deadlocked 1-1 and approaching the end of regula-
tion, Baggio scored the winner; and in the semifinal
against an exciting Bulgarian team led by Hristo
Stoichkov, Baggio scored two goals within a five-
minute span midway through the first half to send
Italy into the finals. Even his opponents praised him
in defeat: Bulgarian coach Dimitar Penev said, “We
really can’t be upset with our defense for allowing...
Baggio those two wonderful goals.”
On July 17, 1994, on a clear, hot summer day, in
front of 94,194 spectators at Pasadena’s historic
Rose Bowl Stadium, Brazil and Italy met on a field
better known for college football clashes and Super
Bowls. What was to be the premier event of the
month-long tournament and a showcase of the
“beautiful game” to an American audience became
what FIFA most feared: a 120-minute stalemate. The
drama and excitement that Romário and Baggio
had provided for their respective teams throughout
the tournament was absent. One of the more excit-
ing moments was a missed shot—the Brazilian
Márcio Santos’s kick went through the arms of the
Italian goaltender Gianluca Pagliuca, but it hit the
goalpost and ricocheted back into his arms. Pagliuca,
relieved, turned around to kiss the goalpost. The
game ended in a scoreless tie, forcing a penalty
shoot-out for the first time in World Cup history.
With Brazil leading 3-2 in penalty shots, Baggio
stepped up to the ball in an attempt to tie the game.
Baggio—who had been so magical throughout, who
had carried his Italian team into the final—shot
high, his ball just clearing the top of the goalpost.
The Brazilian team erupted in celebration as the
first four-time World Cup champions.
Impact The 1994 World Cup is remembered for its
exhilarating on-field occurrences—Russian player
Oleg Salenko’s five goals against Cameroon, Gheor-
ghe Hagi’s inspired play for Romania, Martin
Dahlin’s four goals for Sweden. The tournament
also had its controversial moments, specifically the
disgraceful exit of Argentine soccer-god Diego
Maradona, who tested positive for ephedrine follow-
ing the team’s victory over Nigeria.
The lasting legacy of the 1994 World Cup is the
surge in popularity that soccer experienced in the
aftermath. The success of Major League Soccer
(MLS), established immediately following the World
Cup, proved that soccer had its place in mainstream
American sports society. Furthermore, the 1994
World Cup indirectly enabled the success of the
1999 Women’s World Cup, hosted by the United
States and won by the home team. FIFA understood
the challenge of swaying a society devoted to three
major sports other than soccer. However, both FIFA
and the U.S. populace benefited from the 1994
World Cup, the former with its successful infiltration
of a dormant marketplace and the latter with a
heightened awareness of soccer and the interna-
tional community.Further Reading
Arnold, Peter.World Cup USA 94: The Official FIFA
Book. San Francisco: Collins, 1994. Filled with col-
orful pictures, this book highlights the history,
venues, teams, and players associated with the
1994 World Cup.
Crouch, Terry.The World Cup: The Complete Histor y.
Rev. ed. London: Aurum, 2006. A comprehensive
look at each World Cup tournament from 1930 to- An integral text to any serious study of the
World Cup.
Fiore, Fernando.The World Cup: Ultimate Guide to the
Greatest Sports Spectacle in the World. Translated by
Ezra E. Fitz. New York: HarperCollins, 2006. With
his signature wit, Fiore outlines the important
and interesting aspects of each World Cup, add-
ing analysis of the event.
Lewis, Michael.World Cup Soccer. Wakefield, R.I.:
Moyer Bell, 1994. Looks at the historical aspects
of the tournament, but also features biographical
sketches of players from each of the twenty-four
World Cup teams.
Christopher Rager
See also Hamm, Mia; Olympic Games of 1992;
Olympic Games of 1996; Soccer; Sports. World Trade Center bombing
The Event A powerful bomb explodes below
Tower One of the World Trade Center, killing
six people
Date February 26, 1993
Place New York, New YorkThis violent incident of terrorism shocked the American
public, who had not considered the possibility of interna-
tional terrorism occurring within the United States.The Nineties in America World Trade Center bombing 937