Aminul Islam, Professor, Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh

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(Continued from previous issue)
2002
  The first round of the 2002 World Cup (Korea/Japan - the first time in Asia) reflected a changing football world as upsets and surprises thrilled right from the start. The tone of the group stage was set in the opening match as African debutantes Senegal shocked the holders France with an impressive 1-0 victory. The Lions of Teranga made it to the second round, beating Sweden on a golden goal and then only fell to a Turkish golden goal in the quarter-finals. The Golden Generation of Portuguese defeated by United States, came back to beat Poland but then fell to the group D's other surprise package-the Korean Republic, as another high-profile European power went home far earlier than expected. The most hotly anticipated match of the entire opening stage was perhaps the Argentina v. England. David Beckham who was sent off in the corresponding contest at France '98 successfully put his ghosts to rest as his penalty kick was the only goal in the always fascinating confrontation between the teams. Argentina, a pre-tournament favourite for many, could only manage a draw in their last match against the Swedes' and they joined the ranks of big - names on their way home earlier than expected. Knockout rounds rather followed a more predictable pattern than the startling group stage.
   In the Round of 16, Korea faced illustrious Italy and claimed an electrifying 2-1 victory from Ahn Jung Hwan's golden goal. Even more unlikely was what followed next - a penalty shootout win in the quarter-final over hardened and excellent European side-Spain. A 1-0 loss in the semi-final to Germany could not dampen the incredible enthusiasm of the Korean people who flooded the streets like a sea of red during and after every match. The previously unheralded Eastern European-the Turks showed that they meant business after eliminating the Japanese in the second round and crowd-favourite Senegal in the quarter final. They, however, lost to Brazil in a tight single-goal match in the semi.
   In the end, however, it was two familiar faces - Germany and Brazil, who played for the world championship' and it was the South Americans who won their unprecedented fifth FIFA World Cup (extraordinary record of winning it on every continent). Ronaldo who suffered a famously poor final four years earlier was the hero for the coach Selecao, scoring both goals in the 2-0 victory. He ended up with a total of eight goals in the tournament- the most in a FIFA World Cup since Gerd Muller scored ten times at Mexico ‘70. Germany recorded three consecutive 1-0 victories over their rivals in the knockout rounds to book a spot in their seventh final. Ironically, it was the previously flawless Kahn who gifted Ronaldo the final's decisive opener. Brazilian captain Cafu became the first man to play in three World Cup final matches. Though he was often overshadowed by the flashy skills of the Three R's' Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, not to mention Roberto Carlos on the opposite flank. Another first was the pairing in the final. Amazingly, the FIFA World Cup's two most successful teams- Brazil and Germany, had never met each other at the tournament not until their 87th and 85th matches respectively.
   The third-place match also featured a remarkable first, as Hakan Sukur's goal for Turkey against Korea Republic came after just 11 seconds - the fastest ever scored in the finals. Europe got its revenge in what was termed The Group of Death' where England and Sweden went through at the expense of powerful Argentina and always dangerous Nigeria.

2006
  FIFA World Cup 2006 ended up with an Azzurri triumph (4th) with conceding just two goals but the abiding memory of the Final at Berlin's Olympic Stadium may be of Zinedine Zidane's meltdown, the France veteran earning a red card for headbutting Marco Materazzi. Their first victory on penalties came against Jurgen Klinsmann's mighty young Germans in semi-final' laying to rest the ghosts of three past failures on the world stage - notably in the 1994 final. Germany, however, took third place on the back of an attractive brand of high-tempo, attacking football with top scorers (14 goals)- five of them from adidas Golden Shoe winner Miroslav Klose and three from Lukas Podolski, the Gillette Best Young Player. German people displayed unstinting generosity towards its spectators attending 64 matches in the 12 magnificent stadiums that gave real meaning to the tournament motto ‘A time to make friends’. France saw off Portugal, Brazil and Spain en route to final with tremendous efforts of 33-year old Zidane that earned him the Adidas Golden Ball. Although the semi-finals were an all-European affair, Argentina, before succumbing on penalties to Germany provided some sparkling football and scored the best ‘team’ goal when Esteban Cambiasso concluded a 4-man passing move in their 6-0 humbling of Serbia and Montenegro. Brazil's Ronaldo entered the record books with his 15th FIFA World Cup goal.

