Hosts: South Korea and Japan
Winners: Brazil
Competing teams: 32
Where were England? Quarter-final heartache once again
After failing to come to a decision over whether Japan or South Korea should host the 2002 finals, FIFA decided to fudge the issue and announced the first ever joint hosts.
However, with the distance between the two so large it often felt that two separate competitions were being held.
That said Asia’s first World Cup was played out in some breathtaking stadia and witnessed results that shook the footballing world.
The scene was set from the opening game when unheralded Senegal stunned holders France in Seoul. Les Bleus were a shadow of the team from four years earlier and crashed out at the group stage without winning a game or even scoring a goal.
Highly-fancied Portugal, led by Luis Figo, were another side who suffered an early exit failing to qualify from a group which saw South Korea and the United States progress.
England were drawn in the 2002 Group of Death alongside Argentina, Sweden and Nigeria. After a 1-1 draw with the Swedes, Sven-Goran Eriksson’s men won their grudge match against Argentina before a goalless draw with Nigeria sent them through. Argentina, however, were not so lucky.
Ireland’s build-up was marred by a huge bust-up between captain Roy Keane and manager Mick McCarthy, but the trouble didn’t seem to affect them on the pitch as they qualified alongside Germany from Group E.
Brazil looked in ominous form in the group stages, winning all three games with conceding a goal, while European powerhouses Italy and Spain both safely made it into the knockout phase.
Japan kept up the tradition of host nations always making it through their group, but their tournament ended soon after following defeat to Turkey.
England’s 3-0 win over Denmark raised hopes even higher, while Germany and Brazil also eased through.
But it was not so easy for Italy who suffered a shock Golden Goal exit to hosts South Korea.
Senegal also continued their run thanks to a sudden-death goal victory over Sweden, while Spain and Ireland could not be split after 120 minutes and went to penalties where McCarthy’s men bowed out.
The quarter-finals saw England take on Brazil in a game which kicked off at 7am back home. Michael Owen pounced on a mistake to give England an early lead, but a goal from Rivaldo and Ronaldinho’s audacious (or lucky) free kick meant yet another last-eight exit for the Three Lions.
South Korea’s incredible progress continued with a penalty shootout victory over Spain, although the game was marred by some eccentric refereeing decisions.
Germany beat the United States to book their place in the semi-final, while Ilhan Mansiz’s Golden Goal saw Turkey edge past Senegal.
Despite the presence of two underdogs in the last four, natural order was restored as South Korea bowed out with a 1-0 defeat to Germany while Brazil beat Turkey by the same score.
An exciting final was settled with two second-half goals from Ronaldo to hand Luiz Felipe Scolari’s men their fifth world crown.
Did you know? After scoring South Korea’s winning goal against Italy, Ahn Jung-Hwan was promptly sacked by his Italian club Perugia.
