Last update 18 November, 2021 by Alberto Llopis
He USA World Cup 94 It was historic for being the first to be held in a country like North America.. In 1994, the dream of millions of people came true. At last, the great economic power echoed the prevailing sporting reality in the rest of the planet is made and hosted the World Cup, the largest sporting event after the Olympic Games.
A country with little tradition futbolera, which however, He would offer an extraordinary tournament, full of surprises and spectacular facilities, among which were included an indoor stadium (the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit) and a total of four campuses more than exceeded the 75.000 locations, among them, he Rose Bowl de Los Angeles, host the final.
The USA World Cup 94, a show made in the USA
A total of 24 teams participated in an event that left out Uruguay, England-for the first time a team did not come Islands- and France, deleted for the second time in qualifying, this time at home to an unknown Bulgaria and at the last minute. Absences important however not deprived of seeing other powers, as Brazil (who came with Romario, Bebeto and a young man named Ronaldo), Argentina (who she was with Maradona) or Germany, that for the first time, It was presented in a unified.
Los 24 domestic combined were divided into six groups. The highlight of this first phase were useless Russian victory over Cameroon 6-1 Maradona and punishment for doping. The Russians emphatically beat the Africans with five goals from oleg Salenko (record a World Cup match) but they were eliminated after punch against Brazil and Sweden.
For the memory and anecdotally, the goal of Roger Milla will remain, what with 42 so many became the oldest scorer in World Cup history. Respect to Maradona, it has to be said that USA 94 It meant the end of his career first level. His spectacular start with a goal and win against Greece ended after testing positive ( by ephedrine, moderated, pseudoephedrine, norpseudoephedrine and metaefedrina, five substances that have stimulating effects and also help you lose weight) ante Nigeria.
Little more interest left the first phase beyond a guided Spain to Caminero and a half Barcelona (Clemente, his coach was charged to the Fifth Vulture) She tied with Germany 1. Italia, one of the favorites, He got through with a win in Group E where all teams finished with four points.
The World Cup in the USA became interesting after the group stage
As often happens in these quotes, the knockout stages would yield the best and most exciting championship. No knockout, we just stopped to remember the brief triumph of Brazil to the host by 1-0 or the Pyrrhic victory of Italy to Nigeria in extra time after saving the furniture in the last minutes. But if, the rooms, definitely, the best of the tournament.
Two of the best games were in this round. Spain lost to Italy 1-2 after an agonizing match where Roberto Baggio sentenced a Spain that could have done something else had Julio Salinas not missed an opportunity against Pagliuca clamorous and had seen the Hungarian referee Sandor Puhl a nudge from Tassotti about Luis Enrique.
If the match Spain-Italy was good not least would be the Netherlands-Brazil. Brazilians ended up winning by 3-2 to the Holland of Bergkamp (who had traveled by boat for fear of flying) in a meeting where Romario and Bebeto proved to be two of the best strikers in the world.
Italy on the one hand, Brazil on the other, the fact is that the most successful teams in history were to see the faces with two teams unexpectedly qualified for semis. The Bulgaria of an unrepeatable generation of footballers commanded by Hristo Stoichkov, Letchkov and Kostadinov and Thomas Brolin Sweden, Martin Dahlin and his famous goalkeeper Ravelli. Two good teams that came from beating Germany and Romania from Hagi but what, however, They would not be able to avoid the final desired: Italia- Brazil.
While it was expected by all, the fact is that the worst of the Campeoanto was the grand finale. The two teams tied afraid to 0 in what marked the first final without decisive goal from the penalty. In them, Brazil won, among other things, because it took the final mistake of Roberto Baggio, who he had curiously been one of the best players in the World. Brazil was tetracampeona of the world. A penalty that had its dose of mystery with the mysterious prophecy of Wolf Zagallo.
