanks for taking the time to help ;-)

[joeluke]

MLN

No probs

Think Mexico is probably the answer but the distance between Mexico and Rome has been miscalculated?

[MLN:RUGBY]

I agree.
Thanks again ;-)

PS: Was your avatar really too s*xy to display?

[joeluke]

It's one I found on the web

But yes if I put a pic of myself on then it would be appropriate!