Bulgaria 1994
Bulgaria at USA 1994 produced one of the most improbable semi-final runs in World Cup history. Led by the magnificent Hristo Stoichkov Barcelona's fiery striker who shared the Golden Boot with 6 goals and the experienced Yordan Letchkov, Bulgaria stunned the world in the round of 16 by beating defending champions Germany 2-1, with Letchkov's diving header becoming an iconic moment. In the quarter-final they overcame Mexico on penalties to reach the last four. The semi-final against Italy proved a step too far a 2-1 defeat with Roberto Baggio scoring both Italian goals. But for a nation with zero World Cup wins in their entire history before the tournament, reaching the semi-finals was a fairy tale that united Bulgaria like nothing before.