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, 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.

Venues

Final tournament

First round

Five teams withdrew before the final draw, which left only three games to play in the first round.
The Soviet Union defeated Germany 2-1, Great Britain defeated Thailand 9–0, and Australia defeated Japan 2–0.
----
----
Byes: , , , and .

Quarterfinals

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.
----
----
----

Semifinals

Yugoslavia defeated India 4–1. It would be their third consecutive Olympic final.
The Soviets defeated Bulgaria 2–1. Bulgaria scored first and conceded two goals in the last six minutes of the game.
----

Finals

were playing Red Star Belgrade's Dragoslav Šekularac in this tournament; he would feature in the 1960 UEFA European Football Championship final. They lost 1–0 to a second half Anatoli Ilyin goal.
Bulgaria took Bronze defeating India 3–0.

Bronze Medal match

Gold Medal match

Bracket

Goalscorers

;4 goals
;3 goals
;2 goals
;1 goal
;Own goals