World press praises Brazil's win

Posted 9:01AM on Monday 1st July 2002 ( 22 years ago )

PARIS - Newspapers around the world on Monday praised Brazil's 2-0 World Cup final victory over Germany and honored the role of Ronaldo whose injuries and 1998 World Cup disaster were consigned to memory. The record fifth title for Brazil, known as the exponents of "the beautiful game", was heralded as Brazil re-established its position at the top of world soccer. The British press praised Brazil's achievement with headlines such as "Brazil go Nuts" in the Daily Express, "Braziliant" in the Daily Mirror while the Sun used "Cupacabana" for what they described as victory for the beautiful game over the relentless machine. The main emphasis however was on the redemption of Brazil's star Ronaldo whose injury nightmare and World Cup disaster of four years ago were relegated to mere footnotes after he reached the peak of his potential. The injury-plagued two-time world player of the year scored in the 67th and 79th minutes to steer Brazil to victory, sparking wild celebrations at the Yokohama International Stadium in an entertaining finale. Ronaldo had only returned to international duty in March after a series of devastating injuries that had threatened to end his career at the age of just 25. In 1998 he had suffered a mysterious seizure just hours before the World Cup final against France, yet controversially played anyway as Brazil plunged to a devastating 3-0 defeat. Ronaldo's eight goals in seven matches was the highest individual haul at the finals for 28 years. His total of 12 World Cup final goals also took him level with legendary three-time World Cup winner Pele. A couple of British papers also honed in on Ronaldo's comment that victory was "better than sex". German newspapers praised Brazil but paid special tribute to German capitain Oliver Kahn, whose goalkeeping error allowed the Samba Kings to open the scoring. Kahn "made one single mistake during the World Cup," lamented the popular daily Bild, noting that his failure to hold Rivaldo's shot led to Ronaldo's first goal in the 67th minute. That rebound "hit the heart of German football," Bild said. Not one for revenge this time, the most widely read daily in Germany dedicated its page three to the wave of Samba dancing that invaded the streets of Berlin after Sunday's match. "The God of Football must be Brazilian," said Bild, which only had some simple advice for Ronaldo: "Change hairdresser," referring to his shaven head except for a half moon of hair on the area of his fringe. The Munich daily Suddeutsche Zeitung, also had a special thought for Kahn, who before the final had only let in one goal and was named best keeper of the competition. "What happened to Kahn, perhaps the best goalkeeper in football history, was a tragic accident similar to those that happen to all who tend goal," the paper said. "Unfortunately that fault was severely punished," it said. Headlines of influential French sports daily l'Equipe read: "Brazil into Eternity" and "The World is Theirs," in what was described as the unfolding of the destiny of a legendary soccer country. In Asia, The Straits Times in Singapore described the final as "the perfect winning team, the perfect goal scorer, the perfect ending" in what was the first World Cup finals to be held in Asia. Devoting almost half the front page and four inside pages to the final and an analysis of the past four weeks, the newspaper said the World Cup had been "a grand success from its giant-killing beginnings to its fine finale" and lauding Ronaldo as soccer's "new king". The press in soccer-mad Thailand went all-out in its coverage of the World Cup, dominating the Thai and English-language headlines for the past month. Thai Rath, Thailand's largest newspaper, said: "Perfect Brazil take fifth title." Three Philippine newspapers gave front page treatment to Brazil's record fifth World Cup victory - rare for a country that hardly paid attention to Korea-Japan 2002 and whose most popular sports are basketball and cockfighting. Brazil's triumph dominated virtually every Australian newspaper, with some featuring full front page color pictures of the player some called the Brazilian wonderboy, Ronaldo. Sydney's Daily Telegraph devoted its entire front page and a double center-page spread to the striker. In a commentary which echoed the views of many fans in a country that normally prefers three other football codes - Aussie Rules, Rugby League and Rugby Union - The Australiansaid Australians must learn from South Korea to secure a spot at the 2006 World Cup finals. Co-host South Korea, which organized this four-yearly soccer jamboree with Japan, reached the semifinals in the best performance ever by an Asian team since the tournament's conception in 1930. Monday's newspapers in South Africa had headlines like "Ole Brazil", "Brazilliant" and "We lived a dream says Ronaldo". "Brazil leaves no doubt as to who reign as kings of soccer", said The Star/, with Business Day sport's leading on "Brazil - the best the world has seen".

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/7/192935

World press praises Brazil&#39;s win

World press praises Brazil's win