Violent conduct and fighting prompted English referee Arthur Ellis to send off three players during the match.

Brazil had a reputation for attractive and attacking football; in their games in group 1, they beat Mexico 5–0, and drew the other 1–1 with Yugoslavia after extra time.

Their fluid and open style of play – an early form of total football – meant that they were unbeaten for 2 years, since defeat to Soviet Union in 27 May 1952.

The match was played in driving rain, producing slippery conditions and a hard to control ball.

The last moments of the game was little more than a running battle between the two teams; Brazilian forward Humberto Tozzi kicked Hungary's Gyula Lóránt prior to the final whistle and was sent off.

Despite evidence from independent witnesses of violent conduct from both sides, football's governing body FIFA did nothing, leaving discipline to the respective countries.

[4] The Times newspaper correspondent on 28 June 1954 drew a similar conclusion; "Never in my life have I seen such cruel tackling, the cutting down of opponents as if with a scythe, followed by threatening attitudes and sly jabs when officialdom was engaged elsewhere."

[5] "This was a battle; a brutal, savage match," recalled Hungary manager Gusztáv Sebes, who needed four stitches for a facial wound received during the fighting.

"[6] The draw for the semi-finals, held on Sunday 27 June, was delayed by a complaint from the Hungarian team concerning the manner in which the quarter-final against Brazil had been played.