USA '94
It was supposed to be the dawn of a 'soccer' revolution that fell flat but here's the stuff we loved about World Cup 1994 in the United States.
Everything is BIG in America. The country is vast, the portions come super-sized and when it comes to entertainment - it’s go big or go home! That was certainly the case when it came to the opening ceremony of the 1994 World Cup. What the USA lacked in genuine football interest, they certainly made up for it with showbiz clout and that is exactly what we were treated to at Soldier Field in Chicago.
In true Superbowl Half-Time Show style, a choreographed American flag would make way to Oprah Winfey to welcome 750 million worldwide viewers to the US installment of the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’. The opening ceremony’s star performer was introduced and Diana Ross emerged from a crowd musicians in a bright red power suit as she serenaded the world with her hit single ‘I’m Coming Out’. Half the length of the field away, a ball was placed onto the penalty spot in anticipation for the Supreme to rattle one into the top corner. Unfortunately for Miss Ross, she dragged her penalty wide but as they say in Hollywood - the ‘show must go on’ and the crossbar duly split in two as to make way for the stage for the performance to continue. A parade of the participating nations would follow before two now disgraced Presidents, Clinton of the US and Blatter of the FIFA, made their speeches before we reached peak Americanism when 4 F-16 fighter jets passed over the stadium above the chorus Star Spangled Banner.
As weird and wonderful as it was, it wasn’t even the showpiece of the day as a few hours later, OJ Simpson would speed his White Bronco through the freeways of Los Angeles after his arrest warrant was issued for the murders of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman.
Whilst this is no less than we would have expected from the United States of America, it very much set the tone for how this tournament was going to be played - it was all about going BIG. After Argentina had reached the final of Italia ‘90 by only scoring 5 goals, the rules were changed to encourage and reward attacking play in a charm offence to the American audience as football attempted to ‘crack America’. A win would now be rewarded with 3 points rather than 2, the offside rule was relaxed and back passes outlawed. It work as the goals would flow and fans were treated to some of the best thrilling, attacking football the World Cup had seen.
Not that it mattered though, as FIFA’s hopes of creating a new ‘super soccer’ market fell flat as the interest in football during the 1994 World Cup failed to translate into growth of the game through their closed shop and franchised Major Soccer League. But for the audience at home, there will always be fond memories of one of the first tournaments which could claim to have a truly worldwide audience, as the technology of the 1990s took the World Cup to the next level.
Now, I was only 4 years old when the tournament was being played across the Atlantic, but as for lover of all things nostalgia - I’ve consumed my fair share of this tournament and here are the great things I think it should be remembered for!
Brilliant Brazil
One of the teams who ensured they capitalised on this new lust for attacking football and the rewards it offered were Brazil. They came into the tournament as one of the favourites, as per usual. This being in spite that they hadn’t won a World Cup in 24 years but arrived on US shores with a squad capable of rivalling anybody in the world. They were led by the newly crowned captain Dunga, had Barcelona’s free-scoring striker Romario as well as Depor’s Brazilian double-act of Bebeto and Mauro Silva. They’d even bring a smiling, young forward from Cruzeiro along for the tournament named Ronaldo.
They would breeze through their group, made up of Russia (more on them later), Cameroon and Sweden, with only Henrik Larsson’s side taking a point from them in the group stage. They would then find themselves in the most surprising fixture, coming up against the host nation who had somehow made it out of their group against the odds. As much as many of us would have assumed Dunga and Co would have swept aside the plucky Yanks, the home side made much more of a fight than many expected. Wearing their iconic grey star spangled kit, the Americans only lost this game 1-0 in front of almost 85,000 in Stanford and the home nation bowed out with their heads held high and the Seleção would come up against their first truly big test.
