Background The 2002 FIFA World Cup, the seventeenth staging of the World Cup, was held in the Korea Republic and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. FIFA's Executive Committee awarded the 2002 World Cup final tournament to Korea Republic and Japan as co-hosts at a meeting in Zürich, Switzerland on 31 May 1996 . Initially, the two Asian countries were competitors in the bidding process. But before the vote, they agreed with FIFA to co-host the event. FIFA later said that co-hosting was not likely to happen again, and in 2004 officially stated that its statutes did not allow co-hosting bids. The only rival bid came, once again, from Mexico, but the voting by acclamation, that is to say, a vote without ballot, promptly brought the World Cup to Asia for the first time.  The Draw FIFA's World Cup 2002 Organising Committee divided the 32 qualifying teams into eight groups for the final tournament at the World Cup Final Draw, held on 1 December 2001 in Busan, Korea Republic. Before the draw, it was arranged that the last three teams in Pot B would be drawn into four groups which did not already contain two European teams and one would be left without a second European team. Seeded Europe Asia/CONMEBOL Africa/CONCACAF France Portugal Turkey Paraguay Mexico Brazil England Belgium Uruguay United States Argentina Republic of Ireland Saudi Arabia Cameroon Italy Sweden Slovenia Ecuador Nigeria Spain Denmark Russia China PR Costa Rica Germany Croatia Poland Tunisia Japan South Africa Korea Republic Senegal Ranking the Groups - Peter Young's comments The Build-Up 13 May: The England squad flew from Luton to Dubai for a few days relaxation with their families, before jetting off to the Far East. Danny Murphy and Trevor Sinclair travelled as potential replacements for the injured Steven Gerrard and Kieron Dyer, both of whom stayed at home. David Beckham assured reporters that he would be fit for the first game after recovering from a broken foot, but that he would not take part in either of the warm-up games, as a precaution. 14 May: Gerrard withdrew from the squad in order to have treatment on his troublesome groin. Murphy was promoted to the provisional final 23. 15 May: The players had a light workout in Dubai. Beckham and Nicky Butt (recovering from a knee injury) went for a jog. 18 May: Kieron Dyer flew into Dubai to join the squad in time to catch a nine-hour flight to the island of Jeju in Korea Republic. 19 May: Nicky Butt was able to do some light training with a ball. 20 May: England trained at the Seogwipo Stadium. 21 May: Eriksson submitted his squad list to FIFA (picking Dyer and not Sinclair), and England drew, 1-1, with Korea Republic. "Hargreaves sparkles amid the dross... technical limitations were exposed by one of the minnows of the World Cup. Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves were exempt from criticism..." - The Times 22 May: With Dyer named in the squad, Trevor Sinclair flew back to Heathrow. Meanwhile, Danny Murphy broke a foot in training. David Beckham trained with a ball for the first time since his injury. 24 May: Murphy withdrew from the squad and Sinclair was summoned back as his replacement. David Dunn and Alan Smith were placed on standby in case Beckham and Dyer failed to gain full fitness before the tournament. 26 May: Sinclair arrived in Japan, in time to take part in England's 2-2 draw with Cameroon, in Kobe. "Weight of the world on Heskey's shoulders. Heskey is playing like a man with a sackload of troubles, or rocks, on his back...made less imaginative runs than the linesmen." - The Times 28 May: David Beckham resumed full training with the squad, on Awaji Island. 31 May: Eriksson dismissed talk that England's priority was to build for future tournaments. "...I don't want to hear that we are not ready...the World Cup starts now and we have to be prepared...I would say 90 per cent of the players will be available for the next World Cup, but that is another life. They must seize this moment." - The Times First Phase Table Group F (Japan) Team P W D L F A GD Pts Sweden 3 1 2 0 4 3 +1 5 England 3 1 2 0 2 1 +1 5 Argentina 3 1 1 1 2 2 =0 4 Nigeria 3 0 1 2 1 3 -2 1 2 June 2002 - both JST 2:30pm - Argentina 1 Nigeria 0 [0-0] Kashima Sakkā Sutajiamu, Ibaraki (3 4,050) Batistuta 6:30pm - England 1 Sweden 1 [1-0] Saitama Sutajiamu Niimarumarunii, Saitama-shi ( 