Ronaldo's toe-poke

Day -38 WorldCup2018

Japan/South Korea 2002 was everything for Ronaldo (the original) that France '98 wasn't. He was back to his best, quite incredible after a couple of what could have been career ending knee injuries. He was Brazil's star, leading from the front, making the difference between another close run for Brazil at a World Cup and actually winning it.

His two goals in the final grabbed the headlines but it was his semifinal toe-poke that finally broke Turkey's stubbornness that stands out for me.

Turkey were the big surprise team of the tournament. It seemed unfathomable that they would beat Brazil and make it to the final but, oh boy, did they run them close. It was up to Ronaldo and his individual moment of football genius that set the football universe straight.

The end of the two Golden Generations

Day -39 WorldCup2018

Japan/South Korea '02 saw two teams who expected to achieve more fall short..Portugal's Golden Generation of Luis Figo, Rui Costa and co. had missed out on winning Euro 2000 after a painful penalty golden goal semifinal defeat to France. 2002 could have seen them go further at the bigger tournament. But they fell short after an opening defeat to the US. In their final match against South Korea they only needed a draw. But they had two players sent off and lost 1-0. The two sendings off were not the only story, nor was the fact that South Korea won against a 9-man team. What was incredible was that Portugal had chance after chance after they were down to 9 players. And even more incredible was that in the final few minutes with Portugal giving up on defending, South Korea could not score again. Two or three times they had three players on the attack with only Vitor Baia, the Portuguese goalie, to beat but Baia did his bit to make the miracle happen. It didn't.

England, led by David Beckham and managed by Sven Goran Eriksson felt this could have been their time. After a comfortable 3-0 win against Denmark in the last 16 they faced Brazil in the quarterfinals. Michael Owen put them ahead, but Rivaldo equalized right at half-time. In the second half Ronaldinho scored the winner for Brazil with a memorable World Cup goal, but more for it's "was in intentional or was it a mis-hit cross?" than for it's quality. David Seaman, I'm sure, can still see that ball sailing over his head.

Germany-Saudi Arabia 2002

Day -40 WorldCup2018

Japan/South Korea 2012 was the World Cup of upsets and surprise teams: Turkey, Senegal, South Korea, USA. It seemed like all of a sudden the form book had been thrown out the window, like the tiem of the football superpowers reaching semifinals and finals had come to an end. The new order of football was upon us.

And then along came Germany to remind us that some things will never change. Poor Saudi Arabia were swept away in a good old fashioned thrashing, the likes of which had not been seen at a World Cup since Hungary got a little carried away with thinking about goal difference in their 10-1 win against El Salvador in 1982. The Germans won 8-0 and played with an air of "what's all the fuss about" after Senegal had beaten France in the opening match.

The side story to this match is that Miroslav Klose scored a hat-trick. This was the beginning of the German striker's incredible World Cup run which ended in 2014 with 16 goals which put him at the top of the all-time list of World Cup goalscorers with 16 goals.

USA-Portugal 2002

Day -41 WorldCup2018

Wind Storm 2018 has left us in the dark. Saving battery, so this will be quick.

One of the most memorable first round matches at the 2002 World Cup was USA-Portugal. The proud Portuguese fans would never even have thought that their team, even though at the end of the Golden Generation period, could be beaten by the American "soccer" players. But such is the beauty of World Cup football.

Senegal

Day -42 WorldCup2018

South Korea/Japan '02 ended with redemption for Ronaldo and in the end, despite, and apart from, all the controversial refereeing decisions it was his World Cup.

But it all started with Pape Bouba Diop and the rest of his Senegalese team mates. Their 1-0 win over France in the opening match was a quite spectacular upset, but it was similar to Belgium's win against Argentina in 1982 and Cameroon's win against Argentina in 1990. So there was history of opening upsets, or maybe it was just an Argentina thing until France succumbed to an unexpected defeat as World Champions.

Senegal became a favourite amongst neutrals for the fun they seemed to have when they played. They went on to be involved in two golden goal matches, in the last World Cup that it was used. They beat Sweden in the last sixteen with the sudden death decider in extra time. They then went on to to lose by the same way to Turkey, who became an even bigger surprise than the surprise team.

Japan/South Korea '02

Day -43 WorldCup2018

Japan/South Korea 2002 was interesting. The first World Cup to be co-hosted is sometimes only remembered for the controversial decisions that seemed to favour the Koreans. But there was some good football, and some good goals. But was Ronaldinho's against England one of them?

I will find the good moments over the next few days.

France '98: the final

Day -44 WorldCup2018

The final, France '98. I've gone over my personal memory of the day in the past, with family and long distance phone calls.

This time it's all about the football, and not even a thought (apart from this one) about whether Ronaldo was sick, had a breakdown or just had a terrible match.

France were lethal, Brazil looked jaded. Maybe there were pre-match distractions but it can never take away from France's greatest ever day on a football pitch.

Zidane and Zidane again, two quick headers. And Petit towards the end with the celebratory third goal. The party went on for a long time.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DeBZzhGy2-0