  | 
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 World Cup History: 1970-2002
 2002: Brazil's World Cup final hero Ronaldo (center) gets his hands on the trophy. WORLD CUP HISTORY
2002 Japan/South Korea Final: Brazil 2 Germany 0 The first ever Asian World Cup was rocked by surprises from the first game, but the final brought together the competition's two most successful nations in the tournament's history. Having struggled in qualifying, few had tipped Brazil as title contenders, but once the tournament proper was underway the South Americans proved themselves a match for anyone as they strolled to a record fifth title. Germany, also unfancied in the build-up to the tournament, made solid progress thanks to the goals of Miroslav Klose and the goalkeeping of Oliver Kahn, but the three-times winners were finally beaten by two goals from a resurgent Ronaldo. Co-hosts South Korea became the first Asian side since their northern neighbors in 1966 to reach the semifinals, losing out to Germany, while Turkey were the other surprise semi-finalists. First-time qualifiers Senegal caused the biggest shock by beating France in the opening match, sending the defending world champions on their way to an ignominious first round exit. Favorites Argentina also failed to survive the opening round, as England avenged their last 16 defeat four years earlier with a 1-0 win. 1998 FranceFinal: France 3 Brazil 0 The 16th World Cup finally brought the title back to the country where the competition was originally conceived. The tournament belonged to the hosts as two first half headers from Zinedine Zidane set les Bleus on their way to a 3-0 win over shell-shocked favorites Brazil in the final and sparked the biggest-ever Bastille Day party in French history. France had made stuttering progress, needing a golden goal from Laurent Blanc to beat Paraguay in the last 16, a penalty shootout against Italy and two goals from defender Lilian Thuram in a come-from-behind win over Croatia -- the tournament's surprise team -- in the semis. For many the Netherlands, with Dennis Bergkamp in the best form of his career, had played the best football of the competition, only to come unstuck on penalties against Brazil in the semis. Argentina and England clashed in a memorable second round encounter, with the South Americans going through on penalties after a nerve-racking 2-2 draw. 1994 United StatesFinal: Brazil 0 Italy 0 (Brazil win 3-2 on penalties) For the first time since 1970, Brazil were crowned champions, but only thanks to a ballooned missed penalty from the tournament's outstanding player, Roberto Baggio, in an otherwise dull final. With a new tougher style of play encapsulated by their captain Dunga in midfield, the South Americans sweated rather than samba'd their way to the title, relying on goals from Romario and Bebeto to get them past the hosts, the Netherlands and semi-finalists Sweden. Italy had started badly with defeat by Ireland, but a series of match-winning performances from Baggio, including a last-minute strike to eliminate Nigeria, carried them to the final. Bulgaria, led by the charismatic Hristo Stoichkov caused the shock of the tournament by knocking out champions Germany en route to the semis. Argentina's hopes were dashed when talisman Diego Maradona was dramatically sent home for failing a drugs test following a highly-charged performance against Greece. The tournament was also touched by tragedy when Colombian defender Andres Escobar, having scored an own goal that sent the highly-fancied South Americans home early, was shot dead outside a nightclub in his hometown of Medellin. 1990 ItalyFinal: West Germany 1 Argentina 0 The tournament opened in stunning fashion with Cameroon producing a bludgeoning performance to beat champions Argentina 1-0 despite finishing the match with nine men. The Indomitable Lions would go to become the first African side to reach the quarterfinals, with 38-year-old semi-retired striker Roger Milla making a name for himself with some crucial goals before their run was ended in a seesaw 3-2 defeat by England. Argentina, with a petulant Maradona unable to re-capture his form of four years earlier, picked themselves up and battled through to the knockout stages in a tournament marred by defensive, negative football. Hosts Italy, with Salvatore Schillaci their unlikely hero, provided some respite, only for their dreams to be cruelly dashed on penalties by Argentine cynicism in the semifinals. Driven by Lothar Matthaeus in midfield, West Germany also impressed in a series of powerful performances, although old rivals England gave them a tough time in the semifinals before bowing out on penalties. In a repeat of the 1986 final, Andreas Brehme scored the only goal from the penalty spot in a dismal, bad-tempered match as the West Germans became champions for the third time. 1986 MexicoFinal: Argentina 3 West Germany 2 Football may be a team sport but the 1986 World Cup belonged to one man alone: Diego Maradona. The Argentine No. 10 lived up to his billing as the greatest player since Pele, transforming his journeymen teammates into world champions. Maradona scored spectacular goals against Belgium in the semifinals and gave a memorable performance in the quarterfinals against England that included the greatest World Cup goal ever -- a solo, waltzing effort that carried him through the entire England team -- and the infamous "Hand of God" effort when he punched the ball into the net. In the final Argentina shot into a two-goal lead, only to be pegged back by a second half West German revival. But Maradona laid on the winning pass for Jorge Burrachaga to fire the winner. The rest of the tournament was a sideshow compared with Maradona. As four years earlier, West German power overcame French flair in the semis. Denmark and the Soviet Union fizzled promisingly in the first round before crashing out in the second. 