The match against The Netherlands was being held in Dallas, under the excruciating heat of the Texan sun. Despite this, we were treated to one of the games of the tournament. The Brazilians would find their way in behind Koeman and Valckx with ease and it wasn’t long into the second half before Bebeto found the space to square it across to Romario to score his 4th goal of the tournament with ease. Not content with being a provider, Bebeto would capitalise on a rare error from the Netherlands pairing before rounding Ed de Goey to double their lead and subsequently then providing the crowd with the now infamous ‘rocking the baby’celebration after the birth of his son Matheus two days before. A cool and calm finish from Dennis Bergkamp pulled one back for the Europeans before the Brazilians two-goal lead was wiped out when Aron Winter rose highest to power home a header from a corner to make it 2-2.
With time chipping away, a tough tackle mid way into the Dutch half presented free-kick specialist, Branco with an opportunity of glory. In a fashion that would inspire future set-piece specialist and purveyor of thunderbastards himself, Roberto Carlos - Branco would charge his run up from an almost ridiculous 15 yards away from the ball before striking it 30 yards into the Dutch bottom corner to send Brazil into the semi-finals.
They would squeeze past their group rivals Sweden, with Romario’s 5th goal of the tournament and earn themselves a place in the showpiece final at the Pasadena Rose bowl against Italy, in a repeat of the 1970 final. They would be coming up against the might of Baresi, a young Paolo Maldini and the darling of Serie A football, Roberto Baggio, who all walked out onto the pitch in the most resplendent Diadora anthem jackets. The match itself lived up to expectation but the only thing that was missing were the goals. Uncharacteristically, Bebeto and Romario, who had scored 8 goals between them so far, could not find their way past Gianluca Pagliuca - with the Italian having a brilliant game. The big Italian chance would fall to their talisman in the second half,as Baggio would try a bit of magic from distance as he unleashed a spectacular half-volley to force a brilliant save out of Claudio Taffarel.
After 120 minutes, the two sides couldn’t be seperated and penalties would have to settle it. Baresi would miss his spot kick but the favour was returned by Santos as Pagliuca pulled off a brilliant save. Not to be outdone, Tardelli would pull off an equally brilliant stop from Massaro whilst captain Dunga would bury his penalty to place all of Italy’s hopes on their starman’s shoulders. Roberto Baggio, with his iconic ponytail thing, stepped up and just like Diana Ross in the opening ceremony, missed the target to hand Brazil their first World Cup in 24 years!
Momentus Maradona
1994 was supposed to be the year that Diego Maradona returned to his glory. Following a positive drugs test after Napoli’s game against Bari, he was cast out from the game with a lengthy ban. After serving a 15 month suspension for drug useage, he had returned to football, firstly with Sevilla in Spain and then Newell’s Old Boys back in his native Argentina. With the clubs he played for, you could still see glimpes of the Maradona that had led Napoli to the Scudetto but his time out of the game had made him slightly more sluggish and his appearance was traditionally ‘football’ as he was before. But what did remain was the passion, the wit, the natural talent that had helped him lead his nation to two World Cup since his debut - and that would be his driver for making the competition in USA 1994.
Argentina had reached the final at Italia 90 and with the squad containing the likes of Gabriel Batistuta and Diego Simeone amongst their ranks - they were preparing to wrestle back the trophy on American turf. However, despite the giddy optimism, Argentina struggled through qualifying and the nationa began to call for their fallen hero to rise once again. As they headed into a two-legged play off with Australia, Diego was brought out from the cold and helped push his nation across the line. Following a draw Downunder, Maradona helped them eek past the Aussies 1-0 in Argentina and had qualified for the World Cup.
Equal parts excited and overwhelmed, Maradona almost pulled out of the tournament citing the enormous pressure on him was too much. However, in the same breath, he was training harder and stronger than ever before to ensure he was at his peak best for his biggest shot at redemption. As he stepped out onto the pitch at the Foxboro Stadium, the tanned and short haired captain looked every inch the part. The young blood had Argentina off to the greatest starts against Greece, with a young Simeone laying into the bath of Batistuta to put them ahead under 2 minutes. The football was free-flowing with Maradona conducting this young side as if was an orhcestra with a series of flicks and backheels which sent the Greeks chasing shadows. The second Batistuta goal came just before the stroke of half time, Redondo combining with Chamot to give the #9 the space to lash it in from 20 yards out into Minou’s top scorer.
