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FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo
Sport
Graham Parker

USA '94 legacy: why two big misses didn't prevent a World Cup hit

The opening ceremony and stadium atmosphere during the 1994 FIFA World Cup, featuring the iconic San Gabriel Mountains in the background and giant floating soccer-ball balloons around the stands.

It started with a penalty missed by Diana Ross and ended with one missed by Roberto Baggio. It has been 32 years since the 1994 World Cup in the USA – over three decades in which the global game has expanded beyond recognition, club ownerships have shifted from car dealers to carbon billionaires, and digital technology has transformed how football is broadcast and consumed.

In the USA itself, a new league, Major League Soccer, was founded in the wake 
of the tournament. There are now 30 MLS teams, with more coming, and some potentially moving...

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