Forward Oleg Salenko, in an exclusive interview with Sport RBC.UA, spoke about the events that followed his legendary penta-trick at the 1994 World Cup in the USA. By scoring five goals in a single World Cup match against the Cameroon national team, the striker forever etched his name into world football history. However, as the player's own recollections revealed, this unique achievement was backed not only by a tense 90 minutes on the pitch, but also by amusing episodes that unfolded after the final whistle.
Playing in 40-degree heat without thoughts of records
Salenko himself admits that during the match he did not even think about possible records. His main task was to secure a result for the team under extreme conditions — the stadium in USA was sweltering in 40-degree heat, which took a toll on every player on the pitch. That is why the forward focused exclusively on the game rather than statistics. He learned that he had become the only player in history to score five goals in a single World Cup match only upon returning to the team base, where a genuine festive atmosphere awaited the players.
Dollars in the pool: how management celebrated the record
Salenko remembered the celebration of the record for an unusual action by one of the delegation's managers. According to the striker, universal euphoria reigned at the base, everyone was discussing what had happened, and the management was also rejoicing over the team's result. «I remember one of them having fun by the pool, scattering dollar bills right into the water,» the former footballer recalls. This episode, he said, became one of the brightest and most unforgettable moments of that trip.
The morning after the celebration: an empty pool
However, the next morning brought an unexpected discovery for the team. The players, hoping to do some swimming after their morning jog, found that the pool was completely empty. As it turned out, the hotel staff proved to be equally resourceful: they drained the water and collected all the dollars thrown into it. «We were surprised, because we had planned to swim a bit after the jog. As it turned out, the hotel staff were no fools either,» Salenko said with a smile in the interview.
A broader context of the interview
The conversation with the legend of Ukrainian football was not limited solely to memories of the 1994 World Cup. In the full interview, Salenko also spoke about the difficulties of his transfer to Dynamo Kyiv, working under the guidance of Valeriy Lobanovskyi, and playing abroad. These themes complement the career portrait of one of the most brilliant forwards in the history of domestic football, whose name still remains a synonym for record-breaking scoring at major world tournaments.
