In the final, against Czechoslovakia, the heroic Meazza picked up an extra-time injury but recovered to lay on the winning goal for his team mate Schiavio.
Italy made it to the semi-finals in 1938 but were not expected to beat their opponents Brazil.
The Brazilian coach Adheniar Pimenta left out his best striker, Leonidas, saying: "I am resting him for the final."
But Italy won 2-1 and then thrashed Hungary 4-2 in the final.
When an aeroplane carrying the Torino team crashed in 1949, killing some of Italy's best players, a dark period in the national team's history began.
There were first round eliminations in 1950, 1954, 1962 and 1966 - the latter via a humiliating defeat at the hands of North Korea.
In 1958 they failed to qualify at all.
But in 1968 Italy won the European Championship and that set them up for the World Cup of 1970, when they made the final only to run into a Pele-inspired Brazil, who thrashed them 4-1.
The 1974 and 1978 tournaments saw further disappointments, but in 1982 the Italians became only the second country after Brazil to win the World Cup three times.
Having survived the opening round on goal difference, they marched to the second phase to meet Brazil.
The South Americans constantly attacked through Zico, Socrates and Falcao but Paolo Rossi plundered a hat-trick as Italy won 3-2.