Incredibly, going into the USA 94 tournament, Brazil hadn’t won the World Cup for 24 years.
It was 1970 the last time they reached the final, beating Italy 4-1 with the likes of Pele, Jairzinho and Carlos Alberto firing on all cylinders.
In fact, it was their longest barren spell in the tournament, when they waited nearly three decades to claim a first title, from the competition’s inception in 1930 to them eventually lifting their first Jules Rimet trophy in 1958.
Brazil’s performance at Italia 1990 had proved lacklustre to say the least. With a waning squad full of mediocre talent, they still won all three games to top Group C yet faced Argentina in the Last 16. The Brazilian’s lost 1-0 and crashed out of the tournament whilst managing just 4 goals in as many games.
Brazil in 1994
Four years later and there was renewed hope for the Brazilians. They were now 7/2 joint-favourites for the title alongside current World Cup champions Germany.
The squad was packed full of immense promise. In goal stood the dependable Reggiana keeper Claudio Taffarel with classy act Rai and Captain Dunga bolstering their impressive midfield.
Yet it was Brazil’s attacking options that would ultimately win them the World Crown.
On the left side was winger Zinho – a provider rather than out and out goalscorer. He had failed to score for Brazil throughout the entirety 1993 and only managed to net six times in 27 matches for Serie A side Palmeiras. But he was a crucial part of their successful offensive balance.
Bebeto operated on the right and had been in great form at international level, striking eight times in 11 appearances for Brazil throughout the calendar year. The striker scored 19 goals in 39 games for La Liga club Deportivo La Coruña.
It was time for him to forge a formidable attacking partnership with a 28 year-old striker by the name of Romario.
Before The Tournament
Romario wasn’t your typical elite striker. He was stocky but muscular and very much in the ‘Sergio Aguero mould,’ nicknamed “O Baixinho” or ‘the short one.’
Going into the World Cup, Romario had experienced a wondrous debut campaign with his new club Barcelona. During the 1993/94 season, he found the net 32 times across 47 matches, with 30 goals in the league alone!
Through the Brazilian’s epic contributions, the Catalan side went on to win the 1993/94 La Liga title and Supercopa de España double.
Romario also helped guide Barca to the 1994 Champions League final yet despite his excellence they lost 4-0 to AC Milan.
There was obvious disappointment.
But Romario reacted and for Brazil, in June of 1994, he came alive at precisely the right time.
The forward scored five times in just seven days across three pre-tournament friendlies including a strike against Canada, a hat trick during the 8-2 demolition of Honduras and a goal in the defeat of El Salvador.
A week later, Carlos Alberto Parreira’s Brazil arrived in the United States with Romario ready to conquer the world.
World Beating Displays
Romario was all set to show the planet what he was capable of.
He was in peak form. The Brazilian’s technique was near unmatched in world football for a forward at the time and he was capable of scoring goals from every possible position.
Romario’s playing style was characterised by his agility, dribbling ability and astute positional sense.
He scored an opening goal during the first group game in a 2-0 win over Russia before hitting the first of three goals against Cameroon.
Romario found the net with a 46th minute equaliser, drawing 1-1 vs Sweden to qualify as Group C winners.
He registered the first goal in a dramatic 3-2 triumph against Netherlands in the quarter final and then scored a winning goal just ten minutes from time vs Sweden in the semis.
Romario ended the tournament having scored five times, only Hristo Stoichkov and Oleg Salenko bagging more with six strikes a piece.
Brazil found the net 11 times in total and Romario scored almost half of them. Bebeto scored three goals alongside Branco, Marcio Santos and Rai all claiming one each.
The Brazilians went on to face a hotly tipped Italian side in the final, contesting a 0-0 draw before Robert Baggio missed the crucial penalty to hand them a fourth World Cup title.
Lasting Legacy
Romario retired from international football in 2005 having scored 55 times in 72 caps and still remains his country’s fourth highest ever goalscorer.
Brazil would have to wait another eight years before claiming the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.
Romario’s lasting legacy as a prolific and relentless powerhouse of a forward is secure with the Brazilian producing one of the greatest individual displays the World Cup had ever witnessed.
