They tried to call it the World Cup of Surprises, but Brazil's victory in the final put paid to that slogan.
"The Alien" -- as some Taiwan commentators are calling him -- scored two goals to beat Oliver Kahn's Germany and soccer's world order was restored after a series of early-round upsets.
At the first World Cup of the 21st century, the two best teams of the previous hundred years were confirmed as number one and two.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Yet, nobody could have predicted the third- and fourth-place finishers -- Turkey and South Korea respectively -- or the first-round exits of favorites France and Argentina.
If there was a World Cup of surprises it was because of the gradual leveling of the playing field that has been going on in soccer as it has become a genuinely global game.
Turkey had not appeared at a World Cup since 1954, but has developed a strong domestic league which saw its teams, especially Galatasaray, make an impression on the European club stage.
With standout players such as Hasan Sas and Ilhan Mansiz, Turkey played a disciplined and smart brand of soccer that matched Brazil in its first game against the eventual champion and saw off Japan and Senegal.
The Lions of Teranga have been waiting in the wings for years to make an impression on the world stage and they did it in startling fashion by beating former champion France in the opening game of the World Cup.
Pele had called Senegal the weakest team in the competition when the World Cup draw was made, but it fully deserved its quarterfinal appearance and only lost to Turkey by a golden goal in extra time.
The other African teams, Cameroon and Nigeria, did not do so well and will need to bolster their coaching to do better next time.
But overall, a team from Africa making the final stages should no longer be a surprise.
A team from Asia, however, doing so well is another matter.
Japan had not won a match before this World Cup, but came top of Group H and could have done even better if it had not run into a Turkey machine running on high octane.
So surprising was South Korea's run to the semifinal that many assumed it had cheated.
Odd, the same people didn't suggest Germany cheated when the US was not given a handball penalty decision in its quarterfinal matchup.
It should also be mentioned the US, led by Claudio Reyna -- who was made a World Cup All-star -- did not overly complain about this decision that robbed them of an equalizing goal.
Not like the Italians, who on being beaten by South Korea, suggested without any evidence whatsoever there was a conspiracy afoot.
This was the same team that complained to FIFA when it saw signs on the terraces saying, "Again 1966" -- a reference to North Korea's upset of the Italians at that year's tournament in England.
In fact, the achievements of formerly less fashionable teams was one of the highlights of this World Cup.
It is entirely conceivable that a US, Asian, or African team could win the World Cup in the next 30 years and that must surely be a good thing.
The twin powers of South America and Europe have ruled the game too long already, it is time for a change.
The first Asian World Cup, with its defining image of South Korea's Red Devil fans supporting its team, may well presage such a shift in dominance.
Peter Velappan, general secretary of the Asian Football Confederation told the FIFA Web site: "These countries [in Asia] have worked hard to bridge the gap between Asian and European football. It is indeed wonderful to finally see Asian teams out-think and out-fight more illustrious football nations at the highest level."
Strengthening domestic leagues and building on the success of this World Cup will be neccessary to achieve this.
If this is not done and there is no breakthrough in the next 30 years, soccer could conceivably lose its appeal as being the world's game.
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