Then, after an year, the moment the world had been waiting for. Maradona, following six brilliant one touch football alongside Oscar Ruggeri and Claudio Caniggia, opened himself up to take a shot from the edge of the box that would power past the goalkeeper. In textbook Maradona fashion, he had given himself half a yard to really wrap his foot around and then cue the mayhem. In a moment of absolute passion, Diego ran over to the cameras, mouth and eyes wide open as if he was screaming at the viewer down the lens. This would be the moment that many speculate led to the ‘random drugs test’ but for a single moment, Maradona was back on the world stage doing what he does best. Batistuta would complete the hat trick from the penalty spot in added time as they ran out 4-0 winners in the group opener.
In the second game, they faced a much toughter test against Nigeria but came through unscathed as Diego completed 90 minutes at the Foxoboro. The strange incident incident in this game occured as the final whistle blew, with a nurse led Maradona off the pitch to a drugs test area - something usually reserved for when players return to the changing room. The sceptic might suggest this was an act of deliberate display ahead of the devastating news that was to come…
Despite all the hard work, the training, the effort taken to clean his image following his previous drugs bans, Diego Maradona failed his drugs tests and Argentina were charged for failing their anti-doping conditions. He was slapped with another 15 month ban and unceremoniously removed from the World Cup - the final time he would ever play for Argentina. He would go onto protest his innocence, explain that his trainer provided him with a US made supplement that he wasn’t aware would provide a positive drugs test. Argentina would suffer too. Without the conductor, the orchestra descended into chaos and their confidence just dropped, eventually succumbing to Gheorge Hagi and Romania in the first knock-out round.
But for a short moment, USA ‘94 provided us with something that had not been seen in years. A Diego Maradona playing with a smile on his face and rolling back the years in the La Albiceleste of La Selección.
If you want to know more about Maradona and his time at the World Cup in 1994, it is definitely worth giving David Arrowsmith’s book a read. Listen to our episode with him and grab your copy through the link below!
Grab your copy of Killing Maradona by David Arrowsmith Here
Craic’ing America
There was something truly unique about this World Cup and this is that no British nation had qualified for the tournament, the first time since 1950 that this had happened. So naturally, British eyes cast elsewhere for a team to follow across the pond and rather than pine over a young Zizou playing for France, attentions turned to our celtic friends across the Irish Sea.
After their tremendous exploits in Italia 90, the Irish were back again and in no way there to make up the numbers. With John Aldridge up top with Andy Townsend, Dennis Irwin marauding at left back and young lad who had just won his first Premier League under Sir Alex Ferguson, called Roy Keane. Led once more by the brilliant Jack Charlton, there was optimism that they could cause an upset in the USA.
They’re tournament began against the very side that had sent them home from the World Cup in 1990, Italy. They would come up against familiar foes, led by their pony-tailed star Roberto Baggio and on paper, it looked like it there was only going to be one result. But, as the old tail goes, football isn’t won on paper… It’s won when Ray Houghton lashes one over possibly one of the world’s best keepers after just 10 minutes of play. There’s no better way to describe the feeling they must have had than in the picture above, as the Irish crowd roared at the Giants Stadium. The disbelief etched onto both Houghton’s and Pagliuca’s faces were noticable but both told a completely different story. They’d go onto hold onto their lead for a famous victory in New Jersey and will always be remembered as one of the highlights of Irish football history.
The memorable moment worth mentioning is that of John Aldridge and Jack Charlton absolutely losing their minds with the officials in their next game against Mexico. Seeing them both scream and a man wearing a powder blue jacket and bright yellow hat - it became fever pitch. Take a look below!
There are so many more memories and moments that I’d love to talk about, including the inclusions of our first unified Germany team, the post-Soviet Union squad, the Colombian side with Carlos Valderama and Rene Higuita plus so much more. Perhaps we’ll have to do a Part Two!
One of the conditions that FIFA imposed when giving the US federation the right to host the World Cup was that there needed to be a professional league. This, in time, led to the formation of the MLS which, today, is an undoubted success and has definitely elevated the game in America. Quite a bit of foresight by FIFA, you have to admit.