United States 1994
The United States hosted the 1994 World Cup and confounded the sceptics who doubted that a country without a professional soccer league could stage the tournament. Record attendances were set an average of 68,991 per match, the highest in World Cup history as Americans embraced the spectacle. On the pitch, Bora Milutinović's team exceeded expectations. A famous 2-1 victory over Colombia at the Rose Bowl and a draw with Switzerland carried the hosts into the round of 16, where Brazil proved too strong, winning 1-0. Alexi Lalas, with his red beard and rock-star persona, became an unlikely icon. The tournament's success directly led to the founding of Major League Soccer in 1996, transforming the landscape of American football. USA 1994 proved that the World Cup could conquer any country even one that called the sport by a different name.