Brazilian national team coach Luiz Felipe "Big Phil" Scolari left Romário out of the national team squad that will face Yugoslavia on March 27 in Fortaleza in their warm-up to the World Cup 2002.

Scolari announced the names of 11 domestic-based players last Thursday. These players will join 11 foreign-based players called this week to the friendly match against Yugoslavia.

Only ten names were expected to be announced last Thursday, but the coach included one more due to Rivaldo's injury.

When asked why he did not call up Romário despite the public outcry for his inclusion on the team, "Big Phil" came up with an evasive answer:

"I respect the opinion of the public, but from now on, I don't talk about players who were not called," declared Scolari.

"Big Phil" also denied the rumors that Brazilian Football Confederation president Ricardo Teixeira tried to force him to call up Romário.

"Nothing has been asked of me," said the coach.

On the other hand, Romário is already talking as if he had no more chances of joining the World Cup squad even though the final list will be not be announced until May 2:

"Let's forget this issue. The coach makes his choices. I wish luck to the national team. Even without me they can do great in the World Cup," said the striker at halftime of the Vasco da Gama-Botafogo match last Thursday in Rio de Janeiro in the Rio-São Paulo League.

Besides Yugoslavia, Brazil have two more matches scheduled before the World Cup: Portugal (April 17) and Catalonia (May 18). Brazil are in group C alongside Turkey, China, and Costa Rica. They will open the tournament against Turkey on June 3 in Ulsan, Korea.

His eighth goals in seven games at the finals this month ensured his top spot as best goal scorer at the tournament but far far more important, the 25 year old striker started to win Brazil’s fifth world title with the first goal they have scored in the final for 32 years.

The decisive goal all came from great work and determination by the reborn Brazilian star.

To emphasise that he can now be certainly regarded as the player of the tournament at the 2002 final he started the move which won the game.

Ronaldo was put clear in the 65th minute but he was tackled. However, he showed great tenacity to win the ball back again as Dietmar Hamann was caught in possession. The Brazil star played the ball to Rivaldo and ran on ahead of the Barcelona star perhaps expecting a through pass. But Rivaldo had a rare moment of space and decided to set himself and shoot from centrally with his left foot just outside the penalty area.

The ball took a nasty bounce in front of German captain and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn – awarded the Lev Yashin trophy before the game as best goalkeeper at the finals – and Kahn let the ball bounce back off his chest as he failed to catch or save the shot properly and it rebounded straight to the predatory Ronaldo who slid the ball in low past the goalkeeper who was stunned as the striker showed world class instincts to follow up the speculative shot.

Fifteen minutes later as Germany tried and failed to get back into the game, Kleberson played a square ball across the face of the German penalty area for an unmarked Ronaldo to set himself with one step and strike the ball low and wide of Kahn into the corner.

Substitute Oliver Bierhoff almost brought Germany back into the game in the 83rd minute with a first time show but Brazilian goalkeeper Marcos dived well to make a great reaction save low to his left to keep the two goal advantage.

Oliver Neuville almost put Germany into the lead but for the Palmeiras goalkeeper who dived and turned a great free kick from distance onto the left hand post.

Midfielder Kleberson had hit the bar from distance in the last seconds of the first half with Kahn defying Ronaldo in first half stoppage time with s shot on the turn as he met a mishit Roberto Carlos shot from the left hand side at the edge of the penalty area.

Kahn had saved well at Ronaldo’s feet on 29 minutes when Ronaldinho played the striker through on goal and the same pair combined for a great 19th minute chance when a pass form the 22 year old bisected the German centre back pairing of Christian Metzelder and Carsten Ramelow for Ronaldo to make a rare error on his finish. As he ran through wide on the left and Kahn advanced, Ronaldo decided to clip the ball wide of the goalkeeper and the post with the outside of his left foot when a right foot shot seemed the best option.

The striker was no doubt saving himself for a match-winning second half spell but Brazil were nervous at times as Germany were very hard to beak down.

The Brazilians now have first hand experience of what the rest of us know: Germany are very hard to beat but despite the best efforts of Neuville and Bernd Schneider the world class finishing of Ronaldo won the day and buried forever his bitter disappointment of the final defeat four years ago.

He ended the game in emotional tears after his late substitution.

World Cup final match winner Ronaldo says he worked for nearly three years to recover from serious injury to be the star player at the 2002 finals this month.

"I worked for 2½ years trying to recover from that injury and today God reserved this for me and the team," he said as he celebrated with team mates after Brazil won an unprecedented fifth world title.

"Everyone is so happy to have landed this championship. It's a fantastic feeling to be Brazilian tonight.

"This is for my family and my physiotherapist, who fought with me knowing we would be here two years later."

Brazilian physio Nilton Petrone has worked constantly with the Internazionale striker to get him in shape after three serious knee injuries since his World Cup 2002 disappointment in France four years ago. Many felt his career at top level was over last year after the final serious knee surgery. He had not played a game for Brazil in three years until scoring in friendly last month against Malaysia ahead of these finals and has now hit 45 goals in 64 matches for the Selecao.

