Thomas Balvay Thomas Balvay Thomas Balvay (2 February 1888 – 15 July 1945) was a football referee in the 1920s and 1930s and one of four European referees who participated in the first FIFA World Cup in 1930 in Uruguay. He was the only match official from France at the tournament. He had been an international referee since 1922 and twice refereed the Coupe de France (in 1926 and 1928). He travelled to Uruguay on the SS "Conte Verde", which also took Jules Rimet and the French, Belgian, Romanian and Brazilian teams to the first World Cup; picking up the teams en
Brazil at the 1970 FIFA World Cup an impressive collective play. Brazil won the match 4–1, keeping the Jules Rimet Trophy indefinitely, and Pelé was named player of the tournament. Burgnich, who marked Pelé during the final, was quoted saying "I told myself before the game, "he's made of skin and bones just like everyone else" — but I was wrong". Brazil were given the Jules Rimet Trophy for keeps after winning in 1970. Housed in the Brazilian Football Association's Rio de Janeiro headquarters, the cup was stolen in 1983. It is thought the thieves melted it down for its more-than 3 kg of solid gold. Head