62,561) Campbell Alexandersson "ENGLAND DRAWN INTO A DOGFIGHT "After almost eight weeks on the sidelines because of his broken foot, the captain was struggling after only thirty minutes. "Beckham's exhaustion exacerbated the malaise that began to weaken England's performance after the first 35 minutes...the defence dropped deep and the midfield...was overrun. "If we have a second half like that again we will be out of the World Cup." - David Beckham "MAN OF THE MATCH: Sol Campbell 8/10 - Unflappable." - The Times, 3 June 2002 "After all the hype and hope, the expressions of disappointment and deflation in failing to capitalise on an early lead was obvious in the faces of all the squad as they made their way to the team bus." - Daily Express, 3 June 2002 "A game of three thirds "At the end of ninety gruelling minutes, the boss and his team trudged off the pitch to face the cameras and the microphones, knowing to a man that they had done just about enough to survive in the Group of Death. After all, there was a point in the bag. It was also clear that there could be no more jitters, no more complacency, if they were to re-align English yin with English yang and make proper progress in the Orient." - THREE LIONS IN JAPAN (FA Report) 7 June 2002 - both JST 3:30pm - Sweden 2 Nigeria 1[1-1] Kōbe Uingu Sutajiamu, Kōbe-shi (3 6,194) Larsson (2 (1 pen))Aghahowa 8:30pm - Argentina 0 England 1 [0-1]Sapporo Dōmu, Sapporo-shi (3 5,927) Beckham (pen) "ENGLAND FIND REVENGE IS BEST SERVED BOLD "...triumph against all expectations... "England might have won by a greater margin... "The sweetest moment of my career." - David Beckham "MAN OF THE MATCH: Paul Scholes 9/10 - The greatest performance of his career"- The Times, 8 June 2002 "They outplayed the team who had come into this tournament as favourites. England defended with supreme discipline, passed and moved with wit in midfield and attacked with intensity." - Daily Express, 8 June 2002 "Another historical ghost is laid to rest "Making a dignified exit from the Sapporo arena, skipper Beckham said: "We are sportsmen and professionals. We won't react in the wrong way to this game." For the captain, in particular, the spectre of St Etienne four years earlier had been well and truly exorcised. And the singing didn't start until the dressing-room door was closed." - THREE LIONS IN JAPAN (FA Report) 12 June 2002 - both 3:30pm JST Sweden 1 Argentina 1 [0-0]Miyagi Sutajiamu, Miyagi-gun ( 45,777) A.Svensson Crespo Nigeria 0 England 0 [0-0]Ōsaka-shi Nagai Rikujō Kyōgijō, Ōsaka-shi ( 44,864) "FERDINAND STANDS FIRM AS ENGLAND OPT FOR SAFETY FIRST "...there was a sense of an opportunity missed because victory would have pitted Eriksson's squad against Senegal in the easiest section of the tournament."...after a nervous opening in which the heat seemed to make them overly cautious, England were mostly in control." "It was so humid out there. I've played in Brazil before but nothing compares with today." - David Beckham"MAN OF THE MATCH:Rio Ferdinand 9/10 - Fast becoming one of the best defenders in the world." - The Times, 13 June 2002 "What was most impressive about England's display, despite the stifling conditions, was how the team gelled as a unit and played with the Italian quality Eriksson defines as "furbo" - shrewdness." - Daily Express, 13 June 2002 "Plan B "Michael Owen, still to score in the Finals, said: "It was the hardest match we've played and if there's anything good about coming second in the Group, it's that we next play at night up north, rather than another African team down south in the middle of the day."Plan B, it seemed, had worked after all". - THREE LIONS IN JAPAN (FA Report)   |
The Second Phase 15 June 2002 3:30pm KST - Germany 1 Paraguay 0 [0-0]Jeju Gyeonggijang, Seogwipo-si ( 25,176) Neuville  Acuña 8:30pm JST - Denmark 0 England 3 [0-3] Niigata Sutajiamu, Niigata-shi ( 40,582) Sørenson OG**, Owen, Heskey "ENGLAND BUILDING ON McCLAREN'S SOLID FOUNDATIONS " One goal conceded in four matches is the record of potential champions... "McClaren has come into his own as the organiser of a formidable back four." " We are two games away from the World Cup Final and if we continue to perform like we have done against some of the best teams in the world, there is no reason for us to be frightened of anyone." - David Beckham "It is good to be among the best eight teams in the world. It would be even better to be among the best four." - Sven-Göran Eriksson " England's defence was like a wall, it was so difficult to get through. Even the strikers defend brilliantly." - Thomas Gravesen " MAN OF THE MATCH: Nicky Butt - Grew in stature as the match progressed and chased every ball." - The Times, 17 June 2002 "Singing in the rain"England eliminated Denmark with a scintillating performance in a rain-soaked Second Round encounter in Niigata. The Danes, who had been so devastating in the Group A contest, seemed strangely out of sorts right from the start."