FRANCE VS BRAZIL: Who's broadcasting it?
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FRANCE VS BRAZIL: Who's broadcasting it?
(FIFA) 18 May 2004
On 20 May, FIFA will be indulging in an extravagant birthday treat as it stages a one-off match between the last two champions of the world. This most prestigious of all games sees France, who triumphed as FIFA World Cup™ hosts back in 1998, go head-to-head with 2002 winners Brazil. To mark the Centennial of the game's governing body in appropriate style, this clash of the Titans will take place in the illustrious surroundings of the Stade de France.
"This is going to be the match of the year. No other game currently has the same cachet," enthused Brazil's coach Carlos Alberto Parreira as he announced his list of 24 players. Parreira's squad features all the big names from the country with the deepest natural reserves of top-level talent.
This will be a "friendly game" with an added edge, bestowed by the memory of the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final, when Les Bleus crushed the Auriverde 3-0. Six years on and the bitter pain of that defeat remains undimmed for many of the Seleçao, who will have revenge in mind when taking to the pitch in Paris.
In an ironic twist of fate, the two biggest stars of this gala match, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo, are now team-mates at Real Madrid and, by all accounts, the best of friends.
Of the other key figures from 1998, many, including captains Dunga and Didier Deschamps, will miss out on the rematch due to their international retirement. The Frenchman has not exactly been twiddling his thumbs since hanging up his boots. The former midfield general has undergone a meteoric transformation into a highly rated coach, having led Monaco all the way to the final of this year's Champions League. Another finalist from 1998 to have scaled new heights is Brazil's Leonardo. The former Paris Saint Germain player has carved out a niche for himself as an influential director at AC Milan, champions of Europe and Italy.
Frank Leboeuf, Christian Karembeu, Alain Boghossian, Emmanuel Petit, Youri Djorkaeff, Stephane Guivarc'h and Christophe Dugarry are all yet to bring the curtain down on their playing careers, despite making way for the rise of the new generation at international level. Laurent Blanc, who missed out on the final through suspension, has just passed his coaching badge with flying colours.
The picture is a similar one on the Brazilian side, for whom former stalwarts like Taffarel, Aldair, Junior Baiano, Leonardo, Cesar Sampaio, Edmundo and Bebeto have taken their last bow. Six years on, it is only natural that things should have changed, especially as it is increasingly hard to remain at the top in high-level football for long. Competition for international places is often most acute in the forward line, so unsurprisingly, of all the strikers who played in the 1998 final, the only name to grace the team sheet again this time round will be Ronaldo's. The Real Madrid man shudders at the memory of the 1998 showdown: "That defeat still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Losing a World Cup Final is an awful experience. Along with my knee problems, it's got to be the worst moment of my career," he confides.
The top striker in La Liga still recalls Fabien Barthez' unbelievable save which tipped the game France's way. "I struck a cross-shot from point-blank range with all my power, but he just stood firm and blocked the ball. I think that was when we realised we were destined for defeat. Their name was on the trophy that day," Ronaldo declares.
As if any further motivation were needed, in addition to playing against his pal Zidane, whose football he finds "bewitching", he will also be locking horns with former team-mate Claude Makelele. Ronaldo describes the French defensive midfielder as "a player any club would love to have on its books."
Ironically, it is down the flanks, in the most physically demanding area of the pitch that the entire Class of '98 remain. When not preoccupied with their defensive duties Roberto Carlos and Cafu for Brazil will be dashing forward in typically cavalier fashion, as will Lilian Thuram and Bixente Lizarazu for the French. And while Father Time has taken his toll in other areas, he has also overseen the blossoming of new talents every bit as awesome as their predecessors. This is particularly true for Brazil with the emergence of Ronaldinho Gaucho, who has already set the world alight at the FIFA World Cup Japan/Korea 2002™, not to mention the young prodigy Kaka, freshly crowned champion of Italy with AC Milan.
Parreira will be using the game to prepare for the vital South American qualifier against Argentina on 2 June, and may deploy a mouth-watering three-pronged, Ronaldo/Ronaldinho/Luis Fabiano forward line, with Kaka and Ze Roberto operating just behind them. As if confirmation were needed that the Brazilians love to attack!
The French front line more or less picks itself these days, and after sitting out the 1998 final on the bench, Thierry Henry, the English Premiership's Player of the Year, and David Trezeguet of Juventus will be keen to show their class against Ronaldo and Co.
With the world champions taking on the European champions and the likes of Ronaldo, Henry and 2003 FIFA World Player of the Year Zinédine Zidane all on display, FIFA's Centennial Match on 20 May looks set to be a birthday treat to beat all others.
On 20 May, FIFA will be indulging in an extravagant birthday treat as it stages a one-off match between the last two champions of the world. This most prestigious of all games sees France, who triumphed as FIFA World Cup™ hosts back in 1998, go head-to-head with 2002 winners Brazil. To mark the Centennial of the game's governing body in appropriate style, this clash of the Titans will take place in the illustrious surroundings of the Stade de France.
"This is going to be the match of the year. No other game currently has the same cachet," enthused Brazil's coach Carlos Alberto Parreira as he announced his list of 24 players. Parreira's squad features all the big names from the country with the deepest natural reserves of top-level talent.
