Records & Memorable Details
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This is only the second World Cup ever to be settled on a penalty shoot-out. The first one, coincidentally also played by
Italy, though the Italians then saw that title escape into
Brazilian hands (1994).
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In fact, the 2006 World Cup Final Match marks the very first time (out of four, in all) that
Italy is emerges successful from a penalty shoot-out. See full penalty shoot-out stats.

The only squad to include a player who took part in the 1990 World Cup (in Italy) is the United States: goalkeeper Kasey Keller was in the squad that contested the 1990, 1998, and 2002 World Cups.
� Keller's current participation, however, is not his 5th, but his 4th, as he missed the 1994 World Cup, precisely the one played on his home soil, ironically enough.

Before the Semi-Final matches are played, the 2006 World Cup has long beaten the record of most red cards given out in a World Cup. After the 60 matches preceding the Semi-Finals, red cards have been flashed 27 times, in 2006. See full Red Cards statistics.
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The previous record was from the 1998 World Cup, in France, during which 22 red cards were flashed in the 64 matches.

Zidane was the fourth player ever to be flashed a red card in a World Cup Final Match. Berore Zidane, the three players to be sent off in a World Cup Final Match were another Frenchman and two Argentinians:
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Marcel Desailly was the third ever to be given a red card, in
France's 3x0 win over
Brazil (1998).
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Argentinian Pedro Monzon and Gustavo Dezotti were the first & second ever to be sent off in a World Cup Final Match–their 1x0 defeat to
Germany, in 1990.
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Of the four players above, Zidane's is undoubtedly the most shocking red card, likely to be long remembered by soccer fans, for its sad, bitter-ironic significance–marking Zidane's exit from the international scene, in a tournament the main theme of which had been fair play!... What a disastrous, lamentable way of bidding goodbye to international tournaments and of closing an otherwise brilliant career! (See related remarks)

On a positive note, Zidane was also the fourth player ever to score in two World Cup Final Matches. Before the penalty against
Italy, which he converted now, in 2006, Zidane had scored twice in the 1988 match against
Brazil. The other three players to score in two World Cup Final Matches were
Vavá, who inaugurated this list, in 1958 and 1962, then Pelé, in 1958 and 1970, and, closing this selected list,
Paul Breitner, in 1974 and 1982.

On another positive note, Zidane was also the fourth player to score a penalty during the regular 90 minutes of a World Cup Final Match. The other three players to score a penalty in a World Cup Final Match are
Neeskens and
Breitner, in 1974, and
Brehme, in 1990. Incidentally, in 1998, Zidane had already added his name to another short list–see details on the Trivia & Curiosities page.

The
2006 World Cup has definitely not had the expected success in goal-scoring terms, despite a few large scores (a 6x0, a 4x2 and twice 4x1). See full stats on the Attacks & Defenses page. See, too, related data & comparison to previous (2002) World Cup, on the Noteworthy page.
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Not only had the current World Cup surpassed the All Time 0x0 Results record, even before the final matches had been played, but also no hat-tricks had been scored either. A hat-trick being very unlike in the Semi-Finals & Finals, 2006 will go down in history as a non-impressive event, as far as the teams' firing power.
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Indeed, there have surprisingly been very few goals in 2006, especially in face of all the hype when the 2006 World Cup Ball and boots were first introduced.

Italy's defenders are usually considered the best in the World, the Italian style of play obviously reflecting that, even though there have also been some 'deadly' Italian strikers, such as the famous Paolo Rossi. But now, and quite in contrast with the goal-modesty that has characterized the 2006 World Cup, the Azzurra has brought to Germany their most productive attack for about half a century!
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The Italian goal⁄match ratio, by the time they had reached the 2006 Semi-Finals averaged at 1.8 goals per match. Additionally, their Quarter-Finals's victory over
Ukraine marked the first time the Azzurra scored three goals in a match since 1998, when they imposed a 3x0 score over the Cameroon side.
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Certainly the Italian game has been very attractive in 2006, and fully deserving of carrying the Champion Title!
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In 1954, when the Azzurra played just three World Cup matches, their goal⁄match ratio was 2; whereas 1938 and in 1934, their goal⁄match ratio was 2.75 and 2.4, respectively (coincidentally, these were years in which Italy likewise won the World Cup–see All Time WC Winners) .
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Since these productive years for the Italian firing power, their best mark had been in the year they again conquered the World Cup (now for the third time), 1982, in Spain, when their goal⁄match ratio was 1.71. On the other hand, their lowest mark ever (0.66) comes from 1966, in England, when the Azzurra was surprisingly eliminated by North Korea, still in the First Round.