The 25 year old scored both goals in Yokohama midway through the second half to end as top scorer at the finals with eight goals in seven matches.

A new World Cup record with a goal after only seven seconds helped Turkey on the way to win third place at the World Cup finals.

Song Chung-gug scored with a deflected shot in the 93rd minute but the game was settled in an early flourish.

A further two goals in the first thirteen minutes saw coach Senol Gunes' Turks stem a recovery from the hosts but it was the return to form of senior striker Hakan Sukur and his burgeoning partnership with young star Ilhan Mansiz that perhaps gives the Turks a new strike force for the upcoming Euro 2004 qualifiers.

Sukur cashed in to score the fastest goal ever in a World Cup finals when he robbed Korean defender Hong Myung-bo who was playing his final international after an excellent career with the Korea side as the defender dwelt on the ball by putting his foot on it to recover a momentary loss of balance and Sukur was in on goal to hit low under goalkeeper Lee Woon-jae.

The goal equaled the fastest ever scored in any World Cup 2002 match matching the 1993 effort for San Marino at home to England.

But it set a new mark for matches at the finals beating the Czechoslovak Vaclav Mazek’s 1962 strike against Mexico after 15 seconds and Bryan Robson’s 27th second goal for England against France in 1982.

Emre then came close to making it 2-0 in the 7th minute when he touched his own free kick to the side of a defender to hit a shot wide but Korea responded with a great free kick of their own on nine minutes.

Lee Eul-yong curled a left-footed free kick in off the post with Turkish goalkeeper Rustu Recber beaten.

Four minutes later the European side were back in control.

Sukur played a one-two to set Ilhan to touch the ball back to the younger man who stroked it in from the middle of goal under a challenge wide of Lee.

Ahn Jung-hwan tested Rustu with a rising shot after a clever turn in the penalty area with the shot tipped over but the Korea star was lucky to escape punishment for a stamp after a tackle on defender Alpay.

In the 32nd minute Rustu lashed a long kick up field for Sukur to head down to Ilhan who returned the pass to run on ahead and collect the through pass from the Parma forward and hit a chip on the run over Lee for a neat finish.

Lee had to save low from a Sukur header down at a corner kick and then save a close range shot on the run from the Turk as Korea struggled to find a way through the Turkish defence with their own back line creaking.

Song Chung-gug cut inside in the 50th minute to hit a rising shot from the right hand saide just over the bar as Korea raised the tempo of their game at the start and end of the second half.

Ahn had a shot in the 83rd minute deflected wide from a central position with Rustu saving a shot on the run from substitute Cha Doo-ri two minutes later. Song then made Rustu dive late to save with a cross shot on 88 minutes with Cha heading onto the roof of the net in the last minute from a corner kick.

Turkey played both of the co-hosts and Brazil twice but were on the brink of elimination after two group matches and ended the tournament with great credit as they held off Korea quite comfortably for most of this game.

Korea helped to make the tournament memorable for all sorts of reasons but now have to make sure that the loss of coach Guus Hiddink whose contract ends tomorrow does not kill off their chances of future progress.

Aston Villa's Alpay was sent off in the 85th minute after hauling down Luizao, although the offence took place just outside the penalty area.

It was rough justice on Turkey who impressed with their commitment and skill, and led at half-time thanks to Hasan Sas' expertly-struck injury-time goal.

But early in the second half, Ronaldo capped his impressive display with the equalising goal as he converted Rivaldo's cross.

Brazil enjoyed the majority of the chances, but committed Turkey held out, only to blot their copybook with late indiscipline which saw Hakan Unsal also red-carded for petulantly kicking the ball at Rivaldo.

Brazil started brightly, and on seven minutes Ronaldinho's audacious 25-yard chip was just too high, with Turkish goalkeeper Rustu Recbar stranded. But the Turks weathered Brazil's early pressure and almost took the lead on 19 minutes. Ironically, Turkey had made an utter hash of a free-kick 20 yards from goal, but amid the confusion, Blackburn Rovers' Tugay lashed in a powerful drive which deflected off Gilberto Silva and shaved Brazil's crossbar.

A scrappy spell followed, but a fierce Juninho strike on the half-hour brought the crowd to life, as it whizzed just over. Yet the half ended in dramatic fashion with a flurry of chances for Brazil, and a Turkish goal. A brilliant save by Rustu stopped a Rivaldo header on 40 minutes, the Barcelona striker latching on to Ronaldo's great cross. Alpay was fortunate to escape with a yellow card after tripping the lively Ronaldo as the Inter Milan man was racing on to Juninho's pass. That was after Rustu had saved from Rivaldo, and the keeper was again in action in injury time as Ronaldinho's intricate skill fashioned a chance which the Turkish keeper stopped with his legs.

