Association football at the 1956 Summer Olympics
The association football tournament at the 1956 Summer Olympics was won by the Soviet Union. Background. Following five withdrawals, the tournament featured three Eastern bloc teams and four from Asia. The other sides included in the draw were from the United States, Germany (West and East united), Great Britain and the hosts Australia, competing in their first Olympic football tournament. The tendency of Eastern bloc countries to provide state-funding for their athletes put Western amateurs at a significant disadvantage. As a result, all Olympic football tournaments 1952 onwards were dominated by the  Soviet Union and its satellites. Final tournament. First round. Five teams withdrew before the final draw, including (who boycotted the Games to protest the reception of Taiwan), (who also boycotted the Games in protest of Israel, UK and France's invasion), and , , and the recent world runners-up , a nation that was cheered in other Olympic contests due to the ongoing suppression by Soviet troops. Therefore, only three games were played in the first round (as China and Turkey were drawn against each other, their match was scratched). The Soviet Union defeated Germany 2–1, Great Britain defeated Thailand 9–0, and  Australia defeated Japan 2–0. Byes: (drawn against Egypt, who withdrew), (drawn against Hungary, who withdrew), (drawn against South Vietnam, who withdrew), and (match postponed to quarter-finals after five of the original sixteen teams withdrew). Quarter-finals. Yugoslavia defeated the United States 9–1. Great Britain lost 6–1 to Bulgaria, and at half-time, ratings from HMS "Newcastle" vaulted the fence and exhorted the team to show more grit, after which they were peacefully escorted off the field. The Soviets drew their game against Indonesia 0–0 and won 4–0 in the replay. The Indians defeated Australia 4–2 with a hat trick  by centre forward Neville D'Souza, the first by an Asian in the Olympics. Prior to the game there had been debate, once again, as to whether the Indians should be shod. Sir Stanley Rous respected their decision either way, although in the end, the Indians decided to wear boots. The Indonesian referee disallowed two first half goals. Bob Bignall the Australian captain was unable to get an intelligible reply out of him during the break. Semi-finals. Yugoslavia defeated India 4–1. It would be their third consecutive Olympic final, after losing both in 1948 and 1952. The Soviets defeated Bulgaria  2–1. Bulgaria scored first and conceded two goals in the last six minutes of the game. Finals. Yugoslavia were playing Red Star Belgrade's Dragoslav Šekularac in this tournament; he would feature in the 1960 European Nations' Cup final. They lost 1–0 to a second half Anatoli Ilyin goal. Bulgaria took Bronze defeating India 3–0.