David Beckham's goal against
Ecuador (Round of Sixteen match) made him the first British player ever to have scored in three World Cups.

A remarkable World Cup personal record for
Luiz Felipe Scolari, as a World Cup head-coach, was achieved as the Portuguese side defeated the
English team, in their Quarter-Finals' match: Scolari is the only coach ever to direct a squad in the World Cup who can boast having achieved the impressive streak of twelve consecutive match victories! See further remarks on Scolari, below.

At that same Quarter-Final match, keeper Ricardo's three saves during the penalty shoot-out against
England earned him a World Cup record: the is the Portuguese goalkeeper has become the very first to have defended three penalty shots in a World Cup shootout–two saves having been the maximum number, previously.

Germany and
Brazil share another mark not yet equaled by any other World Cup contestant, either: they have each played seven Final World Cup Matches (
won three and
won five of these).
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Incidentally, the 2006 Final Match is only the second World Cup Final since 1950, in which neither
nor
are present! On the other hand, both
&
took part in the 2002 World Cup Final Match.
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Curiously, the first ever
-
World Cup match was the one taking place in the 2002 World Cup! Never before had
&
met in a World Cup, even though
&
have been the most regular World Cup contestants:
, 16 World Cups;
, 18 World Cups. Of course,
&
had previously met in friendlies–see page, in the , for related data and information.

The Brazilian squad had shared the very same remarkable number of straight World Cup victories as Portuguese coach Scolari (above-mentioned)–i.e., eleven–up to the Round of Sixteen match against
Ghana (see below, on the same record; see, too, on another related record, and yet one more, both also below). Differently from Scolari's remarkable winning streak, however, the number going down in the record books for the Brazilian team did not resist past the Quarter-Finals, though.
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Brazil's last World Cup defeat had been to
France, in the Final Match of the 1998 World Cup. Curiously,
Brazil and
France were to face each other in the 2006 Quarter-Finals, and so the French Squad remains deeply associated with this record of Brasil's, as the streak of 11 Brazilian wins both started and ended after a defeat to France. Certainly, the association is a mere coincidence; as it could have been
Germany, or
Portugal, or
Italy–all playing competitively, and all in the Semi-Finals. The Brazilian side, most likely blinded by all the hype made around them and their remarkable layers, apparently did not have the chance for it to sink in, that they were in a tough competition, rather than a celebration...
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Brazil's match against
Ghana will go on in history, for the many records and marks that were achieved on that day. See below. In fact, many Brazilian team members have appeared to be more ambitious about breaking records, in Germany (all but one, all individual records–the exception being the above-mentioned team-record of straight wins), than be ambitious about winning the World Cup, itself. And even if the impression as it has been passed is inaccurate, what cannot be denied is that the record-breaking drive that surfaced (clearly expressed in Cafu's own words, for example, and not just once) could not help playing the role of an unhealthy distraction from the competition, itself...whereas the players' concentration should have been locked onto playing the best of their game. After all, they are, in their great majority, renowned players... But if the Squad brought such exceptional players to Germany, including the twice best European player of the year, it appears that they forgot to ready their team to compete!...
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This is a pity for those who are fond of football art, which no other team embodies as naturally as those boys from Brazil, that is, when they are seriously determined to play, when competition is the name of their game–for then, their beautiful game emerges as a natural by-product. But as feared in their first match against
Croatia (despite the brief deception against
Japan, when the Brazilians seemed on the verge of start finding a game resembling that which everyone had been expecting of them), that wonderful competition-oriented team spirit which has pushed the
German side forward, among some others, may not have been packed in the Brazilian side's luggage. So, they are now going home with their individual records and with the team-record of 11 straight wins, instead of the Trophy they desired; whereas the soccer fans are left without having enjoyed a performance worthy of the squad's players talent and fame.
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To be totally fair, the first ten minutes, or so, against
France, suggested that the boys from Brazil might have stepped on the pitch for that match with a serious purpose... But, vain illusion...that was just ten minutes of globe-trotting...till the French side decided that it was time to start the match in earnest.
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On hind side, how could anyone expect a team to find the right ingredients to get truly ready for the highest soccer tournament on the Planet–despite what may have been their best intentions–if getting ready for it was dealt with as some sort of best selling globe-trotter tour?... (see details on the Trivia & Curiosities page) Business interests and deals, as never before seen around a soccer squad, along with all the hype that of course the media is always ready to explore (it's their job, after all!) have completely prevented the Brazilian side from seeing clearly...and they failed to see that they had now entered a competition!... In sum, they were not sufficiently mature–obviously starting at the team command, most especially, from profit-minded Brazilian Soccer Federation president Ricardo Teixeira, to coordinator Zagallo and head-coach Parreira, as this duty is first of all theirs to pass on to the players–nor were they sufficiently serene & sensible to stay immune from all the hype, and humbly face the responsibility of becoming six-time World Champions in earnest. So they did not make themselves worthy of retaining their 2002 FIFA World Champion Title, beyond the truly great football they showed at the 2005 Confederations Cup. See related remarks on the Noteworthy page.
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Indeed, the highest soccer title would not have been in good hands, as it unquestionably was in 2002, had it gone to Brazil also in 2006, despite the indisputable individual quality of the 2006 Brazilian Squad, truly one of their best ever. But soccer is a team sport which is at its best when played competitively–most relevant details that Brazil's squad management clearly ended up overlooking in their build up to this World Cup (2006), even if they might have rationalized themselves into believing that they had not, in their possibly eager attempt to conciliate commercial and sporting interests.
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Hasn't Real Madrid been suffering from a somewhat analogous malady, in their long title-dearth, despite their shining constellation of skilled and renowned players?...

