Goal King Ronaldo won the World Cup 2002 for Brazil.

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 controversial late penalty by Rivaldo handed Brazil a 2-1 victory over a Turkey side who saw two men sent off in a gripping opening game in Group C of the World Cup.

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.

Substitute Alessandro del Piero scored a dramatic late equaliser as Italy earned a 1-1 draw with Mexico, ensuring both teams qualify for the last 16 of the 2002 World Cup.

Jared Borgetti had scored a brilliant first-half header for Mexico - adequate reward for a slick passing display by the Central American team. But Italy - who had previously had two goals ruled out for off-side - finally got their equaliser shortly before time.

Giovanni Trapattoni's team created more than enough chances to score, but at one stage faced joining France and Argentina on the early plane home. With Italy trailing at half-time and Croatia drawing with Ecuador in the other Group G match, Trapattoni's team faced an early exit. But Ecuador eventually beat Croatia meaning that ultimately Italy could have lost to Mexico and still gone through on the goals scored rule.

Italy knowing they had to win to absolutely guarantee qualification to the last 16 started the game with playmaker Francesco Totti playing just behind strike duo Christian Vieri and Filippo Inzaghi.

Totti's sumptuous sliding ball was slotted home by Inzaghi but the goal was incorrectly ruled out for off-side. Italy continued to press and created chances. Vieri shot over and then forced a save from Oscar Perez with an awesome volley, while Totti clean through after neat work from Inzaghi missed the target.

But Mexico had played neat, precise football through the opening stages rarely squandering possession and were rewarded with a goal after 34 minutes.
Blanco's intelligent floated cross was met by Borgetti, whose exquisitely directed back header eluded Gianluigi Buffon.

Stunned, the Italians pressed forward in search of an equaliser, but mustered little before the break apart from a poor Gianluca Zambrotta shot, while Totti joined Christian Panucci in the referee's notebook for diving. Mexico, on the other hand, almost scored a second goal minutes before half-time but Borgetti's shot was superbly blocked by Fabio Cannavaro.

Borgetti scored a brilliant header for Mexico, Inzaghi should have equalised four minutes into the second half but his poor first touch allowed Perez to dive at his feet and clear the danger. Jesus Arrelano's mazy run, cutting inside from the right, almost culminated in a goal but a heavy touch allowed Cannavaro to hook the ball clear.

Substitute Vincenzo Montella put the ball in the net again for Italy but as with Inzaghi's first-half effort the goal was ruled out for off-side. The usually prolific Vieri was put through but Perez was quickly off his line and knocked the ball around the post for corner.

Montella blazed over when well positioned after 83 minutes but eventually Italy got their goal. Del Piero who replaced Totti headed home Montella's cross to send the Italian supporters into a state of rapture and keep his team's World Cup dream alive.