The 1963 Small Club World Cup was the seventh edition of the

Small Club World Cup The Small Club World Cup ( es, Pequeña Copa del Mundo) was a football tournament held in Venezuela between 1952 and 1975 (with some journalists considering 1952–57 the period of greatest relevance, and the second period that took place between ...

, a tournament held in Venezuela between 1952 and 1957, and in 1963 and in 1965. It was played by three participants in double

round robin Round-robin may refer to: Computing * Round-robin DNS, a technique for dealing with redundant Internet Protocol service hosts * Round-robin networks, communications networks made up of radio nodes organized in a mesh topology * Round-robin schedu ...

format, and featured players like

Evaristo Evaristo is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name: * Evaristo Avalos (born 1933), Mexican equestrian * Evaristo Barrera (1911–1982), Argentine football striker * Evaristo Baschenis (1617–1677), Ital ...

Hilderaldo Bellini Hilderaldo Luiz Bellini (7 June 1930 – 20 March 2014) was a Brazilian footballer of Italian origin who played as a defender and was known in Brazil as one of the nation's most solid central defenders ever. Biography During his career he pla ...

, Cecilio Martinez, Custódio Pinto,

Francisco Gento Francisco "Paco" Gento López (21 October 1933 – 18 January 2022) was a Spanish footballer who played as an outside left. He was voted by IFFHS (International Federation of Football History and Statistics) as the greatest Spanish footballer ...

and Ferenc Puskás.

Controversies

Di Stefano kidnapping

On the night of 24 August 1963, the Venezuelan revolutionary group Armed Forces of National Liberation (FALN), kidnapped the player

Alfredo Di Stéfano Alfredo (, ) is a cognate of the Anglo-Saxon name Alfred and a common Italian, Galician, Portuguese and Spanish language personal name. People with the given name include: *Alfredo (born 1946), Brazilian footballer born as Alfredo Mostarda Fil ...

( Real Madrid) at gunpoint from the Potomac Hotel, located in Caracas. The kidnapping received the codenamed "Julián Grimau", after the Spanish communist Julián Grimau García, was executed by firing squad in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

, in April 1963, during Francisco Franco's

dictatorship A dictatorship is a form of government which is characterized by a leader, or a group of leaders, which holds governmental powers with few to no limitations on them. The leader of a dictatorship is called a dictator. Politics in a dictatorship a ...

. At 27 August, three days later, Di Stéfano was released unharmed close to the Spanish embassy without a ransom being paid, and Di Stéfano stressed that his kidnappers had not mistreated him. Di Stéfano played in a match against

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...

the day after he was released and received a standing ovation. A Spanish movie entitled ''Real, La Película'' (''Real, The Movie''), which recounted these events, was released on 25 August 2005. In a bizarre publicity stunt at the premiere, kidnapper Paul del Rio, now a famous artist, and Di Stéfano were brought together for the first time since the abduction, 42 years before. Paul del Rio died on Caracas at the age of 72.

Bursts of gunfire during Sao Paulo vs Real Madrid

During the interval of August 28 match between São Paulo and Real Madrid, terrified fans invaded the pitch, after the Caracas police shot at protesters pro-FALN outside the stadium. Smoke bombs were used to disperse the public, one of them almost hitting defender De Sordi (São Paulo). The start of the second half was delayed by about 30 minutes.

Participants

Matches

---- ---- ---- ---- ---- The final match not played as São Paulo had secured the title due to the head-to-head results with Real Madrid

Final standings

Topscorers

;1 goal *

* Nondas * Pagão * Lucien Muller * Cecilio Martinez * Custódio Pinto * Hernâni * Joaquim Jorge * Amancio *

Félix Ruiz Félix Ruiz Gabari (14 July 1940 in Olite – 11 February 1993 in Madrid) was a Spanish footballer. During his career he played for CA Osasuna, Real Madrid and Toluca de Santander. He also earned 4 caps for the Spain national football team ...

;Own goal *

Pachín Enrique Pérez Díaz (28 December 1938 – 10 February 2021), known as Pachín, was a Spanish football defender and manager. Club career Born in Torrelavega, Cantabria, Pachín signed with Real Madrid in 1959 from Segunda División club CA Os ...

Champion

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1963 Small Club World Cup

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Co ...

1963 in South American football 1963 in Brazilian football 1963–64 in Portuguese football 1963–64 in Spanish football 1963 in Venezuelan sport