The USSR expected to win the final of the 1957 Ice Hockey World Championships, held in Moscow, but lost to Sweden. The organizers did not have the Swedish national anthem ready for the medal ceremony, so the Swedish players sang a drinking song and it was broadcast over the PA system.

25 Comments

1957 Ice Hockey World Championships

Sven Johansson of Sweden scores a goal against East Germany. Sweden won the match 11–1.

With the boycott, the home team USSR was heavily favoured to win the tournament, but Sweden surprised the world by pulling off an upset. The first step was taken in their third game, when they beat Czechoslovakia 2-0. This important victory was saved by the head of Leksands IF defenseman Vilgot Larsson. He literally headed the puck away from the Swedish net to save a goal, and in the days before mandatory helmets, received several stitches for his heroics. In the final game, Sweden opened with two goals, but the dynamic Soviets responded with 4 goals of their own. Down by two in the third period, goals by Eilert Määttä and Erling Lindström tied …
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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1957_Ice_Hockey_World_Championships#Competition

25 thoughts on “The USSR expected to win the final of the 1957 Ice Hockey World Championships, held in Moscow, but lost to Sweden. The organizers did not have the Swedish national anthem ready for the medal ceremony, so the Swedish players sang a drinking song and it was broadcast over the PA system.”

  2. DickweedMcGee

    All medal-winning athletes should be given this option.

    Reply
  3. DishonorableDisco

    It’s like they say: nobody expects the Swedish competition.

    Reply
  5. miasabine

    TIL Swedes had a sense of humour.

    ​

    As a Norwegian I swore a solemn oath to tease Swedes whenever they are brought up in conversation. I regret nothing.

    Reply
  6. ShreggThe3rd

    The fact that the song was Helan går made my whole year

    Reply
  7. script_bunny

    The Kazakh national anthem from Borat was used instead of the original Kazakh national anthem at a medal ceremony in 2012.

    Reply
  8. ComplicatedShoes1070

    To be fair, expecting an outcome that didn’t pan out is the fundamental Soviet quality.

    Reply
  9. l1f3styl3

    Since when would any Swedish song, National Anthem or otherwise, NOT be about drinking?

    Reply
  10. Pillens_burknerkorv

    Translation of the lyrics:

    Hell and gore,
    Chung Hop father Allan Allan ley.

    Hell and gore,
    Chung Hop father Allan ley.

    Oh handsome in the hell and tar,
    hand hell are in the half and four.

    Hell and gore,
    Chung Hop father Allan ley.

    Reply
  11. fnordal

    it’s like “PLAY JAJA DING DONG”, just with a swedish song

    Reply
  12. teryret

    Well you know, when in Rome…

    Reply
  13. bronet

    Sven Tumba is a legend. RIP

    Reply
  14. running_toilet_bowl

    A similar thing happened with the Swedes and Finns in 1995. The Swedes were so sure of their hockey gold that they had already prepared a victory song. When they ended up losing (the first hockey championship victory for Finland BTW), the Finns adopted it as their own. Convenient when Swedish is one of Finland’s two official languages.

    Reply
  15. likeableusername

    Fun fact: the tune of the US national anthem is based on a drinking song (“To Anacreon in Heaven”).

    Reply
  16. chadsexytime

    They should have sang the classic *Ja Ja Ding Dong*

    Reply
  17. squngy

    Had it been Slovenia you would get a drinking song either way, because the national anthem IS a drinking song (specifically a verse of a drinking song).

    Reply
  18. soundkick

    My grandpa played back then, won the world championship by 1962, ill see if I can get some more juicy information from back then from him. Sadly hes hospitalized so no visit in the near future due to covid19. Önskar dig en snabb återhämtning farfar!

    Reply
  19. Byrinthion

    “Marshall Zhukov was standing at attention for a Swedish drinking song”

    Reply
  20. NascarLiveITA

    Nobody expected the Swedish Inquisition

    Reply
  21. CGFROSTY

    What idiots, who doesn’t have a copy of “Du gamla, Du fria” sitting around?

    Reply
  23. anonymous_coward69

    They should’ve sung the Hedgehog Song 😛

    Reply
  24. HHAAUUNNTT

    This sounds like a story your significant other’s really alpha dad would tell you. I like it. Thanks for sharing. 🙂

    Reply
  25. romulusnr

    America’s anthem literally *was* a drinking song, so how could anyone know the difference

    Reply

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