Referee Ivan Eklind was criticized for partiality toward the host nation, especially after he also refereed the final which Italy also won.
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Matthias Sindelar, who did not play for Germany, was found dead in his home in 1939, under circumstances that have been debated since (Further information: Matthias Sindelar#Death and myth).
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Matthias Sindelar, known as Der Papierene (The Papery Man) due to his slight build, was the star and captain of the team.
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Matthias Sindelar, Josef Smistik and Walter Nausch formed the core of the team that would dominate European football during that era.
The semi-final was against the Wunderteam, managed by Hugo Meisl and with Josef Bican of Rapid Vienna and Matthias Sindelar of FK Austria, two of the world’s finest players, Austria was widely considered the strongest continental side and had already beaten the Italians 4–2 in Turin only four months earlier.