Updated

Updated · The Guardian · Jun 30

World Cup Returns to US After 32 Years as 2026 Tournament Invites 1994 Comparisons

Updated

Updated · The Guardian · Jun 30

World Cup Returns to US After 32 Years as 2026 Tournament Invites 1994 Comparisons

Q: Can Argentina’s quest for a fourth star truly avenge Maradona’s controversial downfall from the 1994 World Cup?

Only symbolically. If Argentina wins a fourth World Cup in 2026, it would not rewrite what happened to Diego Maradona in 1994, but it could give Argentina the sense of sporting closure many supporters still seek. The link between the two tournaments is powerful. In 1994, Argentina looked like a serious contender after beating Greece and Nigeria before Maradona was expelled for a positive anti-doping test involving ephedrine. His removal shattered the team’s momentum; Argentina then lost to Bulgaria and went out to Romania in the round of 16. Maradona’s claim that “they cut off my legs” became part of the country’s football mythology, and many fans still view that exit as a stolen chance. That is why the 2026 campaign in the United States carries emotional weight. The current side, already world champion in 2022, is chasing a fourth star with Lionel Messi still central to the story. Supporters have openly framed this run as a form of revenge for 1994, and Argentina’s strong form in the group stage has reinforced that narrative. But “avenging” Maradona has limits. The 1994 case remains tied to a real doping violation, however disputed its context and handling were. A title in 2026 would honor Maradona’s legacy and heal an old wound for many Argentinians, yet it would not settle the controversy itself. What it can do is create a new chapter: one in which Argentina turns a painful memory from the last U.S.-hosted World Cup into a triumphant one on the same stage.

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 30

Thirty-two years after the 1994 World Cup, soccer’s biggest event is back in the United States, reviving comparisons with a tournament remembered for vivid, enduring images.
1994 left a strong visual and emotional imprint — from Diego Maradona’s camera stare and Bebeto’s baby-rocking celebration to Roberto Baggio’s missed penalty and Carlos Valderrama’s blond afro.
The latest comparison turns on whether the modern game still carries the same style and soul, or whether the 2026 edition can create moments that last as long in memory.
That question frames the U.S. return not just as a hosting milestone, but as a test of how today’s World Cup will be judged against one of the tournament’s most iconic editions.