2002 World Cup

JAPAN/KOREA 2002

How mad was this tournament?? France were reigning World and European champions, and were piping hot favourites to win in 2002. They went out in the first round and didn't score a single goal.

Argentina were another team fancied to do well. They also failed to progress out of the group stage. As did Figo's Portugal. The first World Cup to be held in Asia was full of surprises.

So who was left? The 2002 World Cup became sort of an LDV Vans Trophy final, as the unknown South Korea, Turkey, Japan and Senegal teams left their marks on the tournament. The USA were also impressive, outscoring Portugal in the game of the tournament. The rise in fortunes of such teams meant that Premiership managers had new pastures from which to cultivate players of questionable ability.

However, Brazil and Germany were still in the tournament and scoring for fun. Germany beat Saudi Arabia 8-0 without breaking sweat. Brazil triumphed over China 4-0 with the four R's scoring - Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos.

England had stumbled through the group stages, drawing with Sweden and Nigeria and beating Argentina (revenge for 1998!) through a single goal. However, against a strong Denmark team, England went all Galactico, scoring three goals in the first half. Could this be their year?

No, it couldn't. They played Brazil in the next round and lost to ten men. Ronaldinho had baffled, bewildered and bamboozled David Seaman with a swirling, whirling free kick. Then Ronaldinho, who looks a bit like Dwight Yorke's sister, saw red. England still couldn't hold on to the ball long enough to mount a response, but this summer, Scholes, Butt and Sinclair will have been replaced with Gerrard, Lampard and Joe Cole, so ball retention shouldn't be so difficult.

Even though they were the home nation, South Korea went on an epic journey through Portugal, Spain and Italy on their way to the Semi finals. They eventually lost to the efficient but uninspiring Germans. In the other semi, Brazil met Turkey in a repeat of their group game, and the result was the same.

The only disappointment of this tournament was that none of the big teams had met each other. There was no "clash of the titans" or "battle of the big 'uns". Italy, Spain, France, Portugal and Argentina were all despatched by smaller teams, Holland hadn't even qualified, and England were never at the races. Germany and Brazil were both worthy finalists, but nobody had really tested them on the way.

Cue Ronaldo to make up for the pre-1998-Final-wierdness and score some goals. He did. And Brazil won. Sao Paulo went crazy-go-nuts.