2010
  In 2010, South Africa became the first to host the FIFA World Cup; it will live in the memory as much as the spirit and smiles of the host nation as for the success of a Spanish team who achieved their own first when Andres Iniesta's 116th-minute winner against the Netherlands put them into the record books as the eighth country to capture football's most prized crown - from an opening loss to Switzerland to win their remaining six matches, the last four all by a 1-0 score line. Europe eventually gave us the winners - for the first time on another continent. For the Netherlands' the memories will be mixed after they completed a hat-trick of final heartbreaks, adding to the defeats in 1974 and ‘78. Germany impressed the watching world with some scintillating counterattacking play when putting four goals past both England (2nd stage) and Argentina (Quarter final) before their charge ended with a repeat of their UEFA EURO 2008 final defeat by Spain in the semi. The tournament's biggest surprise, Uruguay, returned to the semi-finals for the first time in 40 years with the scoring expertise of Forlan (Adidas Golden Ball) but lost to Netherlands in the other semi-final. African disappointment came when Ghana's run was stopped by Uruguay in the quarter-final. The Black Stars were a crossbar's width from becoming Africa's first semi-finalists; instead Asamoah Gyan's spot-kick in the last minute of extra time bounced off the woodwork.

2014
  The 20th World Cup in 2014 was hosted by a nation (Brazil) that has come to represent the very best of football with the heavy splash of samba spirit. Germany reclaimed in style - a Trophy they had won three times before and, in the process, become the first European team to triumph in the America with Mario Gotze's goal at 113th minute similar to that of Iniesta's in 2010.
In the group stage, Costa Rica, with three former world champions in group D, stunned the footballing world by coming out on top, beating Uruguay 3-1, toppling Italy 1-0 and holding England to a goalless draw. Brazil took on neighboring country Chile in a high tempo match in the round of 16. Despite their solo efforts, Brazil held out and went on to win by 3-2 only on spot kicks. Despite their solo efforts, Brazil held out and went on to win by 3-2 only on spot kicks. Colombia came up against Uruguay (without suspended Luis Suarez) and James Rodriguez picked his moment to shine scoring two goals to send his side through.
Costa Rica went through to their first-ever World Cup quarter-final after a thrilling shoot-out 5-3 against Greece. In the quarter-final, the career-defining performance of keeper Navas (Costa Rica) kept the Orange strikers at bay till the extra-time. However, it was the substituted keeper Tim (Netherlands) who saved two spot kicks to take into the semi-finals.
In a disastrous semi-final encounter Brazil without their suspended skipper Silva and injured striker Neymar lost to merciless Germany by 1-7. Both the Netherlands and Argentina were extremely cautious, perhaps as a result of the lessons learned from the first semi-final and the match had to be decided with penalties. While all four players converted for Argentina, Romero saved penalties from Vlaar and Sneijder to put Argentina through to face Germany in their fifth World Cup final.
In the final, after a scoreless 90 minutes, Germany substitute Goetze fired a powerful volley from Schurrle's cross to propel Germany to their fourth FIFA World Cup title at the Estadio do Maracana in Rio de Janeiro. The "wounds" of 2014 will probably never heal, concedes Lionel Messi.

2018
  Russia thrilled from beginning to as a string of records were broken. Germany' the defending champions, were eliminated in the group stage.
Host nation Russia was eliminated in the quarter-finals.
France claimed their second World Cup by beating Croatia 4-2. A historic first own-goal off the head of Mario Mandzukic and it was the 12th own goal (highest till date) of this tournament. Nineteen-year-old Kylian Mbappe became the second teenager in history to score in a World Cup Final, following in the footsteps of Pele who did so as a 17-year-old in 1958. Mandzukic broke English hearts and fired Croatia into the final after scoring in 109th minute.
In the quarter-final, Belgium overcame Brazil, and Croatia defeated Russia in a tiebreaker.
Cristiano Ronaldo equaled the record of scoring in four World Cups for Portugal in the 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 tournaments and also became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the World Cup (against Spain).
Iceland became the smallest country to participate in a World Cup.
Egypt's Essam El-Hadary became the oldest player to feature in a World Cup match, at the age of 45 years 161 days.

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