Brazil Wins Record Fifth World Cup

In 2002, Brazil defeated Germany 2-0 in the final of the FIFA World Cup, held in Japan and South Korea, to claim a record fifth world title. The match, played in Yokohama, was decided by two goals from Ronaldo, whose performance capped one of the most remarkable comebacks in modern sports. The tournament was also the first World Cup hosted in Asia and the first shared between two countries.

Brazil had arrived in East Asia with little of the swagger of earlier squads. The team had struggled through South American qualifying, going through several coaches and barely securing its place at the finals. Luiz Felipe Scolari took charge during the campaign and built a disciplined side around a back three, attacking full-backs such as Cafu and Roberto Carlos, and a front trio of Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho. Ronaldo's own story loomed over the squad. He had been the star of the 1998 World Cup, but he suffered an unexplained convulsive episode on the day of that final, played below form as Brazil lost 3-0 to France, and then endured years of severe knee injuries that threatened his career.

In 2002 Brazil won all seven of its matches. Ronaldo scored in every game but one and finished as the tournament's top scorer with eight goals. The side beat Turkey in the group stage, then eliminated Belgium and England in the knockout rounds, the latter in a quarter-final remembered for Ronaldinho's long-range free kick that looped over goalkeeper David Seaman. Germany, meanwhile, reached the final despite a modest squad, with goalkeeper Oliver Kahn widely praised as the player of the tournament until a rare error.

That error proved decisive. Early in the second half, Kahn failed to hold a shot from Rivaldo, and Ronaldo pounced on the rebound to open the scoring. Later he added a second, finishing neatly after a pass from Rivaldo. Cafu, playing in his third consecutive World Cup final, lifted the trophy.

The victory extended Brazil's lead over other nations in World Cup titles, ahead of Italy and Germany with four each, and confirmed it as the only team to have played in every finals tournament. Ronaldo's redemption became one of the sport's defining narratives, and he later passed Gerd Müller's career World Cup scoring record in 2006. Brazil has not won the tournament since, which has made the 2002 team a touchstone of recent football history.