WORLD CUP USA ’94 / THE FINALS : Spotlight : BITING THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU

Six months ago, Valentine Mihov, then president of the Bulgarian soccer federation, called Egidius Braun, his German counterpart.

“Help,” he said.

Mihov, who resigned a week before World Cup ‘94, asked the Germans to help Bulgaria organize its team and send coaches, because it was in disarray.

But Braun never expected Bulgaria to knock off Germany, the defending champion, in the quarterfinals.

“We did a lot of development,” Braun said. “But it’s good for soccer.”