The 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ is getting closer – 42 days to go! Between now and the start of the World Cup, we will take a closer look at a different statistic from the history of the tournament each day.

42 Uruguay secured their place in history by becoming the first team to win the FIFA World Cup™ at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo on 30 July 1930, beating neighbours Argentina 4-2 in the inaugural Final.

_Albiceleste_centre forward Guillermo Stabile was the competition’s first Golden Boot winner with eight goals. Despite giving his team a 2-1 lead in the Final, he could not prevent Uruguay’s second-half comeback. Stabile had never played for Argentina before the 1930 World Cup and did not represent his country again after the tournament.

Four European sides made the long journey across the Atlantic Ocean to Uruguay in 1930. Yugoslavia set off from Marseille while Romania, France and Belgium travelled together on the SS Conte Verde, which also counted FIFA President Jules Rimet among its passengers. In the opening match on 13 July 1930, Frenchman Lucien Laurent made history by scoring the first-ever World Cup goal, firing a volley into the back of the net to inspire his country to a 4-1 victory over Mexico.