COVER STORY

BRAZIL'S GLORY

The Latin American country wins the World Cup for a record fifth time at the end of a month of excitement, which saw a series of upsets and the coming of age of Asian football.

S.R. SURYANARAYAN

THE Yokohama stadium erupted in joy, amid rhythmic samba beats, signalling the realisation of yet another golden dream for Brazil. Germany's power and precision had been neutralised by the pure artistry of the men from Latin America. On June 30, it was a battle of the Titans that has not happened before in the 72-year history of the World Cup.

The classic finale to the month-long soccer fiesta, the first of the millennium and also the first held in Asia, hosted jointly by Japan and South Korea, entered the pages of history on a spectacular note when the victorious Brazilians relayed the gold trophy around, with the crowd giving them a standing ovation. And as skipper Cafu held aloft the symbol of supremacy in world soccer, it was another moment of personal triumph for this genial defender from Sao Paulo. He had become the first player to have played in three consecutive World Cup finals. Pele and Franz Beckenbauer, football's living legends, were present on the historic occasion.

In the stadium, packed with over 70,000 spectators (several of them having paid a near-fortune for their tickets), the atmosphere was charged with emotion. A desolate and dazed Oliver Kahn, the indomitable leader who was declared the 'best goalkeeper' of the tournament, collapsed on his knees near the goalpost - a forlorn figure etched against the scenes of joyous celebrations in the other half of the field by the euphoric Brazilians. Kahn's dreams lay shattered. His good show in the championship, including the telling saves he effected in the final, had given him an aura of invincibility until he succumbed to the craft of Ronaldo, that toothy-man who had a curious patch of hair on his pate in the final.

AP/KOYODO
The clinching goals: Ronaldo's first goal, beating a diving German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, in the World Cup final at the Yokohama International Stadium in Japan on June 30.

Four years ago, in France, fans the world over waited with expectation for Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima the genius to unfold his magic. But it was a parody of him that came on view: he was caught in the web of a mysterious illness, and Brazil failed in the final. Thee genius came crashing to earth with a huge thud, so to say, on that Paris night. Redemption was his watchword this time and redefining his prowess his burning desire. Sure enough, with eight goals - two in the final - in seven matches Ronaldo proved his point. He won the 'golden boot award' even as he helped Brazil improve its record in the World Cup to an imposing five title wins.

The celebration by the Brazilians in the stadium was but a tiny representation of what was happening at the moment back home. No one in the football-crazy society, which treats the game as a religion and follows its fortunes passionately, would have missed those glorious winning touches of Ronaldo just as they would have savoured the riveting ball play of Rivaldo and Ronaldinho. The three Rs constitute the deadly trio who have added much sparkle to modern soccer.

Celebration began instantly, just as they did on every Cup win, the last one being eight years ago in the United States. Not just in Brazil but in billions of homes, public places, and even hotels around the globe, where the sweep of television reaches, the game's universal appeal ensured that the gripping 90-minute drama was not missed. The World Cup in football is something special.

Instituted in 1930 at the instance of two Frenchmen, Jules Rimet and Henri Delaunay, in a bid to give professional football a boost, the World Cup competition has grown both in size and stature and as a spectacle. The pre-competition favourites to win the 17th tournament were reigning champion France and Argentina. Brazil and Portugal came next in line from among the 32 countries, which had come through long-drawn qualification rounds, inclusive of a maximum of 15 from Europe. No one had given much of a chance to Germany, probably because it had qualified after being on the brink of elimination. However, right from the first day when newcomer Senegal meted out a stunning defeat to France, the Asian edition prepared for a topsy-turvy progress, which saw the fall of Argentina, Portugal, Italy and Spain. The World Cup then was in danger of losing its glamour even as African and Asian nations chalked out new paths to distinction.

PEDRO UGARTE/AFP
On way to the second, piercing the German defence.

Had anyone suggested on the eve of the World Cup that an Asian country would make a strong bid for the final honours, he would have been laughed out of court. But a host of heavyweights, including France, Argentina, England, Italy and Spain, fell and South Korea and European lightweight Turkey stormed into the semi-finals, shocking the conformist. Many people even began to reflect if it represented a welcome change in what is accepted as the world's most popular sport. But then, like any other sport, football too can do with a little bit of insanity, if anything, as long as the bidders for high honours show their worth.

The progress of South Korea and Turkey, as of Senegal which triggered the collapse of the giants, was remarkable, considering the vibrancy in their approach. Few people may accept these emerging forces openly, and the reason is not far to seek: the semi-finals proved that the tested and tried ones cannot often be dislodged in the name of ushering in a new era. The crux of the issue was tradition vs change. Brazil and Germany represented the traditional power blocs, the two continents that have been ruling the world of football, while Turkey and South Korea formed the undying spirit of nations wanting to etch their names in football history.

