The Hindu : A record fifth title

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 01, 2002

Sport

Sport - Football

A record fifth title

Brazilian soccer legend Pele hugs Ronaldo after Brazil won the World Cup. Ronaldo equalled Pele's record of 12 World Cup goals. — AFP

YOKOHAMA June 30. Following is a selection of trivia after today's World Cup final in which Brazil beat Germany 2-0:

Brazil won a record fifth World Cup victory. Germany and Italy have both won the trophy three times. Brazil and Germany were both playing in a record seventh World Cup final.

****

Brazil has played more matches in World Cup finals (87) than any other team. Germany is next on 85 yet the two had never before played each other in the World Cup

****

Brazil was appearing in its third consecutive final, only the second team to do so after West Germany, which played in every final from 1982 to 1990.

****

Ronaldo's 67th minute strike was Brazil's first goal in a World Cup final since 1970.

****

Ronaldo's two goals make him the third highest scorer in World Cup finals of all time. His eight goals at these finals gave him 12 in total, equalling the Brazilian record set by Pele. Only Gerd Mueller of West Germany with 14 and Just Fontaine of France with 13 have scored more.

****

Ronaldo became the first player to score eight goals at one tournament since Mueller hit 10 at the 1970 finals in Mexico.

****

Brazilian captain Cafu became the first player to appear in three World Cup finals. He was a first half substitute in the 1994 final but played throughout in 1998.

****

Brazil is still the only country to have won the World Cup outside its own continent. It beat host Sweden 5-2 in the 1958 final and has now won the first tournament in Asia in 2002.

****

Only three players have scored in two finals -- and they are all Brazilian or German. Vava scored twice for Brazil in 1958 and grabbed another in 1962. Pele also scored two in the 1958 final and was on target in 1970 too. Germany's Paul Breitner scored in the 1974 and 1982 finals.

****

Brazil is the only team which failed to score in two finals (1994 and 1998). The only other teams who have not scored in finals are Argentina (1990), Italy (1994) and Germany (2002).

****

The highest scoring final was in 1958 when Brazil beat Sweden 5-2. Some 67 goals have been scored in the 17 finals played, an average of almost four goals a game.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport