Protagonist Podcasts Presents: America's Greatest - Episode Seven: 1994 World Cup, USA vs Colombia
Protagonist Podcasts Presents: America’s Greatest is a podcast series co-hosted by Joshua Duder and several of Protagonist’s other writers, podcasters, and guests. We want to explore and share the rich narrative and pedigree of the sport in the United States - to tell the stories about our greatest games, moments, and iconic soccer characters.
In episode seven we discuss the 1994 World Cup Group Stage match between hosts United States and heavily favored Colombia. Host Joshua Duder is joined by Protagonist Soccer’s Dennis Pope and MaryBeth Zmuda, both SoCal residents who share the impact that not only this game, but this entire World Cup had on their lives. We also discuss the politics leading into the tournament and the music of the time.
Of course, not all of our listeners are old enough to remember this game but if you’ve watched ESPN’s 30 for 30 The Two Escobars you’ll learn all about the brutal, drug-fueled, political wars in Colombia but also how all that drug money super-charged their domestic league, and by extension, their national team. The Colombian national team were, if not heavy favorites, at least dark horses to win the 1994 World Cup and were at the very least, expected to make easy work of the hosts, the United States.
MaryBeth, Dennis, and Josh explore the soccer stories behind the names in both the Colombian and US squads - who was there, and importantly, who was missing. Death threats, a nervous crowd, and the blazing summer SoCal sun - MaryBeth describes the emotions in the stadium how she experienced it and speaks to the way the fans reacted to the goals and the tension at the end.
Historically, much has been made of this game from the perspective of the Colombians - especially considering the tragic events following the result. But our group discusses the ramifications of the win for the United States Men’s National Team and the long term trajectory stemming from their success in this tournament.
Lastly, of course, we take a look at the music of the year - all three of us were old enough to have favorite albums and artists from 1994. We explore those releases and the general vibes of the mid-1990s.
We have a few more episodes already recorded and look forward to releasing them every second week. If there is a player, game, or moment you think we should consider, don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know!
by Joshua Duder
