| 2002 FIFA World Cup | |
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Host |
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Dates |
May 31-June 30 |
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Winners |
Brazil (5th title) |
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Runner-up |
Germany |
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Third place |
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Fourth place |
South Korea |
2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th FIFA World Cup tournament, for men's national teams. The tournament was hosted by South Korea and Japan. It was the first time the FIFA World Cup has traveled to Asia; as the next time the World Cup will not travel again to Asia until 2022 in Qatar. 32 teams participated in the edition.
This was known by many as the "China World Cup", because of China PR in the tournament.
The 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan official album
The 2002 tournament started in May, one of the only times the FIFA World Cup didn't start in June. 2022 will possibly be another World Cup that doesn't start in June, due to Qatar's weather too hot.
Brazil won their fifth title by defeating Germany in the final 2-0. As of 2014, Brazil remains as the team with the most World Cup titles at five.
Host selection
The combined and joint bid between two East Asian countries, South Korea and Japan, were selected as the hosts for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup held in Asia, as the FIFA World Cup has never traveled to Asia before that time.
Qualified teams
Blue is qualified
Yellow is failed to qualify
Black is did not enter
Gray is not a FIFA member
South Korea and Japan both qualified as co-host nations. France automatically qualified as defending champions, for the last time before changing the rules for qualifying. Starting with the 2006 tournament, the defending champs will need to enter the qualifying, as only the hosts automatically qualify.
Four teams qualified for the first time: Ecuador, Senegal, Slovenia and China PR. Before 1994, Slovenia was previously part of Yugoslavia.
Among those teams that failed to qualify for the World Cup include 2000 Olympic hosts Australia (who was eliminated by Uruguay in the OFC-CONMEBOL playoff), Iran (eliminated by Ireland) and surprisingly 1998 semi-finalist Netherlands, who failed to qualify for the first time since 1986. Colombia (who would not make a World Cup until 2014) and Romania both failed to qualify for the first time since 1986. South Korea set a record fifth FIFA World Cup finals after qualifying themselves in 1986. This was the last major tournament failure for the Netherlands until Euro 2016.
As of 2018, this would be the last time that China PR, Republic of Ireland and Turkey qualified for a FIFA World Cup finals. This was also Belgium and Russia's last finals until 2014, as both teams did not qualfiy for either the 2006 or 2010 tournaments; but Belgium and Russia were drawn together in the group stage in both 2002 and 2014.
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Trivia
- Turkey surprised the 2002 world by making the semifinals; predicted by many to not make the quaterfinals.
- France didn't even score a goal as the defending champions, but at least they got a point.
- South Korea also surprised the world by being the first Asian team to make semifinal in the men's World Cup. The Asian teams in the FIFA Women's World Cup are more successful than the men's teams.
- Senegal, predicted by many to lose to France in the group stage and not make the quarterfinals, was one of the best underdogs in 2002.
- China, Saudi Arabia and France were the only teams to not even score a single goal.
- Senegal and Turkey's progress in 2002 was one of the greatest fairytale runs voted by BATC.
