There are a couple of matches that stand out for me from USA '94. Begium-Holland is probably one of the most understated matches of recent(ish) times. It was clean, free flowing football, so pleasing on the eye. Belgium won 1-0 thanks to a Phillipe Albert goal. It was one of those first round matches you felt rewarded for having bothered to watch, rather than going off to the beach because "I'd rather watch Argentina later."
The other one was the last 16 clash between Romania and Argentina. Yes, the Argentinians were maybe in a bit of disarray after Maradona had been kicked out of the tournament, but that cannot take away from the Romanian show of wonderful attacking football, led by Gheorghe Hagi and Ilie Dumitrescu. It was like watching the European Brazilians, even better than the real Brazilians at the time. Romania won 3-2 but were outdone by Sweden in a penalty shoot-out in the quarter finals.
Belgium lost 3-2 to Germany in the round of 16 in a match they should
have won. But there you go, that's football. The fun, (sexy?) football
of Belgium and Romania was gone and replaced by the boring Brazilians
and Italians in the final.
Look at the second and third Romanian goals. Shades of Brazil, 1970?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3dtpy8gDZ0
Look at the second and third Romanian goals. Shades of Brazil, 1970?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3dtpy8gDZ0
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