FRANCE 98 ALBUM FACTS PAGES: 64 ALBUM PRICE: 99P NUMBER OF STICKERS: 561 (INTERNATIONAL) PACKET COST: 25P FOR FIVE STICKERS
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out save from Fabian Barthez (and a further miss by Italy) to get past the quarter-finals, and two goals from the unlikely source of Lilian Thuram to overturn a deficit in the semifinal against Croatia. Making their World Cup debut, Croatia’s star-studded line-up was captained by AC Milan star Zvonimir Boban and included a host of players who played in English football, among them Robert Prosinečki, Aljoša Asanovic, Davor Šuker (who won the Golden Boot) and Slaven Bilić. Bilić was involved in a controversial incident in the semi-final that led to France centre-back Blanc getting sent off and receiving a ban from the final. There was more red-card drama when England met Argentina in the second round in Saint-Étienne. The first-half ended 2–2 and is remembered for some outstanding football, notably a solo effort from 18-year-old Michael Owen, who had only made his England debut a few months earlier and so missed out on a France 98 sticker. There was also a well-worked free-kick converted by Javier Zanetti. Then things took a twist in the second half as David Beckham – a surprise omission from the France 98 album as he had been a regular starter for England – took a petulant kick at Diego Simeone, after a foul by the Argentinian, and got sent off. England fought gallantly into extra time, but came unstuck on penalties for the third time in a major tournament during the ’90s. Carlos Roa saved from Paul Ince and David Batty,
while England keeper David Seaman could only keep out Hernan Crespo in return. Argentina’s quarter-final saw both sides reduced to 10 men, but the match will forever be remembered for the 90th-minute winner from Dennis Bergkamp. Frank de Boer’s raking pass from inside his own half found the Arsenal star in the opposition penalty area. He controlled the ball with his right foot, cut inside a defender and flicked the ball into the net with the outside of the same foot – a work of art from the master craftsman. The Netherlands went on to meet Brazil in the semi-final. Brazil had begun their campaign with a 2–1 victory over Scotland in the first match of the tournament. John Collins’ penalty equaliser would prove to be the highlight of the tournament for the Scots as they only picked up one point, finishing bottom of Group A. Ronaldo – who was only 17 years old when he was selected to be part of the 1994 World Cup-winning squad – was by now a superstar and was expected to lead his nation to another trophy. But he wasn’t Brazil’s only potential matchwinner, as Rivaldo proved with his two goals in the 3–2 quarter-final victory over Denmark. But it was Ronaldo who scored Brazil’s goal in the 1–1 semi-final draw with the Dutch – cancelled out late on by Patrick Kluivert – as well as a penalty in the shootout victory. Brazil’s preparations ahead of the final against France were thrown into chaos when Ronaldo
suffered a seizure just a few hours before the game. The Inter Milan striker was initially left out of the starting line-up, only to be reinstated shortly before kick-off. An out-of-sorts Brazilian side were put to the sword by France’s own talisman – Zidane – who scored with two first-half headers. The second-half became a procession and the coup de grace was supplied by substitute Patrick Vieira, who set up Arsenal team-mate Emmanuel Petit for number three.
1998 WORLD CUP Winners: FRANCE Runners-up: BRAZIL Third: CROATIA Fourth: NETHERLANDS Golden Boot: DAVOR ŠUKER (6)
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