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Team |
Comment |
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1 Italy
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Came into the tournament with Italian football in crisis but the Azzurri were quite brilliant, conceding just one goal in open play and that an own goal. Deserved champions. |
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2 France
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Looked to have run into top form at just the right time through the knockout phases but Zidane's madness - and Trezeguet's penalty miss - ultimately cost them the glory. |
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3 Germany
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Vastly exceeded pre-season predictions and probably considered themselves a shade unlucky not to reach the final on home turf. Bowed out in style by beating Portugal. |
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4 Portugal
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Appalling in the semi-final against France and ultimately well beaten by Germany in the third-place play-off. Offered too little up front when the going got tough. |
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5 Argentina
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The first quarter-finalists to be eliminated having swept all before them previously. Did Pekerman's 'safe' substitutions cost them against Germany? The smart answer is yes. |
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6 Brazil
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Never really produced the magic so many expected of them and after being outclassed by France in the quarter-finals, they go home having failed to defend their crown. |
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7 England
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Failed to convince and only produced something near their best when down to 10 men against Portugal before another penalty shoot-out exit. Hugely disappointing. |
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8 Ukraine
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Committed too many defensive errors against Italy and were undoubtedly the weakest of the quarter-finalists. Even so, they can go home with their heads held high. |
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9 Spain
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Despite impressing during a perfect group stage, the Spanish once again failed to deliver when it mattered as they crashed out 3-1 against France in the last 16. |
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10 Mexico
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Gave Argentina a hell of a fright before making their exit after figuring in the game of the tournament. Only a Rodriguez wonder goal in extra-time prevented penalties. |
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11 Holland
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Impressed in the group stages by matching Argentina all the way but ultimately disappointed as they made a very subdued exit, losing against Portugal in the last 16. |
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12 Ghana
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Unlucky to lose 3-0 to Brazil, but ultimately paid the price for some woeful defending and a lack of composure in front of goal. Can go home with heads held high though. |
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13 Ecuador
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Far from disgraced in exiting against England in the second round (indeed they could - and should - have led) after a strong group showing. Return home with great credit. |
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14 Australia
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Failed to take advantage of a poor performance from Italy. Hiddink is one of the best around, but his failure to send on a second striker until 10 minutes from time cost them dear. |
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15 Switzerland
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Endured the agony of losing on penalties to Ukraine in making a second-round exit. Defensively sound but ultimately a lack of punch up front cost them dear. |
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16 Sweden
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A frustrating campaign ended in hugely disappointing fashion with a meek surrender to Germany. Lacked invention in midfield and the strikers failed to fire. |
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17 Ivory Coast
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The best of those eliminated in the groups after a win from 2-0 down in the dead rubber with Serbia & Montenegro. Would probably have qualified from any other group. |
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18 Croatia
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A tad unfortunate to be eliminated in the group stages after battling displays against holders Brazil and Australia. Discipline let them down badly against the Socceroos. |
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19 Czech Rep
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Crashed out after a second consecutive defeat - this time by Italy. The ravages of time finally caught up with them, and the injuries to strikers Baros and Koller were killers. |
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20 S Korea
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Plenty of energy but lacked the cutting edge up front to ever hint at a repeat of their home-soil heroics in 2002 despite winning their opening group game against Togo. |
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21 USA
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Slightly unfortunate to lose to Ghana but their lack of goal power was the big factor in their exit. Also some key decisions didn't go their way - particularly against Italy. |
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22 Paraguay
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Finished their campaign with pride intact after their 2-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago meant they leapfrogged the Caribbean side into third position in Group B. |
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23 Japan
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Well beaten by Croatia and a resurgent Brazil but showed plenty of spirit - even leading the world champions - and can leave Germany with their heads held high. |
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24 Trin & Tob
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Despite picking up an heroic draw against Sweden in their first ever World Cup finals game, the Caribbean side finished bottom of Group B with just one point. |
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25 Tunisia
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Played well against Group H winners Spain in their second game - albeit in a 3-1 defeat - but went out with a whimper against Ukraine, creating virtually nothing in the 90 minutes. |
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26 Poland
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Already eliminated after defeats by Germany and Ecuador when they beat Costa Rica to ensure they went out on something of a high. Poor in 2002 and poor again here. |
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27 Angola
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Failed to make it into the last 16 as they could only draw with Iran in their last game. Gritty and determined but the debutants lacked any real game-breakers in the final third. |
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28 Iran
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Decent enough against Mexico but offered little against Portugal even when staring elimination in the face. Finished below Angola in the group, and these rankings. |
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29 Serb & Mont
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Woeful against rampant Argentina, the World Cup debutants were embarrassed again in their final game, blowing a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 against Ivory Coast. |
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30 Togo
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Improved with each game despite off-field problems but can't have too many complaints that the pre-tournament predictions of three defeats out of three proved correct. |
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31 Costa Rica
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Three straight defeats mean a pointless World Cup for Los Ticos. Two Paulo Wanchope goals are just about all they can take from a hugely disappointing stay in Germany. |
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32 S Arabia
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Better than the 2002 Saudi side but that's not saying much. Respectable 1-0 defeat against Spanish second string in their last outing but they were the weakest side on show. |
