This week on World Cup Revisited, John Duggan, Dan McDonnell and Johnny Ward look back at the 1994 tournament in the US, as Ireland shocked Italy before falling short in the Round of 16.
It was the country's final major tournament under Jack Charlton and the Irish squad featured a fresh dash of youth with Roy Keane (22), Phil Babb (23), Jason McAteer (22) - and Gary Kelly (19) all making the trip.
Ireland advanced from the group stages after a win, a draw and a loss - including the mythical 1-0 victory against Italy at Giant Stadium (getting partial-revenge after the Italians ended Ireland's 1990 World Cup odyssey).
In April, for our Classic Game Club on that encounter, we were lucky enough to get the thoughts of Dundalk manager Vinny Perth and former Ireland international David Meyler, alongside Nathan Murphy.
Ultimately, Ireland were undone by a dynamic Dutch side, with Dennis Bergkamp and Wim Jonk doing the damage as Ireland lost 2-0.
World Cup memories
Elsewhere, it seems that we end up talking about Maradona every week - a drug scandal meant he was sent home from the tournament after two matches.
The semi-final stage offered the novel pairings of Sweden vs Brazil and Bulgaria vs Italy - with the traditional powers winning-out to set up a Brazil vs Italy final.
They met in at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California and went all the way to penalties, with Brazil winning 3-2 as one of the stars of the tournament, Roberto Baggio missed the decisive kick.
Ahead of our chat, we asked for your 1994 memories:
Was there for all four games. Well three and a half as I was taken to hospital at HT in the Mexico game in Orlando with heat exhaustion. Scandal playing a match at 12:30. Heat and humidity was off the scale. My travel insurance saved my financial bacon 😂😂 great three weeks. 🇮🇪
— Phelim Warren (@Freewheeler12) May 29, 2020
I vaguely remember getting to stay up late to watch all the games as an 11 year old! As a memory Alexi Lalas stands out then he got a contract to Italy, the elbow from Leonardo 🙈 an horrendous incident. Great World Cup with Paul McGrath being his phenomenal usual self 😀
— Paddy (@Garrybawnlad) May 28, 2020
Went to the Italy game, was getting married to an Italian New Yorker the following Saturday and went to the game with a load of her Italian relations, the look on their faces when we got to Giants Stadium and seemed like it was 80% Irish fans was priceless, epic day and result 🍀
— patrick groarke (@pvgroarke) May 29, 2020
I was working in Chicago, tried to get a bar to watch italy game but they were all showing college basketball and MLB. Finally watched the game in an Italian restaurant, never put our hands in our pockets.
— Jimmy Allen (@JimmyAllen71) May 30, 2020
I was there that afternoon. Finished my leaving cert on the Thursday and flew out Friday. Was like an oven that afternoon in Giants Stadium. Will never forget that day.
— NIALL (@NIALL96667735) May 30, 2020
— NIALL (@NIALL96667735) May 30, 2020
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