The World Cup final that ended 0-0 and still crowned a champion

On July 17, 1994, Brazil and Italy played 120 minutes of World Cup final football without scoring a goal. Brazil then won 3-2 in the penalty shootout at Pasadena's Rose Bowl, creating a champion from a match whose ordinary scoreline would have been a draw. 1

That made the final an immediate statistical oddity. It was the first World Cup final decided by a penalty shootout, and it remains the only one to finish 0-0 after extra time. 23

The stakes were unusually tidy: both nations had won the World Cup three times. Brazil had taken the titles in 1958, 1962 and 1970; Italy had won in 1934, 1938 and 1982. Whoever won in Pasadena would become the first country to claim a fourth title. 3

Brazil had Romario, Bebeto and a route to the final that included a 3-2 quarter-final win over the Netherlands and a 1-0 semi-final win over Sweden. Italy's tournament had been more precarious. It reached the knockout stage as one of the best third-place teams, then survived Nigeria in extra time, beat Spain 2-1, and defeated Bulgaria 2-1 in the semifinal. Roberto Baggio scored twice against Bulgaria and arrived at the Rose Bowl as Italy's outstanding attacking figure. 34

Then the goals stopped. The 90 minutes ended 0-0. The extra 30 ended 0-0 too. There was no late winner, no famous volley, not even a single goal to give the final a conventional shape. The trophy would be decided by five kicks per side, if necessary.

Brazil's Claudio Taffarel saved Daniele Massaro's attempt. Italy's Franco Baresi had already missed, leaving Brazil with the advantage. Baggio, who had carried Italy through the knockout rounds, had to score to keep the final alive. He sent the ball over the crossbar. Brazil won 3-2 on penalties and lifted its fourth World Cup. 24

FIFA later quoted Baggio describing the aftermath: "I felt myself dying inside." The line fits the strange shape of the match. For two hours, nobody had scored; in the next few seconds, one miss decided the most important game in the tournament. 4

A World Cup final usually leaves behind a winning goal. This one left behind a blank scoreline, a shootout, and a fourth star for Brazil. July 17 is the day the world's biggest football trophy was won by a team that never scored in the match itself.