At 90min we continue to bring you the history of the World Cups in a close and different way. On this occasion, the 1998 World Cup, where one of the best teams that has passed through this championship, managed to lift the most important and most difficult title in the world as the host. The Zidane, Petit, Desailly, Vieira and Henry gave an authentic recital from start to finish. They did not lose a single game, they played seven games and won them all. One of the curiosities that persecuted this selection was ”The Ritual of the Kiss”. Before each France match, Laurent Blanc would kiss Barthez on the head as a sign of luck; Since he was expelled in the final, the one who followed the rite was Frank Leboeuf.
It was a World Cup that marked a before and after. It was the World Cup with the highest number of goals in history; the average was 2.7. But why? Due to the increase in participating teams from 24 to 32 and matches from 52 to 64. It was the first meeting in which there were eight groups.
The FIFA World Cup France 1998 was the sixteenth edition of the World Cups, it took place in France, between June 10 and July 12 1998. France became the third country to host two championships (at that time only France and Italy had hosted two World Cups). For the first time in the final phase of the World Cup, 32 national teams participated, which were divided into a first round of 8 groups in which the first two of each qualified for the round of 16 and a direct elimination system.
Stade France (Saint Denis), Parc des Princes (Paris), Velodrome (Marseille), Gerland (Lyon), Municipal de Touluse (Touluse), Stade de la Beaujoire (Nantes), Parc Lesucure (Bordeaux), Stade de la Mosson (Montpellier), Geoffroy Guichard (Saint Ettiene), Felix Bollaert (Lens).
In the group stage of this World Cup, there were hardly any surprises. All the favorites managed to qualify for the elimination phase except one; Spain. It was a selection where there were players of the stature of Hierro, Luis Enrique, Raúl or Fernando Morientes, but a bad start in the first two games condemned them. They lost 2-3 in their debut against Nigeria and drew 2-2 in the second game against Paraguay. In their last match they thrashed Bulgaria 6-1 but it was not enough to get them through. The teams that qualified were:
Group A: Brazil and Norway
B Group: Italy and Chile
Group C: France and Denmark
Group D: Nigeria and Paraguay
Group E: Holland and Mexico
Group F: Germany and Yugoslavia
Group G: Romania and England
Group F: Argentina and Croatia
The pairings for the final phase were as follows:
Brazil vs. Chile
Nigeria vs Denmark
Netherlands vs Yugoslavia
Argentina vs. England
Italy vs Norway
France vs. Paraguay
Germany vs. Mexico
Romania vs Croatia
The first two matches of the round of 16 had the same result. Brazil beat Chile 4-1 and Denmark beat Nigeria with the same result.
The Netherlands, on the other hand, struggled, winning by the minimum with a goal from Edgar Davis in added time and Argentina and England left a game to remember; faces were seen again after the famous ”Hand of God”. It was one of the best games of the World Cup: goals, expulsions and a heart-stopping penalty shootout. The hero was Carlos Roa, he saved the last two penalties against Ince and Batty and gave the pass to the albiceleste.
In the confrontation between Italy and Norway, the protagonist was once again the same as always, Vieri scored the only goal of the match to give the pass to the ”Azurri”. In the hostess match, we witnessed a historic moment. Blanc broke the 0-0 lead just 6 minutes from the end of extra time and gave the ”Bleus” pass, inaugurating the golden goal rule.
Germany got through after coming back from a goal by Luis Hernández and Croatia continued to make history with a goal from the World Cup’s top scorer, Davor Suker.
The World Champion got the pass to the semifinals at a very expensive price. The match ended 3-2 thanks to a long shot from Rivaldo. The ”Canarinha” got into the top four selections of the moment and Laudrup hung up his boots, it was the last dance of the Danish legend.
The great game of the quarterfinals was the one between the Netherlands and Argentina. The match left us goals, expulsions and one of the greatest works of art that have been seen in the history of the World Cups. Dennis Bergkamp broke the tie in the 87th minute, the Dutchman controlled, dribbled and shot to beat the Argentine goal nets with just three touches.
France got Zidane back after his suspension and the match went to penalties. The first to score was Roberto Baggio; the Italian “removed the thorn” that remained after failing in the 1994 World Cup final against Brazil, but it was not enough. The hostess was in the semifinals.
The surprise of the World Cup came in Germany vs. Croatia. The Germans paid dearly for the expulsion for a reckless entry by Woerns in the 40th minute, Jarni taking advantage of the numerical inequality and put his team ahead before the halfway point. Croatia suffered, but in the last ten minutes they sealed the match with two goals from Vlaovic and Suker.
The Netherlands was being the best team in the World Cup, but ran into the Champion. Holland commanded in the first half, but left with a draw at halftime, and as always happens in this sport, he who forgives pays for it. Ronaldo Nazario as the second half started put land in between. Brazil kept the lead, but in the 87th minute Kluivert appeared to level the game with an impressive header. Extra time changed nothing, and the game went to penalties. Taffarel was once again the hero, saving penalties from Cocu and Ronald de Boer and putting his country through to the final of another World Cup.
With Brazil in the final, it only remained to decide who would be their rival. The match was going to be historic, as neither of the two teams had ever reached a final. After a goalless first half, Suker appeared to score his fifth World Cup goal. But fate had a coming-out for Thuram. He scored the two goals that turned the game around to put his country in the final. Lilian got heads, and Blanc got tails. He was sent off and couldn’t help his team in the final.
The final was decided before the referee gave the initial whistle. Ronaldo Nazario had suffered convulsions while he was resting in his room. Roberto Carlos notified the doctors, who managed to revive him after three minutes of anguish. The player was taken to the hospital and after checking his condition, they decided that he would play the final.
Brazil was affected, and France took advantage of it to go over him. Zidane, who had not produced a good championship, slipped into history by sentencing the game in the first half. He scored the first with a header from a corner and just a minute into the first half, he scored the second with another header. The final was decided and Emmanuel Petit decided to slip into history putting the finishing touch to the party with a perfect counterattack in the last minute of the match. France was proclaimed champion of its first World Cup in front of its entire public.
CHAMPION: FRANCE
RUNNER-UP: BRAZIL
THIRD PLACE: CROATIA
FOURTH PLACE: NETHERLANDS
Davor Sucker (Croatia): 6 goals.
Gabriel Baptist (Argentina): 5 goals.
Vieri (Italy): 5 goals.
Luis Hernandez (Mexico): 4 goals.
Ronaldo (Brazil): 4 goals.
Marcelo Salas (Chile): 4 goals.
Goalkeepers: Barthez (FRA), Chilavert (PAR)
Defenses: R. Carlos (BRA), Desailly (FRA), Thuram (FRA), F. de Boer (HOL), Gamarra (PAR)
Midfielders: Dunga (BRA), Rivaldo (BRA), Michael Laudrup (DIN), Zidane (FRA), Davids (HOL)
Forwards: Ronaldo (BRA), Suker (CRO), Brian Laudrup (DIN), Bergkamp (HOL)
Ronaldo Nazario
Michael Owen
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