Brazil is back on top of the footballing world, as its most impressive team for 20 years celebrated a record fifth World Cup title By Not since the 1982 side of Zico, Socrates and Falcao has a Brazilian team captured the world's imagination as completely as coach Luiz Felipe Scolari's 2002 vintage side which beat Germany 2-0 in Sunday's World Cup final. Though Brazil last won the World Cup in 1994, that success was viewed as a victory for pragmatism. But in Japan and South Korea the accent was on flair and it ensured Brazil will be remembered as popular champions. In the fleet-footed Ronaldinho, an electrifying figure when running full tilt at opposition defences, and Golden Boot winner Ronaldo, Brazil had the two players of the tournament. Still only 22, Ronaldinho has plenty more World Cups to look forward to, as does the 25-year-old Ronaldo, provided his injury- ravaged frame can last through to the 2006 World Cup. The daunting prospect for Brazil's opponents to contemplate is that many of the 2002 side should still be around to defend their title in four years time. While Cafu, Roberto Carlos and Rivaldo will be well into their 30s by then, most of the team which scored a 2-0 win over Germany on Sunday will be just coming into their prime. One cup, one feeling and a fifth passionate kiss to the cup, to Brazil and to the world The increasingly impressive defensive trio of Roque Junior, Edmilson and Lucio will all be under 30, as will midfielders Kleberson and Gilberto Silva. There is also a fair amount of talent that did not even make the squad -- Arsenal's Edu, Bayer Leverkusen's Ze Roberto and Real Madrid's Savio were left languishing at home. And even more encouraging for Brazil, a new generation is on the way up with the exciting 20-year-old Kaka, who played as a substitute spearheading the crop. But just who will be in charge of Brazil, assuming it qualifies for Germany in four years' time, is anyone's guess. The 53-year-old Scolari has already said he will step down, having achieved what looked like a mission improbable after taking over a Brazilian side in chaos just over a year ago. "When the tournament finishes the squad will split up and my contribution will be over like my contract," he said. "It is something I had already agreed with the federation." Germany eventually bowed to Ronaldo's brilliance but the mere thought of die Mannschaft even appearing in its seventh World Cup final seemed ridiculous 10 months ago. The 5-1 defeat to England in Munich in September was the most humiliating defeat in recent German footballing history. "You're too stupid to go to the World Cup," roared Bild am Sonntag newspaper. Coach Rudi Voller quietly insisted the result was a one-off but the doubters were not silenced when his side thrashed the Ukrainians 5-2 on aggregate in the playoff to reach the finals. The story of how Germany managed to mould together a superbly efficient new defence, how they found a man to orchestrate the midfield and encouraged a young striker to emerge from the shadows is arguably one of the most remarkable in recent European football history. As Italy, Spain, England and Portugal left Asia, the Germans were still there, drawing on all the accumulated experience of winning the World Cup three times to build a run to the final. In retrospect, their fortunes were on the up from the moment goalkeeper Oliver Kahn picked the ball out of the net after England's fifth goal. Bayer Leverkusen, the unfashionable Rhineland club backed by the pharmaceuticals giant, made an unexpected run to the European Champions League final. The backbone of that team was the same as the national side, led by Michael Ballack, the 25- year-old midfield play-maker whose goals destroyed the hopes of Liverpool and Manchester United. His Bayer team-mates Carsten Ramelow supplied stability in central defence, Bernd Schneider was ceaselessly inventive in midfield and Oliver Neuville's pace always made him a threat. But a rash of injuries dampened German spirits, Sebastian Deisler re-injuring a knee in the 6-2 crushing of Austria in mid- May and key defender Jens Nowotny pulling out with knee ligament damage. But once its jet touched down in Japan, Germany's confidence never stopped growing. Eight goals against the hapless Saudis reinforced that feeling and it discovered a striking star in Miroslav Klose, who headed a hat-trick. Ireland fought back to draw but the Cameroonians were out-muscled. Kahn could feel his team pulling together after the Germans then nicked a 1-0 win over Paraguay. The defence, and Kahn, the outstanding goalkeeper of the tournament despite his slip to gift Ronaldo his opener in Yokohama, was only beaten once before the samba boys got going. "I am quite honestly glad to have got through this," said Voller. "No one expected us to reach the final." But Germany had probably never reached the final before by playing so few top-ranked nations. Paraguay, the United States and South Korea -- despite the co-hosts' heroics -- offered an easier passage than Brazil which at least had to eliminate England. The future for the 2006 World Cup hosts is bright. Defender Christoph Metzelder is 21, Torsten Frings 25, Klose 24 and Bayern Munich-bound Ballack just 25. Kahn will be 37 in four years' time, which means he might be there. "Marco Bode and Oliver Bierhoff are retiring and one or two might give up because of age, but we will bring on one or two players based on their performance," said Voller. The German Football Federation (DFB) recently gave Voller a vote of confidence by extending his initial contract through to the 2006 finals. And who would bet against Germany now for the Euro 2004 crown in Portugal?