- THREE LIONS IN JAPAN (FA Report) "Football hero heads Jubilee honours "The man who masterminded English football's best World Cup performance since 1966 leads the Queen's Jubilee birthday honours list. "Bobby Robson - who took his team to the 1990 semi-finals in Italy - is knighted." - BBC News, 15 June 2002 16 June 2002 - both 3:30pm JST Sweden 1 Senegal 2 [1-1] AET [1-1]golden goal after 104 minutes**Ōita Sutajiamu, Oita-shi (3 9,747) LarssonCamara (2) Spain 1 Republic of Ireland 1 [1-0] AET [1-1] & Penalties [3-2] Suwon World Cup Gyeonggijang, Suwon-si (3 8,926) Morientes Keane (pen) Penalty Shoot-out:- Keane 1-0, Hierro1-1, Holland crossbar, Baraja 1-2, Connolly saved, Juanfran wide, Kilbane saved, Valerón post, Finnan 2-2, Mendieta 2-3. 17 June 2002 **3:30pm KST - Mexico 0 United States 2 [0-1]Jeonju World Cup Gyeonggijang, Jeonju-si (3 6,380) McBride, Donovan Marquez **8:30pm JST - Brazil 2 Belgium 0 [0-0] Kōbe Uingu Sutajiamu, Kōbe-shi (40,440 ) Rivaldo, Ronaldo 18 June 2002 **3:30pm JST - Japan 0 Turkey 1 [0-1]Miyagi Sutajiamu, Rifu-cho (45,666 ) Davala **8:30pm KST - Korea Republic 2 Italy 1 [0-1] AET [1-1] golden goal after 117 minutes Daejeon World Cup Gyeonggijang, Daejeon-gwangyeoksi (3 8,588) Seol, AhnVieri Totti Round of sixteen  Quarter Finals 21 June 2002 **3:30pm JST - England 1 Brazil 2 [1-1] Shizuoka Sutajiamu Ekopa, Fukuroi-shi ( 47,436) Owen Rivaldo, Ronaldinho Ronaldinho ENGLAND ARE ELIMINATED **8:30pm KST - Germany 1 United States 0 [1-0]Ulsan Munsu Chukgu Gyeonggijang, Ulsan-gwangyeoksi ( 37,337) Ballack 22 June 2002 - both KST **3:30pm - Spain 0 Korea Republic 0 [0-0] AET [0-0] & Penalties [3-5] Gwangju World Cup Gyeonggijang, Gwangju-gwangyeoksi ( 42,114) Penalty Shoot-out:- Hwang 1-0, Hierro 1-1, Park 2-1, Baraja 2-2, Seol 3-2, Xavi 3-3, Ahn 4-3, Joaquin saved,Hong 5-3. **8:30pm - Senegal 0 Turkey 1 [0-0] AET [0-0]golden goal after 94 minutes Ōsaka-shi Nagai Rikujō Kyōgijō, Ōsaka-shi ( 44,233) Ílhan  "ENGLAND HAVE NO ANSWER TO BRAZIL'S PERFECT 10 " ...they ran out of energy, organisation and invention. "...a predictable conclusion for a team that still has much to learn. "...David Beckham, their captain and inspiration, working at a maximum of 80 per cent. "...Eriksson...has begun to re-establish England as a leading force." " We made a small mistake at the end of the first half and another at the beginning of the second. But that happens. At the end we were not good enough, but we will be." **- **Sven-Göran Eriksson - The Times, 22 June 2002 "IF PLAN A FAILS, ENGLAND FAIL "...Eriksson no longer looks infallible. His weakness is inflexibility and he passes it on to his teams. "...basic 4-4-2 at its most unadventurous. "England needed to be more dynamic... "Gerrard's...forward momentum was badly missed in Shizuoka." - The Observer, 23 June 2002 "Lion taming "With English hopes in tatters David Seaman was inconsolable. Blaming himself for the seeming error that led to the decisive goal, the 'keeper later apologised to team-mates and fans alike. Yet whether England had exited through error, through fluke or through a touch of rare genius, their adventures in the Land of the Rising Sun were over."The Three Lions were saying Sayonara."- THREE LIONS IN JAPAN (FA Report) Semi Finals 25 June 2002 - 8:30pm KST Germany 1 Korea Republic 0 [0-0]Seoul World Cup Gyeonggijang, Seoul Teukbyeolsi ( 65,625) Ballack 26 June 2002 - 8:30pm JST Brazil 1 Turkey 0 [0-0]Saitama Sutajiamu Niimarumarunii, Saitama-shi ( 61,058) Ronaldo Third Place Play off 29 June 2002 - 8:00pm KST Korea Republic 2 Turkey 3 [1-3]Daegu World Cup Gyeonggijang, Daegu-gwangyeoksi ( 63,483) Lee EY, Song Hakan Şükür, Ílhan (2) The 2002 Final 30 June 2002 - 8:00pm JST Germany 0 Brazil 2 [0-0] Yokohama Kokusai Sōgō Kyōgi-jō, Yokohama-shi ( 69,029) Ronaldo (2)  |