In the current World Cup (2006), the highest ever number of former World Cup Champions (six in all) has ascended to the Quarter-Finals:
Argentina (1978, 1986),
Brazil (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002),
England (1966),
France (1998),
Germany (1954, 1974, 1990), and
Italy (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006)–the years in italics signal World Cup home wins. In fact, the sole absence this year is Uruguay (1930, 1950), absent from the entirety of this year's World Cup Finals (they were surprisingly eliminated by Australia, in the play-off matches–a surprise which is not at all difficult to understand now, given Australia's strong performance). In previous World Cups, the highest number of former winners reaching the Quarter-Finals had been four.

Klose's equalizer against
Argentina has earned him the record as the sole player ever to have scored five goals in two World Cups, likewise placing him on equal level with (then West) Germany's Rahn, who scored ten World Cup goals, and just one goal away from matching German coach Klinsmann's mark of eleven World Cup goals, as a player. See the full list on the All Time Greatest Scorers-2006 eBook page.

Germany's Klinsmann makes an impressive special mark, this World Cup (2006), as the single coach ahead of a 2006 World Cup team, who has previously been a World Cup Champion as a player!
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If Klinsmann succeeds in leading his squad to a final victory that will keep the 2006 World Cup at home, he will then join
Brazil's Zagallo as World Cup Champion both as a player and as a head-coach.

