TIME 2002 FIFA World Cup

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DYLAN MARTINEZ/REUTERS

Brazilian captain Cafu lifts the Cup after defeating Germany 2-0

The Ultimate Samba
Brazil beats Germany 2-0 to cap a World Cup 2002 filled with upsets, controversy and human drama

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The Final Tally
Assessing the good, the bad and the ugly of the Cup that was

The Morning After
South Korea and Japan must now ponder if the World Cup was worth footing the bill

Why Some Teams Just Can't Win
How Brazil and Germany — the usual suspects — turned up in the final

Previous World Cup Winners

Stop Blaming the Refs!

LIFE Classic Pictures: Soccer

Moving on Up
TIME analyzes some of those players who excelled and looks at how they increased their market value

Weblog: Brazil Carves up Turkey
Germany-Brazil final promises a clash of football cultures

Back to Baseball
With a hard 1-0 loss to Turkey, Japan exits the Cup

Adios, Mexico
In front of a sympathetic audience, Mexico goes down 2-0 to Team USA

Of Soccer and Secession
TIME's Enrique Zaldua on the message Spain's Basque players and fans may have taken from their encounter with Slovenia

Homage to Les Bleus
A new documentary tracks the travails of the French national team

Agony and Ecstasy
From Soweto to Kashmir, Calcutta to Buenos Aires: the world watches the Cup

The Four Happiest People in Japan
Japan's defeat of Russia gave these folks the most reason to smile

Croatia 2, Italy 1: Hubris Strikes Again
How can the football pundits do their job if the favorite teams won't do theirs?

Jennie James: England's Avengers
Beckham and co. make amends for past defeats by Argentina

Free the Peace Boat 13!
Amid the flags and face paint, political protests go unnoticed

A Brave New Japan
An exciting performance puts the Japanese side — and the country — in a new perspective

Click here for the complete list of TIME World Cup stories >>

FROM THE MAGAZINE

Asia Ascends
They were also-rans before play started, but giddy fans and stylish play propelled Japan and South Korea into the second round
• Rising Sons: Japan's stylish stars taste the thrill of victory
• Winning Respect: Korean football grows up

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PROFILES

A Winning Arena
The man behind Team USA's unprecedented World Cup performance

In the Line of Fire
England's Swedish-born coach has a superb record. But can his battered squad survive?

Hometown Hero
Tired of getting trampled, Japan longs to excel in this World Cup—and Shinji Ono can lead the way

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DESTINATIONS

Japan and Korea
What to do and see while visiting the World Cup co-hosts — as well as some useful links

INTERVIEWS

'My Team Is Committed to Winning'
Korean national coach Gus Hiddink talks to TIME

Top stories from the race for the Cup: • Is God Brazilian? • Blame Game • Diving Lessons • French Impressionist • Hooliganism: Not Just for Fans • An Epidemic of Gimpy Footballers? • Ghosts of Scandals Past • Dog Eat Dog in Korea • A Happy Jock is a Productive Jock • Here's Mud in Your Knickers • Voting with the Feet • Strip When You're Winning
Complete schedule: By Group \| By Date