Last Eight Line-up Exposes 2002 World Cup as a False Dawn
June 28, 2006
The World Cup in Germany has confounded predictions that the power base of soccer has shifted and made the 2002 tournament in Asia look like a quirk of history.
The quarter-final qualifiers four years ago were: Brazil, England, Germany, Senegal, Spain, co-hosts South Korea, Turkey and the United States.
Senegal were World Cup debutants, South Korea had never won a World Cup match in their history before co-hosting the tournament, Turkey were in unchartered territory and the Americans seemed astonished to have got so far.
Fast forward four years.
Brazil, England and Germany are in the last eight again but the similarities with 2002 end there.
This year's lineup is completed by Argentina, France, Italy, Portugal and Ukraine, who between them have won six of the 17 World Cups contested.
While Ukraine are not a recognized power, it is hard to describe the former Soviet republic as a surprise quarter-finalist when they have one of the world's most expensive strikers, the 43.3 million-euro ($54.5 million) Chelsea recruit Andriy Shevchenko, in their ranks.
Class of 2002 failed to show up
Senegal and Turkey failed to even qualify for the 2006 finals and the United States went out with a whimper in the first round.
"I think it is a pity that the old powers from South America and Europe have dominated," said FIFA President Sepp Blatter.
The question is, why?
There is the undoubted advantage for the European teams of playing in their own time zone in weather conditions they are used to, although the unseasonally high 30-degree heat in Germany should have suited teams from the southern hemisphere.
Rest and luck have aided European teams in Germany
One important factor was a ruling by world governing body FIFA that the European club season must end by May 15, allowing players some rest before embarking on the World Cup that started on June 9.
European players complained of being tired in 2002 while the South Korean players seemed fresh in comparison.
And then there is the dollop of luck that all teams must have. Italy and Spain complained long and hard that refereeing decisions went against them in Asia.
Asian soccer, especially, has suffered a setback in Germany.
Asian soccer stalls in Germany
Japan reached the last 16 in 2002 under the disciplinarian coach Philippe Troussier, but its players have failed to make major inroads into the major European clubs.
After crashing out in the first round in Germany, Japan's current coach Zico, a star of Brazil in the 1980s, said more Japanese players needed to play abroad if the national team were to improve.
"We cannot be successful in the World Cup with our abilities limited to the level of Asia," Zico said.
But with Europe and South America dominating club soccer, perhaps it is no surprise that national sides from those countries have re-asserted their dominance.
Not everyone was fooled in 2002.
The veteran American goalkeeper Brad Friedel, a seasoned English Premiership player, was asked after his side's elimination to eventual finalists Germany in the quarter-finals if he believed the United States had finally arrived as a soccer power.
He paused and smiled. "I think this was a special time," he said.