Best coach in the World?...
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Portugal has been expressing great appraisal for their
Brazilian coach Luiz Felipe Scolari (see above on his remarkable record on wins), even though many had not initially been favorable to making use of his services, among whom Portuguese star Luis Figo.
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At the start of the 2006 World Cup, however, Costinha was reported saying that Scolari should not leave the command of their Squad, lest this would mean some ten steps backwards.
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On being told about Costinha's comments, during an interview, Figo actually added that it would not be ten, but twenty steps backwards, if the Portuguese Soccer Federation allowed Scolari to part, following the World Cup (Scolari's contract with the Portuguese expires at the end of July–see related news).
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Then, after defending the three penalty shots against England (see above on related record), keeper Ricardo commented that Scolari is one of the best head-coaches in the World, and possibly the best, since he is the only coach in Germany who can become Champion twice, since
Brazil has now gone home (the Brazilian coach, Parreira, had also won one World Cup, 1994).
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Meanwhile, back home, in Portugal, Scolari's prestige seems just as high, as members of the Portuguese Soccer Federation have reportedly been making remarks on their trust that they can retain Scolari's services beyond this World Cup (2006), despite rumors that
Spain would keen on hiring before he renewed with Portugal (although Luís Aragonés is, in principle, remaining at the Spanish command). Incidentally, even the critical Chelsea's José Mourinho has been cited in the media also praising Scolari's work ahead of the Portuguese team.
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Scolari was in charge of Brazil's Winning team, in the 2002 World Cup. It is said that he did not remain in charge, after the 2002 Title, because of the risk of interference from the Brazilian Soccer Federation into the coach's domain of work, something that Scolari would not accept. So, as he and his soccer managing fellow countrymen could not come to a satisfactory agreement regarding the extent of managerial and political interference in his area as the head-coach, Scolari parted, and ended up hired by the
Portuguese.
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There being no better proof than that brought by time, perhaps Brazil's 2006 fiasco (see above) with one of their best squads ever (that is, individually, and only individually) will make the guys back home in Brazil reflect on their losses and realize how mistaken they must have been in not allowing Scolari, or any other coach, the necessary space to manage what's best in the team's interests, without the interference of outside pursuits.
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Scolari, in turn, seems to have shown wisdom in not making concessions and parting; and it certainly looks like the Portuguese have just as wisely profited from what the Brazilians–possibly inebriated by their fifth World Cup Conquest–had no eyes to remark and value, and simply let go. Interestingly, immediately after
Brazil's defeat to
France, echoes of claims for Scolari's return were started and seem to be growing increasingly stronger (though the pundits claim that former Real Madrid's and current Santo's coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo, whom Scolari succeeded in the Brazilian team, will be the choice).
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At any rate...'he who laughs last, laughs best' must have occurred to Scolari, as
Brazil went home early, despite the big names in their team, whereas
Portugal moved on to the Semi-Finals–for the first time since 1966, their first, when the Euzébio generation defeated North Korea, to move into the Semi-finals, where the Portuguese where then overpowered by the English, who would move on to conquer that year's World Cup. Portugal ended up third in the tournament, that year, after beating Russia (then, the USSR), by the same score (2x1) that they had lost to England, their sole defeat in 1966. How far will Scolari's Portugal go, now, forty years later, in the current (2006) World Cup?!...

Germany and Costa Rica made the record-books, on June 9, 2006, for the largest number of goals ever to be scored in a World Cup opening match.
� Remarkably, the opening match goal record had stood since the first World Cup, in 1930: France 4x1 Mexico.
� This is because there was no opening match in the 1934 World Cup: for among the first eight matches, all played simultaneously, Italy had a monumental 7x1 victory over the United States; but this game has not been entered in FIFA's books as a World Cup opening match.

Paraguay's Gamarra's own goal (more details on the Noteworthy page) was the fastest own goal ever, in World Cup history.

Albeit marked by an unconvincing victory over Croatia, which brought disappointment to those who love the beautiful game, not to mention to their home fans, the Brazil side managed the outstanding record of eight consecutive World Cup victories–their last World Cup match without a victory having been that famous 1998 defeat to France, in which final match Ronaldo coincidentally had a faint performance, even if not likely for the same reason (refresh your memory on that 1998 match).
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The previous straight victories record holder had been Italy–seven consecutive victories, from the 1934 to the 1938 World Cups. Can the Brazil side extend this remarkable run?...it may not be as easy as one might think, a priori...

France, on the other hand, unfortunately earns an entry on this page for a negative record as a World Cup winning squad. The French side had an even more disappointing start to the 2006 World Cup than their Brazilian fellow-champions: Les Bleus have neither won a World Cup match nor scored a single World Cup goal for eight years, now–that is, since their above-mentioned sensational victory over Brazil, in the 1998 World Cup final match.

The French side finally scored a World Cup goal, in their match against the
Korea Republic, after a long draught of 368 minutes! In the following match, against
Togo, the French finally had their first World Cup victory (2x0), since they defeated the
Brazilian side in the 1998 World Cup Final Match.
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Finally, against
Spain, in their Round of Sixteen match, Les Bleus upped their game, displaying determination to compete, a seriousness of purpose which they fully confirmed against a globe-trotting Brazilian team (see above), in the Quarter-Finals, when a rested Zidane (having sat out their previous match) was supreme on the pitch.

Two World Cup new-comers,
Angola and
Trinidad and Tobago, have obtained remarkable draws against well experienced teams. Click on each of the squads' names for respective details (or on their flags, for the teams' pages in this eBook).

Ghana's Asamoah Gyan scored their first ever World Cup goal! This memorable feat for another World Cup new-comer gains in valor when one considers that the goal was scored against the strong
Czech Republic side (ranking second at FIFA). Can Ghana turn into the 2006 African sensation?

