Italy at the FIFA World Cup game, equalised with a powerful header soon after, and provoked Zidane in a manner that lead to the French captain being sent off. He also scored in the penalty-shootout that was to follow. It was only the second time a World Cup final was decided on penalties, again involving Italy after the 1994 final lost to Brazil. Paolo Maldini is the player with the third-most matches at FIFA World Cups, trailing only behind the Germans Lothar Matthäus (25) and Miroslav Klose (24). This also makes him the player with the most World Cup matches who has never won the trophy.
Oceanian nations at the FIFA World Cup "Your tears of pain, will one day be tears of joy". Just to qualify for the 1994 World Cup Australia would have had to beat Argentina, the runners-up from the 1990 World Cup, and ranked 9th in the world at that time. At 1998 World Cup qualification Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tahiti, the four best ranked teams according to FIFA, received byes and advanced to the Second Round directly. Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Cook Islands first time participated at the FIFA World Cup qualification. Australia and New Zealand easily won in the Second Round and