Internationaler Saarlandpokal

Saarland had initially become independent following the fall of Napoleon, before being incorporated in Germany in January 1871, following the Unification of Germany. Founded in 1903, 1. FC Saarbrücken finished runners up in the 1943 German football championship, losing 3–0 in the final against Dresdner SC. After German defeat in World War II, the region was administered by the French Fourth Republic as the Saar Protectorate.^[1] The Saarland national football team was soon formed, playing their first game on 22 November 1950, beating Switzerland 4–2 in Saarbrücken.^[2]

Following the creation of the Saar Protectorate, FC Saarbrücken competed in the 1948–49 French Division 2, winning the championship under the Francised name of FC Sarrebruck, beating Valenciennes 9–0 and Rouen 10–1 on the way to the title. Saarbrücken applied to join the French Football Federation at the insistence of FIFA president Jules Rimet. Saarbrücken's application was resoundly rejected by French clubs, particularly those in Alsace and Lorraine who had been forced to play in the German Gauliga Elsaß following the German occupation of France from 1940 to 1944. Saarbrücken's results were consequently discounted and RC Lens won the championship.^[3][1]

With the Saar's Ehrenliga deemed too weak for a club of Saarbrücken's stature, the club organised the Internationaler Saarlandpokal between 15 European clubs with a prize fund of two million Saar francs being awarded to the winners of the tournament.^[1]

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

The tournament began on 18 September 1949 with FC Saarbrücken defeating Swiss club FC La Chaux-de-Fonds 7–0. Saarbrücken played every game at their Stadion Kieselhumes [de] home, with the three clubs with the best results against Saarbrücken joining the hosts in the semi-finals.

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