1994 World Cup: Dunga’s Redemption And The Rise Of Romario

Land of basketball, baseball, and American football, the United States succumbed to soccer, as they call the world’s most popular sport, and hosted the 1994 World Cup.

Doubts over how involved the population would get spread: the 1994 World Cup had the biggest crowd in the FIFA event’s history, 3,587,538 spectators, and other equally impressive figures, like Brazil’s fourth title.

1994 World Cup Records

The Americans saw no less than 141 goals, the best mark since 1982. During qualifiers, 147 teams fought for 24 spots. In addition, Cameroon player Roger Milla got another record: he became the oldest player to ever score a goal in a World Cup.

Milla was 42 years, one month, and eight days when he scored Cameroon’s only goal in their 6-1 defeat to Russia. That match also registered another record in World Cups: Russian player Oleg Salenko scored five goals in just one game.

The 1994 World Cup is also remembered because of two episodes. The first was Diego Maradona testing positive after a drug test.

He was caught on the anti-doping test, which detected ephedrine, a substance used to lose weight and a powerful stimulant.

Busted

Called up at the last minute to take part in Argentina’s play-off match against Australia during the qualifiers, Maradona managed to get in shape quickly, losing 13 kilos.

In the World Cup, he scored a goal against Greece and led his fellow Argentinians in their comeback against Nigeria. But, due to the anti-doping test, he was expelled from the 1994 World Cup tournament, despite claiming his innocence. And Argentina went home after losing to Gheorghe Hagi’s excellent Romania.

The second damaging episode was the death of Colombian defender Andrés Escobar. The player scored an own goal against the United States in the group stage of the 1994 World Cup.

The mistake resulted in Colombia losing 2-1 and being eliminated from the tournament. After returning home, Escobar was murdered in front of a nightclub in the city of Medellín.

Although the crime has never been cleared up, it was supposedly ordered by Colombian gamblers who lost a lot of money with the negative result.

1994 World Cup Surprises

Even before the first kick-off on American pitches, some traditional teams had already failed to book their place at the party.

Euro winners in 1992, Denmark did not qualify, and neither did England and France.

In the group stage of the 1994 World Cup, more surprises. Colombia, which had the best generation of players in the country’s history – Rene Higuita, Valderrama, Aristizabal, Rincon, and Asprilla, for example – was eliminated in the group stage, losing to Romania and United States.

Saudi Arabia managed to qualify for the competition’s knockout stage. After beating Morocco 2-1, the Saudis beat Belgium. Striker Saeed Owairan became a hero after dribbling several players and scoring one of 1994 World Cup history’s best goals.

The Saudi dream would, however, end in the round of 16, when they lost 3-1 to Sweden.

For the first time, a victory was worth three points. Italy struggled to qualify. They lost their first match 1-0 to Ireland. Then, a narrow win over Norway and a draw against Mexico.

They only qualified as they were one of the four best third places. But the Azzurra had Roberto Baggio. And he saved them in the round of 16 against Nigeria.

He scored two goals, one in extra time. Then, he got on the scoresheet in the 1994 World Cup quarter-final against Spain.

Then, it was Bulgaria in the semi-final. The Bulgarians had Hristo Stoichkov. At the height of his career, he was the top scorer of the 1994 World Cup, together with Salenko from Russia, with six goals.

One of them scored against Italy. But Roberto Baggio scored another two and put the Italians in the final.

The Fourth Title

Brazil arrived in the USA somewhat discredited. They had struggled to qualify. Finally, Brazil manager Carlos Alberto Parreira gave in to national pressure and called up Romário for the last qualifier match against Uruguay. Result: 2-0 Brazil, with an outstanding performance by Romário.

Then, he would prove definitively that the people were right.

The team put together by Parreira was considered too defensive. Players like Mauro Silva and Mazinho were much criticized without mentioning Dunga.

The holding midfielder was remembered as an icon of Brazil’s failure in the 1990 World Cup, a period known as the ‘Dunga Era.’ But he bounced back in 1994.

Brazil did not have a lot of difficulty in the group stage, despite captain Raí (considered their leading player at the time) having played so poorly that he ended up on the bench.

Dunga stepped in as captain. In the first knockout stage match, they faced the hosts. Brazil was the outright favorite to win the match, but it was a challenging game; victory came 20 minutes from when Bebeto scored the winning goal.

1994 World Cup Quarter Final

In the 1994 World Cup quarter-final, the most exciting match. Brazil had to play the Netherlands, with players like Dennis Bergkamp, Frank Rijkaard, and Marc Overmars.

At the beginning of the second half, they scored twice, with Bebeto’s famous celebration, pretending to carry a baby, in homage to his son who had just been born.

Then the Dutch equalized with Dennis Bergkamp and Aron Winter. It was then that left-back Branco, also the target of criticism, was fouled outside the box, took the ball, and prepared to take the free kick.

His venomous curled shot almost scratched Romário’s back and still hit the bottom of the goalpost before going into the back of the net: 3-2.

In the 1994 World Cup semi-final, another struggle, this time against Sweden. Again, the match remained goalless until the 80th minute.

Romário leaped behind Sweden’s tall defenders when extra-time seemed inevitable and headed the ball into the net. The goal put Brazil through to the World Cup final for the first time in 24 years. Their opponents were Italy, runners-up in 1970.

The Grudge Match

On one side, Romario de Souza Faria. On the other, Roberto Baggio. Brazil still had terrible memories of the ‘Sarriá Stadium Tragedy” in 1982.

The Italians were also after their fourth title and had not forgotten that Brazil had won rather convincingly the last time both teams met in a final.

Both teams were very cautious, and there were few goal opportunities. The scoreboard remained goalless until the end of extra time. For the first time in history, the world title would be decided on penalties.

Romario’s shot hit the post and went into the net. What no one expected happened when Roberto Baggio went up to take his penalty.

The player responsible for carrying the not-so-brilliant Azzurra on his back ended up a villain when he sent his shot over the bar.

Brazil was the 1994 World Cup winner and the first nation to win the World Cup four times. Dunga had redeemed himself and could lift the trophy. But the World Cup belonged to Romario.