The World Cup record of wins held by
Germany's Overath and Mathaüs (Trivia & Curiosities page), has now been equaled by
Brazil's captain, Cafu–15 match victories–at Brazil's match against
Australia.
Italy's Paolo Maldini and
Germany's Franz Beckenbauer (the 2006 World Cup organizer!) follow close, with 14 wins, each.

On that same day, Cafu likewise equaled Brazil's record of World Cup appearances (18), which two previous squad players, skipper Dunga and goal-keeper Taffarel, now share with Cafu.
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If Cafu plays any other match, this World Cup, he will beat the home record; and if the Brazil side wins that match, then Cafu will likewise surpass Overath's and Mathaüs' mark of 15 World Cup victories.
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Germany's Mathaüs, however, holds a record that Cafu most likely cannot break, given that the Brazilian defender is 36 years old. It is the record of World Cup appearances—an impressive 25!—between 1982 and 1998.
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Cafu, in turn, played his 19th World Cup match, against
Ghana, which (in addition to increasing his victories tally to 16!) significantly meant a home record: he has now beaten both goalkeeper Taffarel and captain Dunga, who had played 18 World Cup matches. Incidentally, in this match against Ghana, a number of other Brazilian records were broken–see above.

Brazil's
Adriano scored Brazil's 200th World Cup goal in the match against
Ghana, in the Round of Sixteen. Adriano now stands in very good company, as his goal will be remembered alongside Pelé's unforgettable header against
Italy (1970 Final Match), which was Brazil's 100th World Cup goal.

The last time that Germany had won all their first matches in the First Round (as they have now, in 2006) was in the 1970 World Cup, in Mexico!

Notwithstanding their defeat, Serbia and Montenegro had a match of great historical significance, as they said farewell to this World Cup, playing against
Côte d'Ivoire: it was the Squad's last match ever, given that from now on, the Squad splits into
Serbia and
Montenegro, the football now following the geo-political course set in motion right before the World Cup. (The Montenegrins opted for their being two independent nations, though they would both contest the World Cup under the same colors, due to the recency of the referendum which originated the independence process–related information on the Serbia and Montenegro's country page.)
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Montenegro will now first join UEFA and FIFA, before taking part in their tournaments. Serbia should be the stronger team, given their larger territory and population (see Serbia and Montenegro's country page), reflected in the Squad that played in Germany-2006. Their World Cup Squad started out with two Montenegrin players, one of whom had to be replaced due to injury, a Serbian player being called in his place. So, as the Serbia and Montenegro Squad part their own ways, never to be rejoined again, there is a single Montenegrin player to bid the team goodbye.

Albeit losing the match (1x2), Dempsey made history in his squad's last performance in this World Cup, by scoring the 100th 2006 World Cup goal! (The match was against
Ghana.) Dempsey's goal was also the sole goal scored by the United States in this World Cup (2006), given that the only other goal in their tally was an own goal–Italy's (see related remarks & curious details on the Noteworthy page).

Russian referee Valentín Ivanov flashed 


(four times!), a new World Cup record (the previous red card record in World Cups was 3–1962 & 1998). The match at stake was the dramatic
Portugal 1 x 0 Netherlands
, in the Round of Sixteen.

According to , the elimination of
Brazil's side was the biggest surprise, this World Cup. Secondly, came the elimination of
Argentina's side, and third was the early exit of the
English team.
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Brazil's elimination would have probably been the easiest to predict...but we had been expecting for four years to see that great team play again at a World Cup...that were all blinded to the fact (obvious, now, in hindsight) that they had rather come to Germany to break their individual records (Cafu and Ronaldo, in special) and to Globe-Trot...
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Argentina's elimination could be thought even more shocking than Brazil's, given the former's sweeping 6x0 over
Serbia and Montenegro! Who could have imagined Argentina's next being pleased with a meagre 1x0 result, and then retracting in order to guarantee that result, finally to surrender to a brave
Germany, fueled by their fans' enthusiasm?!...
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England's elimination, was the least shocking of the three, but just in view of their succession of challenges–from 'will Rooney be fit to play?' to the sudden and shocking loss of Owen, not to mention Eriksson's never really solved middle field puzzle, and his reduced choice in the attack. Things were just not working out right for England, despite their great team, currently, and all their efforts, and hopes, too. Oh! It should be remembered, in addition, that somehow Eriksson has so far always lost out to Scolari, who has defeated his Swedish colleague three times now (heading either
Brazil, in the , or
Portugal, in the Euro-2004 & now, Germany-2006).
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