Yet with just seconds remaining of the half, Turkey scored. Yildiray Basturk crossed from an unthreatening midfield position, but Hasan Sas had nipped in behind the Brazilian back line and thrashed the ball past Marcos to give Turkey the lead. It was a surprise which delighted their vociferous fans, but the joy was short-lived as Luiz Felipe Scolari's half-time team talk paid instant dividends for Brazil. After a fine block prevented Ronaldo, the Inter Milan striker did score on 50 minutes, expertly diverting Rivaldo's cross past Rustu. A sublime piece of trickery four minutes later gave Ronaldo another chance, although Rustu was alert to his curling shot.

The second half continued in gripping fashion. Ronaldo, then Roberto Carlos both came close for Brazil, before Turkey's Hakan Unsal blasted a Roberto Carlos-esque free-kick which Marcos spiled. Brazil were doing most of the attacking, however, Lucio seeing Rustu save a close-range header, and Rivaldo seeing a header ruled out for offside. Goalscorer Ronaldo made way for Luizao on 73 minutes, Scolari opting to rest the resurgent star.

Brazil's threat remained, however, and a thunderous drive from Rivaldo whistled inches over the top, and Roberto Carlos wayward right foot shot flying high. But with five minutes remaining, there was high drama as Alpay was red-carded for hauling down Luizao. Referee Kim Young-Joo rightly sent Alpay off, but awarded Brazil a penalty despite the fact the offence was just outside the area. Rivaldo had no worries, however, as he slotted home the spot-kck with aplomb.

There was still time for late drama, as Hakan Unsal received a second yellow for kicking the ball at Rivaldo at a corner kick - although the Brazilian's over-dramatic reaction contributed to the Turk's downfall in the 2002 World Cup.

1 -	2
Michael Owen (23)	Rivaldo (45) Ronaldinho (50)

England bowed out of the World Cup 2002 after a 2-1 defeat to 10-man Brazil after a pulsating battle in Shizuoka. Sven-Goran Eriksson's men were hit by a Ronaldinho-inspired double strike in seven minutes either side of the interval.

And though the Brazilian's day was ruined when he was harshly red carded for a stamp on Danny Mills, England couldn't find a vital second. It all looked so different after 23 minutes when Michael Owen put England in front, but Rivaldo equalised in first half injury time before Ronaldinho's free-kick winner.

Had England been able to hold on to their lead, it would have been just reward for an almost perfectly-executed first-half plan. Though Brazil dominated for long periods, they were denied space around the box and England's goal remained largely untroubled.

However, Ronaldo did find space to curl in a low shot which was easy for David Seaman.

It took England 23 minutes to threaten their opponents' goal again, but when they did Owen put England in front with his 18th international strike. There appeared little danger when Emile Heskey picked up Mills' short pass on halfway. But after his forward pass was mis-judged by Lucio into the path of Owen, the England striker strode on and confidently chipped the ball over Marcos. David Beckham, who required treatment for a blow to his right ankle, flashed a shot over the bar as he lead the search for a potentially match-winning second.

Brazil regrouped though and continued their forward offensive, this time with slightly more threat. Ronaldo produced a good save from Seaman at his near post before Campbell blocked Kleberson's powerful 25-yard effort. Then Mills needed to react quickly to rob Ronaldo inside the six-yard area after the Brazilian hit-man had gathered a fortunate rebound within striking range. Seaman was another who needed medical attention when he fell awkwardly collecting a high ball, tipping over Campbell and landing on his side.

For the remainder of the half, England looked comfortable, but Beckham's failure to run the ball into touch two minutes into injury time, set Brazil in motion for the leveller. Scholes then failed to make a vital tackle in midfield, allowing Ronaldinho to sweep forward. Ashley Cole was dragged into the middle and with neither Rio Ferdinand nor Sol Campbell able to make a tackle, Rivaldo drifted to the right, took the easy pass and stroked a first-time shot into the corner.

Most England fans were relieved when Seaman was fit enough to resume after the interval, but within five minutes they were reflecting on an error equally as crass as those made by the suspect Brazilian rearguard. As Ronaldinho lined up a free-kick in an innocuous position, Seaman pulled away from his line expecting a cross. The Brazilian spotted the opening and from 35 yards floated the ball into the top corner with the aid of the crossbar. It was a blow from which England couldn't recover, even though their opponents were reduced to 10 men just 11 minutes after the break when Mexican referee Felipe Ramos Rizo ruled Ronaldinho had stamped on Mills, even though replays showed the player had pulled out of the challenge.

For the first time in the competition, England were behind and chasing the game against opponents lethal on the counter. Lucio cut out Heskey's cross at the near post and Ferdinand was unable to steer a header from Beckham's free-kick on target before Cole fired a shot into the area which Brazil were able to scramble away. Beckham went down in the box under pressure from Roque Junior and beat the ground in frustration as Rizo waved away the penalty appeal.

England continued to press but Brazil never looked like yielding their advantage and long before the end, Beckham and co had run out of ideas even though Eriksson threw on Darius Vassell and Teddy Sheringham late on in a desperate search for an equaliser.

England continued to press but Brazil never looked like yielding their advantage and long before the end, Beckham and Co had run out of ideas and were out of the World Cup.