10 Biggest FIFA World Cup "What Ifs"

The story of Colombia's 1994 World Cup campaign is the most tragic one in the tournament's history. Prior to the Finals, Colombia looked like one of the favourites. With a 3rd place finish at the 1993 Copa America and a blistering qualification run (which saw them hammer South American champions, Argentina, 5-0), they looked like the team who was peaking at the right time.

Sadly, the state of the country did not resemble its footballing strength. A civil war raged between paramilitary and communist groups against a backdrop of drug cartels usurping the state in terms of power held within the country. Football seemed like the only thing people had to keep their hopes alive.

Instability reared its ugly head when the national team became the targets of various betting syndicates and cartels trying to exercise influence over the squad. Players and coaches had to deal with death threats, kidnappings of family members and various other forms of intimidation. This had a dramatic effect on the team and left them a shell of themselves on the pitch. The assassination of Andres Escobar capped off a truly horrendous summer.

The Colombian team was blessed with immense talent. Escobar, Higuita, Valderrama, Rincon and Asprilla were the headliners. Capable of spectacular attacking football, they were also a solid defensive unit, capable of combining individual brilliance with selfless team play.

Had they been able to play without any of these distractions, replicating the performances of Sweden and Bulgaria seemed possible. At their peak though, they were more than capable enough to win the tournament. Not only would this triumph have provided inspiration for Colombia's people to get back on their feet, but we would also have been able to see the talent of Andres Escobar reach its full potential.