Simply called "Silvio gol," Piola was a formidable striker for Lazio and Italy, scoring 30 times in 34 internationals including two in the 1938 World Cup final in Paris, when the Azzurri retained their title with a 4-2 win over Hungary. Had it not been for World War II he would have scored many more.
With quick feet and a deadly shot, Piola was the perfect foil for playmaker and captain Giuseppe Meazza at the 1938 finals. In the first round the defending champion struggled against Norway, but Piola scored in extra time for a 2-1 win.
In the second round Piola was on target twice in Italy's 3-1 win over host France, setting up a semifinal with the in-form Brazilians. The South Americans managed to stop Piola's scoring streak but he still succeeded in winning a penalty, which Meazza converted for a 2-1 win.
In the final Piola shared Italy's goals with Gino Colaussi. He finished an intricate move to keep Italy in front after the Hungarians had equalized and then crashed in Italy's fourth late in the game to kill the threat of a Hungarian fightback.
