The Hindu : Ronaldo steers Brazil to fifth title

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

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Ronaldo steers Brazil to fifth title

The Brazil captain, Cafu, holds aloft the World Cup trophy, as his teammates celebrate their 2-0 victory over Germany in the 2002 FIFA World Cup final in Yokohama, Japan, on Sunday. — AFP

YOKOHAMA JUNE 30. Brazil won a record fifth World Cup today when Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima erased the memory of his 1998 final nightmare by scoring both goals in a 2-0 victory over Germany. The world's greatest striker's four long years of pain, fear and heartbreak finally evaporated as he fulfilled his destiny.

A virtual passenger four years ago, following his pre-match convulsions, the 25-year-old Inter Milan player produced a virtuoso second half display, scoring both goals in a win that brought Brazil their fifth world crown.Every emotion must have been running through his mind as the whistle blew to confirm his country's record-breaking success.

And wrapped in a Brazilian flag, as Ronaldo walked slowly towards the huddle of celebrating players, they turned as one and he was hoisted shoulder high to be paraded in front of the delirious Brazilian fans.

The goals also earned Ronaldo the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer with eight — the highest total since 1970 when Gerd Mueller got 10 for West Germany — and equalled Pele's Brazilian record of 12 at World Cup finals.

It was a fitting reward for a man who looked the sharpest player on the field just as he had done for most of Brazil's unbeaten run. Ronaldo scored the first goal in the 67th minute after the German captain and goalkeeper, Oliver Kahn, spilled a Rivaldo drive. He grabbed his second with a smart right-foot shot 12 minutes later, after Rivaldo wrong-footed the German defence with a clever dummy. The goals settled the first-ever World Cup match between the two most successful teams in the tournament's history.

Kahn turned into the tragic hero of the day. Named the best goalkeeper of the 2002 World Cup before the game, he stood alone in his goal after the final whistle, then threw away his gloves, leaned on the right post and was consoled by every teammate and the winning captain, Cafu. Kahn said later ``there is no consolation for this. I made my only mistake out of seven games and it was brutally punished.''

— Reuters

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