1998 FIFA World Cup Final

1998 FIFA World Cup Final

The Stade de France held the final
Event 1998 FIFA World Cup
Date 12 July 1998
Venue Stade de France, Saint-Denis
Man of the Match Zinedine Zidane (France)
Referee Said Belqola (Morocco)
Attendance 80,000
Weather Clear
23 °C (73 °F)[1]

The 1998 FIFA World Cup Final was a football match that was played on 12 July 1998 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis to determine the winner of the 1998 FIFA World Cup. The final was contested by Brazil, who were the defending champions having won the previous FIFA World Cup four years earlier in 1994,[2] and the host nation France, who had reached the final of the tournament for the first time.[3] France won the match 3–0 to claim the World Cup for the first time, with the timing of the match two days before Bastille Day adding to the significance of the victory.[4][5] Zinedine Zidane, who was named man of the match, scored twice before half-time and Emmanuel Petit added a third goal in the last minute. The match had an attendance in the region of 75,000.[4]

Both sides had suffered mixed fortunes on the route to the final. Brazil made it out of the group stage with 6 points from three matches, with one defeat at the hands of Norway. After a 4–1 win over Chile and a 3–2 success against Denmark, they reached the final with a penalty-shootout victory over the Netherlands. As for France, they sailed through the group stages with three victories and defeated Paraguay in the knockout stages on golden goals. They had a penalty-shootout with Italy in the quarter-finals, and defeated recently formed Croatia to reach the final.

The match also saw speculation on the condition of the Brazilian striker Ronaldo, who suffered a convulsive fit on the eve of the match.[6][7] After initially being left out of the team sheet, in spite of his physical state, it was announced just 72 minutes before kick-off that he was going to play.[4] In the match, he sustained an injury in a clash with French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez. Although it was believed that the decision to play Ronaldo had backfired, it was understandable as the player had been a crucial member of the side throughout the tournament, having scored four goals and created three more.[8]

France followed up their victory by qualifying for and winning UEFA Euro 2000 held in the Netherlands and Belgium.[9] Brazil took the Copa America title in 1999, and then won the next FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea in 2002.[10][11] Ronaldo went on to set the record for goals in World Cups, which was later broken by Miroslav Klose of Germany in 2014 World Cup hosted by Ronaldo’s homeland Brazil. Klose scored 16 times from his 24 matches in 4 world cup appearances, one ahead of 15 set by Ronaldo from 19 matches.[12]

Route to the final

For more details on this topic, see 1998 FIFA World Cup.
Brazil Brazil Round France France
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Brazil 320163+36
 Norway 312054+15
 Morocco 31115504
 Scotland 301226−41
Group stage
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 France 330091+89
 Denmark 31113304
 South Africa 302136−32
 Saudi Arabia 301227−51
Opponent Result Knockout stage Opponent Result
 Chile 4–1 First knockout round  Paraguay 1–0 (a.s.d.e.t.)
 Denmark 3–2 Quarter-finals  Italy 0–0 (4–3 pen.)
 Netherlands 1–1 (4–2 pen.) Semi-finals  Croatia 2–1

Brazil

Brazil were drawn in Group A for the group stages alongside Scotland, Morocco and Norway. They recorded victories over Scotland (2–1) and Morocco (3–0) to progress but lost their final game 2–1 to Norway.

They next faced Group B runners-up Chile in the last-16 and comprehensively won 4–1, Ronaldo and César Sampaio each scoring twice. In the quarter-finals, they played Denmark, who had also won their previous game 4–1 (against Nigeria), but Brazil won a tight game 3–2. Despite being 1–0 down to a Martin Jorgensen goal in the second minute, Brazil turned the game around in their favour with goals from Bebeto (11) and Rivaldo (27). Brian Laudrup equalised for Denmark after 50 minutes but Brazil won the game 10 minutes later courtesy of a second from Rivaldo.

In the semi-finals, Brazil faced the Netherlands in Marseille. The game finished 1–1 at full-time, Ronaldo scoring just after half-time and Patrick Kluivert equalising for the Netherlands in the 87th minute, and the score remained the same through extra-time. The match had to be settled by penalties which Brazil won 4–2 to reach their second successive World Cup final.

France

France were drawn in Group C alongside Denmark, South Africa and Saudi Arabia. They started their campaign with an easy 3–0 win over South Africa followed by a convincing 4–0 win over Saudi Arabia. France secured top spot in their group courtesy of a 2–1 win over Denmark with goals from Youri Djorkaeff and Emmanuel Petit.

In the second round they faced Group D runners-up Paraguay. France won a close encounter 1–0 in extra time thanks to a golden goal scored by Laurent Blanc. In the quarter-finals France faced Italy who had also scraped through to the quarter-finals with a 1–0 win over Norway. A tense match ended 0–0 after extra time and France won 4–3 on penalties after Italy's Luigi Di Biagio struck his penalty onto the crossbar.