In the end, the status quo remained, with Brazilian flair and German solidity overpowering Turkish delight and Korean delicacy. The two pulsating matches prior to the final showed there was hardly anything amiss about the two aspirants' progress thus far, offering enthralling fare to capacity audiences. Particularly so, after a conspiracy theory had rocked the competition over the way refereeing errors had allegedly favoured Korea against Italy first and then Spain. In fact, after the topsy-turvy route the competition took, there were any number of people who wished to keep to themselves predictions on the outcome of the semi-finals. And that, if anything, was a small victory for the underdogs.

The Korean saga was ended by Michael Ballack the opportunist, after Kim Yae-Young had provided the slip-up in the midfield. Two shots, a right-footed one at the ebullient goalkeeper Lee Woon Jae, who had a fantastic World Cup, and then a left-footed tap of the rebound from Lee were all that this highly rated player, who will shortly join his mentor Franz Beckenbauer's club Bayern Munich, needed to tame the "Red Army" and silence the boisterous home crowd, all in red, at the Seoul stadium.

TORU YAMANAKA/AFP
Fans celebrate at the stadium with Brazil's cup of joy.

How Korea tried to recoup and spring a surprise was evident from the dour defence that Germany, famous for such efforts, resorted to. In the process Ballack paid the price for his indiscretion in tripping the host's top player, Lee Chun Soo; he earned his second yellow card booking, which put him out of the next match, the final. "I did it for the sake of my country," an anguished Ballack was to say later.

It was an enchanting dream that Korea lived; it was an incredible journey until that Tuesday night. In five earlier appearances in the World Cup, starting with the 1954 edition, Korea had failed to win even a single match in its 14 outings. Quiet exits used to be its routine, until the transformation, appropriately in front of the home crowd. To say that Korea's was a flash in the pan is to be uncharitable to a nation that had prepared steadfastly for the big occasion.

Having the first non-Korean coach itself was an unprecedented step. And what the Dutch coach Guus Hiddink drilled into the boys was an amazing amalgam of self-belief, toughness and a never-give-up attitude. Above all, he gave the Koreans an insight into the concept of total football, of which they made a delightful display. In the Koreans' battle against the Germans, it was only the patented German defence, backed by the alacrity of Oliver Kahn, that denied them success.

If it was difficult before the start of the competition to distinguish between, say Ahn Jung-Hwan and Seol Ki-Hyun or Park Ji-Sung, then, before long, the tongue-twisting names came out like music from the lips. South Korea has now become the first Asian country to go this far in the World Cup, bettering the record of its northern neighbour, which was the first to reach the quarter-finals - in that amazing run in the 1966 edition in England.

ODD ANDERSEN/AFP
German captain Oliver Kahn (No. 1) and his teammates at the award ceremony. Kahn's good showing in the championship had given him an aura of invincibility - until he succumbed to the craft of Ronaldo.

It is a different matter that Italy and Spain accused the referees of supporting the host, but Korea's football stock took a sharp upward curve, riveting the people's attention to the game as never before. The national spirit soared. The police claimed that the crime rate and traffic violations had dropped by 21 per cent in the midst of the football hysteria. In a perverted reaction, the Italian club Perugia decided to throw out its Korean recruit Ahn because it was his golden goal that sent Italy packing. The club later rescinded its action which attracted widespread condemnation.

While the Korean script came straight from the fables, co-host Japan's was just a shade less spectacular. For Japan, having made its debut in France four years ago and lost all its matches, it was like turning over a new leaf at home under the guidance of the Frenchman, Philipe Troussier, known for his tough regimen and for his success in getting Nigeria into the 1998 World Cup final round. Many thought the "white wizard" would need a magic potion to ensure that Japan won a match, let alone progress much in this high-voltage competition.

Eventually, Japan won not one but two matches (against Russia and Tunisia) and drew against Belgium in a group that many felt was benign to the host. Still, unlike South Korea there were no murmurs about refereeing. And names like Shinji Ono and Junichi Inamoto shot into fame along with the already established Hidetoshi Nakata. Japan got past the first phase before its aspirations fizzled out in pouring rain, pitted against Turkey, the 'Nippon, Nippon' cries notwithstanding. It was a graceful exit, and an education for Japan, which is bound to become a tougher customer in the years to come.

Turkey was another country that turned out to be a plucky customer. As in the case of Japan, this was only Turkey's second entry into the final round of the World Cup, the earlier occasion being 48 years ago, in the 1954 Switzerland edition. In the same group as Brazil, China and Costa Rica, Turkey made a spectacular start, giving Brazil a jolt before succumbing to the great Latin Americans.

That match brought to the fore the depth of talent in this emerging force. Until then the football world had known the potential of only Hakan Sukur, who had given the Turkish club Galatasaray the glitter with success in the UEFA 2000 championship (a competition for European clubs). In the Ulsan Mansu stadium in Korea, Hasan Sas, with his clean-shaven head, demanded attention with a brilliant goal that momentarily put the Brazilians on the defensive. It is a different matter that Brazil, served by the renowned Ronaldo and Rivaldo, turned the tables but that match instantly bracketed Turkey with Senegal as the teams to watch.

