A country with unparalleled wealth, a football league with low viewing figures and overall a weird choice compared to the other bids to host the most famous international football competition. Qatar 2022? No. USA 1994.
Imagine the scene, an America which had just seen off the final years of the Cold War, had helped to unify Germany, and was still feeling the effect of the Vietnamese and World Wars. In essence, the world was in tatters. But America stepped forward, and won the right to host the World Cup ahead of Brazil and Morocco.
America seemed to be the logical choice?