In the semi-finals, France faced tournament surprise Croatia. After a goal-less first half, Croatia took the lead in the first minute of the second half through Davor Šuker, his fifth goal of the tournament. France responded immediately with Lilian Thuram scoring his first international goal. Thuram then added a second twenty minutes from time to send France to their first ever World Cup final. The match ended in controversy however when Laurent Blanc was sent off after a skirmish with Croatia's Slaven Bilić. Bilić had sunk down to his knees, seemingly in pain. Replays showed, however, that there was minimal contact between the players. Blanc's expulsion meant he would miss the final.

Match

Summary

The build-up was dominated by the fitness of Brazil's star striker, Ronaldo, amid reports that he had suffered a pre-match fit.[6]

Zinedine Zidane gave France the lead just before the half-hour mark with a header from an in-swinging corner from the right taken by Emmanuel Petit. Only minutes later, Ronaldo was put through on goal by a long ball from Dunga, but he could not get the better of the onrushing Fabien Barthez, who collided with the Brazilian striker. Both needed assistance from the squad medics but quickly recovered. Brazil's superstar playmakers Leonardo and Rivaldo were kept quiet by Didier Deschamps and Christian Karembeu. Zidane doubled France's advantage on the stroke of half-time with an almost identical goal, this time the corner came from the left. In the second half, Ronaldo had a chance to halve the deficit. The ball fell for him inside the penalty box, but he could only plant his shot into Barthez's arms. Midfielder Emmanuel Petit wrapped up the scoring in the 90th minute, after receiving a perfect through ball from his Arsenal team mate Patrick Vieira, putting the victory beyond all doubt by slotting the ball low into the net. France had to survive the last 20 minutes with only 10 men with the dismissal of Marcel Desailly.[13]

Details

12 July 1998
21:00
Brazil  0–3  France
Report Zidane  27', 45+1'
Petit  90+3'
Stade de France, Saint-Denis
Attendance: 80,000
Referee: Said Belqola (Morocco)
Brazil
France
GK 1 Claudio Taffarel
RB 2 Cafu
CB 3 Aldair
CB 4 Junior Baiano  33'
LB 6 Roberto Carlos
CM 5 César Sampaio  73'
CM 8 Dunga (c)
AM 10Rivaldo
AM 18Leonardo  46'
CF 20Bebeto
CF 9 Ronaldo
Substitutes:
MF 19Denílson  46'
FW 21Edmundo  73'
Manager:
Mário Zagallo
GK 16Fabien Barthez
RB 15Lilian Thuram
CB 8 Marcel Desailly Yellow cardYellow cardRed card 48', 68'
CB 18Frank Leboeuf
LB 3 Bixente Lizarazu
DM 7 Didier Deschamps (c)  39'
CM 19Christian Karembeu  56'  57'
CM 17Emmanuel Petit
AM 10Zinedine Zidane
AM 6 Youri Djorkaeff  74'
CF 9 Stéphane Guivarc'h  66'
Substitutes:
MF 14Alain Boghossian  57'
FW 21Christophe Dugarry  66'
MF 4 Patrick Vieira  74'
Manager:
Aimé Jacquet

Man of the Match:
Zinedine Zidane (France)

Assistant referees:
Mark Warren (England)
Achmat Salie (South Africa)
Fourth official:
Rahman Al Zaid (Saudi Arabia)

Match rules

  • 90 minutes
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.
  • Maximum of three substitutions.

Statistics

Brazil[14] France[14]
Goals scored 0 3
Total shots 12 13
Shots on target 7 5
Ball possession 34% 66%
Fouls committed 15 13
Offsides 5 3
Yellow cards 1 6
Second yellow card & red card 0 1
Red cards 0 0

Broadcasting

As one of the major world sporting events, the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final was covered in some part by most broadcasters. It came before the expansion of the internet, therefore online coverage was not extensive.

Asia

Southeast Asia

East Asia

South Asia

Australasia

Europe

America

North America

Latin America

References

  1. http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/LFPG/1998/7/12/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA
  2. "World Cup: History: USA 1994". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 17 April 2002. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  3. "France Triumph". BBC Sport. 13 July 1998. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 "World Cup: History: France 1998". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 17 April 2002. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  5. "Rewind to 1998: Ronaldo's darkest day". ESPN Soccernet. ESPN. 9 February 2011. Archived from the original on 13 February 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  6. 6.0 6.1 "The great World Cup Final mystery". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2 April 2002. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  7. "World Cup: 25 stunning moments … No15: Ronaldo falters as France win". Guardian. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  8. "Ronaldo had convulsions before game". Sports Illustrated. 13 July 1998. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  9. "France win Euro 2000". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 2 July 2000. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  10. Homewood, Brian (19 July 1999). "Football: Rivaldo's rousing finale". Independent Online (Independent). Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  11. "Brazil crowned world champions". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 30 June 2002. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  12. "Brazil legend Ronaldo retires from football". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 14 February 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  13. "France plays perfect host; hoists World Cup in Paris.". Soccer Times. 12 July 1998. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  14. 14.0 14.1 "1998 FIFA World Cup France". FIFA.com. FIFA. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  15. La Francia-allegria può fermare Ronaldo. La Stampa, 12 July 1998.
  16. Dantas, Rui (1998-05-17). "Record vai transmitir a Copa 98" (in Portuguese). Folha de S. Paulo. Retrieved 2014-07-11.

External links