GREG WOOD/AFP
The South Korean team (in the background) applauds the Turkish team, which took the third place. The progress of South Korea and Turkey, as that of Senegal which triggered the collapse of the giants, was remarkable for the vibrancy in their approach.

Turkey survived the first phase, going past China and Costa Rica, and then the second, at Japan's expense. Its quarter-final triumph over giant-killer Senegal was what sent the team's spirit skyrocketing. The match brought to the limelight Ilhas Mansiz, whose long hair neatly tucked into a pony-tail quickly made him a highly recognisable personality. When Mansiz scored the 'golden goal' (a goal in extra time, which instantly ends the contest), it seemed Turkey was set to take over from Senegal the task of turning this World Cup upside down. Brazil, nay Ronaldo, dashed those hopes.

Ever since his nightmarish experience in France '98, Ronaldo had been raring to redeem himself. One chance, and he showed why he can be the most dreadful sight for any goalkeeper. Turkey's goalkeeper Rustu Recber had seen off trickier moments earlier but this was a Ronaldo special, spontaneous and incisive. Nonetheless, Turkey had little to regret because the defeat was at the hands of the ultimate winner. Turkey later thwarted the Koreans to clinch the third spot. Not just that, the team's hero, Hakan Sukur, who had displayed an apology of his known talent until then, scored in the match the World Cup's fastest goal - in 11 seconds from kick-off. Expectedly, when the team returned home, the nation laid out the red carpet in a massive show of appreciation.

Rarely do the displays of the underdog teams get so much play as they did in this World Cup. Critics believe that this fact alone suggested the modest standards of the competition this time. Moments of brilliance were few and far between. Collective efficiency was the rule, barring occasions when the Brazilians conjured up fleeting moments of magic. Denilson, ever the entertainer even if at times he looked miserly in passing the ball, showed a bit of the Brazilian flair with mesmerising ball play in the match against Turkey, luring four or five defenders virtually to dance around him. A goal did not materialise but it is such moments of skill and artistry that lift the competition to a different plane, make football such an enchanting spectacle and leave the fans in a trance.

But then, when teams like Senegal (which had another spectacular display, courtesy Henri Camara, to fell Sweden), Turkey and South Korea stole the thunder from many of the famed opponents, there would be little else but cries of foul. Italy felt cheated, Spain too. Portugal felt it had an unfair treatment from the referees. Only France and Argentina fell by not playing to potential. England's eclipse by Brazil must easily be one of the major marks of this World Cup.

David Beckham, probably the most written about player in this World Cup - not just for his hair-do but for his injured leg and then his class - was the inspiration for England. It was his spot kick against Argentina that helped England rewrite history and also help him make amends for his petulant foul against Simeone four years earlier, an act for which he was thrown out of that match.

In a matter of 90 minutes the world turned upside down for the Britons, consumed as they were by the magic of Ronaldinho, the Brazilian. Beneath his innocent and toothy smile is a man who means business, and the two goals he conceived were breathtaking stuff.

The speciality of this World Cup was the way the unexpected surfaced dramatically. The defeats of proven teams, particularly those from Europe which is famous for its strong and multi-faceted league system, can be interpreted in different ways. Some people have pointed to the long-drawn-out, draining leagues, some others to luck, but the big cry has been over officiating. But the scenario certainly has to do with the spread of the game to new areas, in particular Africa and Asia. Then again, many African and Asian players have found acceptance in major clubs in Europe. What the hard grind there does to these players is the premise on which the dreams of Senegal, Cameroon, Nigeria, Korea or Japan take shape.

This, of course, does not sweep aside the basic concern about officiating, which witnessed a drop in the Japan-South Korea edition. In part, it is owing to the over-enthusiasm of FIFA (the body that governs world football) itself in arming referees with more powers, with the idea of coming down hard on indiscipline. But there was no uniformity in interpretation. Worse, with the omnipresent electronic eye, errors that would normally escape the human eye got magnified. The hue and cry over 'off-side' and 'penalty' rulings are cases in point. With so much technology flowing into sport, it is high time football's powers-that-be plan ways to make the best use of the hi-tech facilities for the improvement of the game in the most competitive conditions.

Thus, in many ways the Asian edition was an eye-opener to FIFA. The concept of two countries hosting the mega event proved a huge success. Surely, both Japan and South Korea will have immense spin-offs, which should boost their economies. The 20 stadia that came up in the two countries specially for the World Cup have been hailed as a victory for state-of-the-art technology. There was not a murmur on the organisational front, though on the ticketing front some discordant notes were heard.

Overall, the 17th edition of the football World Cup was a triumph for Asia, a beginning of a new era of football in this continent. While fans in India certainly must have enjoyed the high-voltage drama, for at least one man it was far beyond that. K. Sankar, the Chennai-based Indian Bank employee and a FIFA Assistant Referee, became the first official from India to do duty in a World Cup. Sankar had three matches to do, enough to realise a great ambition.