1982 SpainFinal: Italy 3 West Germany 1 Brazil brought their most talented side to the tournament since 1970, with Zico and Socrates lighting up the tournament in the early stages, but Brazil's defensive frailties were exposed in the second round as Italy sent them crashing out in a 3-2 thriller that included a Paolo Rossi hat-trick. The match was the making of Rossi, only just back in the Azzurri squad after serving a match-fixing ban, who would go on to score twice against Poland in the semifinals and the first goal in Italy's 3-1 win over West Germany as they lifted the cup for the first time since 1938. The West Germans had reached the final in controversial fashion, overcoming the balletic French on penalties in match marked by German goalkeepers horror foul on Patrick Battiston which left the French striker in a neck brace. Hosts Spain failed to shine, losing to Northern Ireland in the first round, while Hungary set a World Cup finals record with their 10-1 win over El Salvador. 1978 ArgentinaFinal: Argentina 3 Netherlands 1 Played out against the backdrop of Argentina's military dictatorship, the home side's victory was interpreted by many as an unfortunate propaganda victory for the regime. In fact, Argentina, backed by fanatical home support, just about deserved to win on merit, with star striker Mario Kempes capping an impressive tournament with two goals in the final, including the go-ahead goal in extra time. Controversy surrounded Argentina's passage to the final however when, needing to beat Peru by four goals to advance (the tournament's knockout stages having been replaced by a second round of group matches), they racked up a suspiciously one-sided 6-0 win. The Dutch, without Cruyff but once again the most naturally talented team at the tournament, came up just short for the second time in four years, while Brazil claimed third-place with a 2-1 win over Italy. Scotland provided some first round entertainment. Having boasted that they would bring back the cup, they were quickly eliminated after drawing with Iran, only to regain some credibility with a 3-2 win over the Netherlands. 1974 West GermanyFinal: West Germany 2 Netherlands 1 Hosts West Germany were crowned champions, but the tournament as a whole will always be remembered for the thrilling "total football" played by the brilliant Dutch team orchestrated by Johan Cruyff and Johan Neeskens. The Oranje sailed through the tournament, playing with almost casual arrogance and scoring 14 goals in six games. A penalty in the second minute of the final, won by Cruyff and converted by Neeskens, only seemed to confirm the Dutch's invincibility, but the West Germans hit back with first half goals from Paul Breitner and Gerd Muller as Franz Beckenbauer marshalled his team to a famous victory. The West Germans had endured an eventful tournament, losing to East Germany in their opening game before beginning a run of five victories that carried them to the final. Champions Brazil, with Pele retired, couldn't recapture the brilliance of 1970, losing out 1-0 to Poland in the third-place playoff. 1970 MexicoFinal: Brazil 4 Italy 1 The greatest-ever World Cup finals were a technicolor spectacle played out in front of a global television audience of millions thanks to satellite technology and capped by a virtuoso performance by the world's greatest-ever team. Pele, now an elder statesman, produced the tournament's most memorable cameo moments, including his famous near-miss from the halfway line against Czechoslovakia and an astonishing dummy that sent the ball past a bewildered Uruguayan keeper. Neither resulted in goals but that was almost the point. Brazil were simply playing for the love of the game. Not that the Brazilians had any trouble finding the net. With Jairzinho, Tostao, Gerson and Rivelino all sharing in attacking duties, Pele could rely on a supporting cast of matchwinners. For some of the fourth goal against Italy -- a dazzling team move that ended with Carlos Alberto's thumping shot from Pele's nonchalant rolled pass -- is the pinnacle of Brazilian footballing perfection. Having given the Brazilians their toughest test of the tournament in a first round goalless draw champions England threw away their title along with a two-goal lead in their quarterfinal clash with West Germany, who went on to lose an epic semifinal 4-3 to the Italians, with five goals coming in extra time and Franz Beckenbauer finishing the match with his arm in a sling. 
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| © 2007 Cable News Network. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. Site Map. |
 |
|
External sites open in new window; not endorsed by CNN.com
Pay service with live and archived video. 
