The FIFA World Cup 1994 final is remembered for two things - Roberto Baggio missing a penalty and Brazil winning their fourth title.
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The final of the FIFA World Cup 1994 is by no means one of the more classic games of football to have taken place. However, the match is memorable in its own right. The final was contested between Italy and Brazil – two teams who took very contrasting routes to the final. However, they were somewhat similar in terms of their style of play. Both teams favoured solidity over expansive attacking. Both were also reliant on a particular superstar forward – Romario for Brazil, Roberto Baggio for Italy. Sadly, by the time the tournament ended, one of them was a hero and the other a villain.
With 27 years having passed since the day, let us look back at the FIFA World Cup 1994 final.
Both teams took very different routes to the final. Brazil topped their group while Italy squeezed through as one of the four best third-placed teams.
The World Cup at the time followed a format similar to the moden European Championships, meaning Italy, despite finishing third, were through.
Brazil eliminated hosts USA, Netherlands and Sweden in the knockout stages to make the final. However, this team did not possess the Samba flair that Brazilian teams of the past were known for.
This team were more solid and circumspect. Indeed, they beat USA and Sweden 1-0 and defeated Netherlands 3-2. This was a far cry from teams which won three out of four World Cups from 1958-70.
Italy, on the other hand, were an absolute one man-show, with Baggio on a mission. He scored in every single game en route to the final, and looked set to lead an unlikely Italian renaissance.
Thus, the stage was set at the Rose Bowl stadium at Pasadena, California for the final clash.
The final has gone down in history for two reasons. One, it is the only FIFA World Cup final to not have a goal scored in normal or extra time. Two, it was the first final to be decided on penalties.
The match in itself was nothing to write home about, having finished 0-0 after 120 minutes were played. Extra time saw the game open up slightly as Brazil kept the ball more. However, the game finished goalless and penalties beckoned.
Italian skipper Franco Baresi stepped up to take the first penalty but it was high and not so mighty. Brazil defender Marcio Santos went next but his tame effort was saved by Gianluca Pagliuca.
Demetrio Albertini scored for Italy on the second spot kick, as did Romario for Brazil. Alberigo Evani then made it 2-1 before Branco levelled things for Brazil.
A key moment of the shootout came after that. Daniele Massaro, who had scored twice in the Champions League final that year as his club AC Milan lifted the trophy, missed his spot kick. To make matters worse, Brazil captain Dunga scored.
Now the pressure was well and truly on Baggio. He absolutely had to score or the Cup was gone. Yet, in a moment that is remembered by fans of all generations, ‘The Divine Ponytail’ blazed his shot over the bar. Brazil were champions.
The win would begin a cycle of Brazilian dominance at World Cups that lasted till 2002. They made the final in 1998 but lost to a Zinedine Zidane-inspired France.
However, the won the 2002 final by defeating Germany and thus clinching their fifth world title in the process.
For Italy, the story was different. They would not enter the World Cup final again until 2006, which they did so under a cloud of scandal.
The Calciopoli scandal rocked Italian domestic football and saw both Juventus and AC Milan relegated, with the former stripped of two Serie A titles.
However, Italy would go on to shock the world by winning the tournament. And, in a moment of true football poetry, they would do so in a penalty shootout.
