 |
 |
|
|
By Tom Fordyce
BBC Sport Online
|
 |
 |
After 64 matches, 161 goals and 257 yellow cards, the World Cup is finally over.
Brazil took the ultimate prize, we all know that. But which individuals picked up the more unusual awards on offer?
Most comical error
Alright, there may have been a few sniggers when Oliver Kahn spilt Rivaldo's shot and allowed Ronaldo to put Brazil one up in the final.
But Kahn's clanger is blown out of the water by Trevor Sinclair's unwitting decision to climb aboard the Argentina team coach rather than England's after the clash in Sapporo.
"I thought it was a bit quiet," he told the rest of the England boys afterwards.
Worst use of scissors
A vintage World Cup for fans of hair horror-shows, the sheer quality in the category rules out such star performers as Senegal coach Bruno Metsu (lustrous black locks flowing from centre parting) and Cameroon's Winfried Schafer (ghostly white wavy bob).
Rudi Voller showed that the curly mullet can flourish in the 21st century and Umit Davala pulled off a far better Mohican than Christian Ziege.
But the winner - for proving exactly what can go wrong when you try to do your own in the bathroom mirror - must be the 2D Tintin of Ronaldo.
Worst reaction to defeat
Past-masters Portugal threw a classic strop when on their way out against South Korea, assaulting the referee and attempting to kick several Koreans into September.
Few England fans, too, will allow the precious sight of Gabriel Batistuta sobbing on the bench as Argentina were knocked out to slip from their memory.
Still, all else paled in comparison to the display of Perugia president Luciano Gaucci after Italy were beaten by Ahn Jung-Hwan's golden goal.
"I have no intention of paying a salary to someone who has ruined Italian football!" he ranted, to guffaws of laughter from the rest of the world.
Most straight-faced telling of blatant untruth
France manager Roger Lemerre put in an excellent early bid by claiming, "We have adapted well to life without Zinedine Zidane - this is a great French team," after the defeat by Senegal and 0-0 draw with Uruguay.
But who could top Ronaldinho's gob-smacking assertion that he meant to lob David Seaman?
Most imaginative celebration
Robbie Keane's bow-and-arrow was an original touch, but the connection with football was somewhat tenuous.
Rivaldo's shirt-waving was simply passé while Michael Ballack's knee-slider was so 1990 few could believe their eyes.
No, South Korea's cheeky 'speed-skater' against the USA, with its reference to a perceived slight at the Winter Olympics, was sufficiently leftfield, balletic and vindictive to take the award.
Most bitter ex-player
Things aren't like they used to be - which is a relief to most of us, because it means that Kevin Keegan is no longer in charge of England.
To some, however, the present day will always be a poor relation to the distant past - and no-one illustrated that point better than Franz Beckenbauer.
"Apart from Kahn, you could put that lot in a bag and beat it with a stick and whoever got hit would deserve it," he whinged, referring to a German team which had just reached the World Cup final.
Most surprising moment
Senegal edging France? Korea knocking out Italy?
Not a chance. How could either of those ever match the eye-popping shock during Senegal-Uruguay of seeing Diego Forlan trap the ball on his chest and then thrash home a dipping volley from 25 yards?