This will be a "friendly game" with an added edge, bestowed by the memory of the 1998 FIFA World Cup Final, when Les Bleus crushed the Auriverde 3-0. Six years on and the bitter pain of that defeat remains undimmed for many of the Seleçao, who will have revenge in mind when taking to the pitch in Paris.
In an ironic twist of fate, the two biggest stars of this gala match, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo, are now team-mates at Real Madrid and, by all accounts, the best of friends.
Of the other key figures from 1998, many, including captains Dunga and Didier Deschamps, will miss out on the rematch due to their international retirement. The Frenchman has not exactly been twiddling his thumbs since hanging up his boots. The former midfield general has undergone a meteoric transformation into a highly rated coach, having led Monaco all the way to the final of this year's Champions League. Another finalist from 1998 to have scaled new heights is Brazil's Leonardo. The former Paris Saint Germain player has carved out a niche for himself as an influential director at AC Milan, champions of Europe and Italy.
Frank Leboeuf, Christian Karembeu, Alain Boghossian, Emmanuel Petit, Youri Djorkaeff, Stephane Guivarc'h and Christophe Dugarry are all yet to bring the curtain down on their playing careers, despite making way for the rise of the new generation at international level. Laurent Blanc, who missed out on the final through suspension, has just passed his coaching badge with flying colours.
The picture is a similar one on the Brazilian side, for whom former stalwarts like Taffarel, Aldair, Junior Baiano, Leonardo, Cesar Sampaio, Edmundo and Bebeto have taken their last bow. Six years on, it is only natural that things should have changed, especially as it is increasingly hard to remain at the top in high-level football for long. Competition for international places is often most acute in the forward line, so unsurprisingly, of all the strikers who played in the 1998 final, the only name to grace the team sheet again this time round will be Ronaldo's. The Real Madrid man shudders at the memory of the 1998 showdown: "That defeat still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Losing a World Cup Final is an awful experience. Along with my knee problems, it's got to be the worst moment of my career," he confides.
The top striker in La Liga still recalls Fabien Barthez' unbelievable save which tipped the game France's way. "I struck a cross-shot from point-blank range with all my power, but he just stood firm and blocked the ball. I think that was when we realised we were destined for defeat. Their name was on the trophy that day," Ronaldo declares.
As if any further motivation were needed, in addition to playing against his pal Zidane, whose football he finds "bewitching", he will also be locking horns with former team-mate Claude Makelele. Ronaldo describes the French defensive midfielder as "a player any club would love to have on its books."
Ironically, it is down the flanks, in the most physically demanding area of the pitch that the entire Class of '98 remain. When not preoccupied with their defensive duties Roberto Carlos and Cafu for Brazil will be dashing forward in typically cavalier fashion, as will Lilian Thuram and Bixente Lizarazu for the French. And while Father Time has taken his toll in other areas, he has also overseen the blossoming of new talents every bit as awesome as their predecessors. This is particularly true for Brazil with the emergence of Ronaldinho Gaucho, who has already set the world alight at the FIFA World Cup Japan/Korea 2002™, not to mention the young prodigy Kaka, freshly crowned champion of Italy with AC Milan.
Parreira will be using the game to prepare for the vital South American qualifier against Argentina on 2 June, and may deploy a mouth-watering three-pronged, Ronaldo/Ronaldinho/Luis Fabiano forward line, with Kaka and Ze Roberto operating just behind them. As if confirmation were needed that the Brazilians love to attack!
The French front line more or less picks itself these days, and after sitting out the 1998 final on the bench, Thierry Henry, the English Premiership's Player of the Year, and David Trezeguet of Juventus will be keen to show their class against Ronaldo and Co.
With the world champions taking on the European champions and the likes of Ronaldo, Henry and 2003 FIFA World Player of the Year Zinédine Zidane all on display, FIFA's Centennial Match on 20 May looks set to be a birthday treat to beat all others.
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Akure4Life
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mardingobob
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I hope they fileld all the players. The midfeild would be very interesting. Thank god I have sportsnet. Thanks for the info
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Scipio Africanus
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Scipio Africanus
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For the US Cybers,good news.Apparently,Telemundo,the Spanish Television channel ,will show the match on tape delay at 3pm Central on Saturday! 
Sat May 22 01:00PM Pacific
Sat May 22 02:00PM Mountain
Sat May 22 03:00PM Central
Sat May 22 04:00PM Eastern
Length: 2 hr D
Telemundo
International Friendly/Partido Amistoso - Europe/South America
France/Francia vs Brazil/Brasil
FIFA Centennial Match. Stade de France, Saint Denis, France
Sat May 22 01:00PM Pacific
Sat May 22 02:00PM Mountain
Sat May 22 03:00PM Central
Sat May 22 04:00PM Eastern
Length: 2 hr D
Telemundo
International Friendly/Partido Amistoso - Europe/South America
France/Francia vs Brazil/Brasil
FIFA Centennial Match. Stade de France, Saint Denis, France
Last edited by Obong on Thu May 20, 2004 9:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"WE ARE THE SUPER EAGLES!!!"
