Five memorable Cotton Bowl moments from when Dallas hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup
.JPG "In this Star-Telegram file photo from July 3, 1994, Saudi defender Ahmed Jameel Madani tumbles over Sweden’s Kennet Andersson in a World Cup elimination match at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas.")
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is still four years away, but that doesn’t mean footie fans aren’t excited about the global event’s return to North Texas.
For the first time in FIFA World Cup history, three countries are hosting the quadrennial event — U.S., Canada and Mexico. Arlington’s AT&T Stadium is one of several U.S. venues hosting matches for the 2026 World Cup.
North Texas is no stranger to the FIFA World Cup, since the Cotton Bowl in Dallas hosted matches at the 1994 event. In total, six matches were played in Dallas including a quarter finals match where the eventual champions — Brazil — beat the Netherlands 3-2.
As soccer fans await the 2026 cup and matches in North Texas, let’s take a look back at five memorable moments from 1994:
1. Jürgen Klinsmann’s two goals against South Korea
Before he was head coach of the U.S. Men’s national team, Jürgen Klinsmann was a star player for his home country of Germany.
Klinsmann represented Germany in several FIFA World Cups over the years, with his last appearance at the 1998 cup. He scored 11 goals during his World Cup tenure, which is good for sixth all-time behind fellow countryman, Gerd Müller (14) and Miroslav Klose (16).
At the Cotton Bowl in 1994, Klinsmann scored two goals in Germany’s win over South Korea, including one where he flicked the ball up from a pass to strike the back corner of the net.
Klinsmann’s goals came in the 12th and 37th minutes, sealing Germany’s 3-2 win against South Korea. However, the German national team ended up getting knocked out of the tournament by Bulgaria in the quarter finals, 2-1.
2. Brazil beats the Netherlands in the quarterfinals
Brazil won the 1994 FIFA World Cup after defeating Italy in penalty kicks 3-2, but some say Brazil played an even better game much earlier in the tournament.
At the Cotton Bowl on July 9, 1994, Brazil played the Netherlands in a five-goal quarterfinals thriller. Romário scored the first goal for Brazil in the 53rd minute and Bebeto slotted in a second shortly after the hour mark.
The Dutch responded quickly a minute after Brazil’s second goal with a sublime Dennis Bergkamp goal. Aron Winter would knot things up in the 76th minute with a header from a corner kick.
But Brazil would have the last word in the match. Branco wins a free kick 25 yards from the Dutch goal in the 81st minute, and powers a low shot to the right to hit the back of the net. The quarter finals match is considered by many fans as a classic, including FC Dallas President Dan Hunt who told WFAA that it was one of the greatest soccer matches of all-time.
3. Spain vs. South Korea is first match played at Cotton Bowl
The upstart Asians surprised a forminable Spanish side to a 2-2 draw.
The dramatics of the match belied the less-than-sellout crowd of 56,247 who showed up at the Cotton Bowl. The Spain-South Korea match was the second match of the tournament, following the opening ceremony and match between title holders Germany and Bolivia in Chicago’s Soldier Field.
The Spaniards went down a man in the 26th minute after Miguel Nadal was shown a straight red card. “La Furia Roja” regrouped in the second half, scoring a brace of goals in the 52nd and again in the 56th minute.
Neutrals might have thought then that that was it for the South Koreans. But not so fast amigo. The Asians came back with a forceful retort in the dying minutes of the match knotting up the score. A lovely free kick from Hong Myungbo in the 85th minute got his side to within a goal. Seo Jung Won’s goal in the death robbed the Spaniards of a full three points, settling for a point in the draw.
Spain would make it to the quarterfinal round, losing to Italy. South Korea failed to make the round of 16, ending their World Cup campaign prematurely.
4. Sweden defeats Saudi Arabia in round of 16
The 1994 FIFA World Cup was historic for both Sweden and Saudi Arabia
Sweden finished third in the tournament, which was their best finish in a World Cup ever. For Saudi Arabia, the 1994 tournament was the first World Cup the country had qualified for. Since their inaugural World Cup, Saudi Arabia has qualified and played in the 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
At the Cotton Bowl match, Sweden got the scoring started early with a goal from Martin Dahlin in the 6th minute. Sweden extended their lead after a long strike from Kennet Andersson in the 51st minute.
Saudi Arabia would cut into the lead with goal of their own from Fahad Al Ghesheyan in the 85th minute. However, Sweden would answer just three minutes later with another goal from Andersson in the 88th minute, sealing the Swedish victory.
5. USA vs Bolivia tune-up before World Cup
Before the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the USA and Bolivia played in a couple of friendly matches before the global tournament.
The matches were warm-ups for the eventual World Cup and was the only time the USA and Bolivia played each other that yea. USA would lose in the round of 16 at the 1994 World Cup, while Bolivia failed to advance out of the group stage.
At the first friendly in February 1994, the match ended in a 1-1 draw with team USA’s Cobi Jones scoring the lone goal for the Americans. Another friendly was held in March 1994, that proved to be far more exciting.
The game again ended in a draw, but only after a back and forth that lasted the entire match. Team USA’s Hugo Perez scored both goals for the Americans, while Bolivia’s Mario Pinedo tied things up in the 76th minute.
This story was originally published September 28, 2022 at 3:41 PM.
