Updated at 15.45
INCREDIBLY, DESPITE THEIR numerous World Cup finals appearances, which encompass 20 combined semi-final games, Brazil and Germany didn’t meet at the World Cup until 2002 — 72 years after the first tournament.
Both sides had improbably reached the final of the competition despite receiving heavy criticism prior to its onset.
Luis Felipe Scolari’s Brazil had struggled to convince in the build up and at times during the tournament — Brazilian football purists balked at the manager’s emphasis on tough tackling and aggressive play in general (starkly reminiscent to the type of criticism their 2014 counterparts have been receiving lately, particularly for their robust approach against Colombia).
Germany, meanwhile, had suffered injuries to key players such as Mehmet Scholl and Sebastian Deisler, and were less than convincing in qualifying, enduring a humiliating 5-1 defeat at home to England at one point.
Nevertheless, both sides managed to defy their critics and reach the final in order to set up their first-ever meeting at the tournament, with Ronaldo ultimately inspiring his side to a 2-0 victory.
The then-Inter player claimed a brace, thereby banishing memories of the 1998 World Cup final, when a health scare in the build-up to their game with France prompted an ineffectual display from the striker, as the French ran out comfortable 3-0 winners.
The striker, who had also been part of Brazil’s 1994 World Cup-winning squad as a teenager (although he did not see a single minute of action), scored a brace, and ultimately went on to become the all-time World Cup top goalscorer, in addition to claiming the Golden Boot at the tournament.
There were other landmarks as well — Cafu became the first-ever player to appear in three consecutive World Cup finals, while it remains the only time a team has won the competition without any of their games going to extra-time or penalties.
Score: Brazil (Ronaldo 67, 79) 2-0 Germany
Team lineups
Germany: Oliver Kahn; Thomas Linke, Carsten Ramelow, Christoph Metzelder; Torsten Frings, Dietmar Hamann, Jens Jeremies, Marco Bode; Bernd Schneider; Miroslav Klose, Oliver Neuville.
Subs: Oliver Bierhoff for Klose (74 mins), Gerald Asamoah for Jeremies (77 mins), Christian Ziege for Bode (84 mins).
Brazil: Marcos; Lucio, Edmilson, Roque Júnior; Cafu, Gilberto Silva, Kléberson, Roberto Carlos; Ronaldinho; Rivaldo, Ronaldo.
Subs: Juninho for Ronaldinho (85 mins), Denilson for Ronaldo (90 mins).
