Ronaldo breaks record as Brazil hit 200
French old guard catch the young pretenders
Italy rocked by Pessotto fall
—– Ronaldo becomes the World Cup’s record goalscorer as his early opening goal against Ghana in Dortmund sets Brazil on course for the quarter-finals.
The Read Madrid ace marksman hits his 15th finals goal to go past the record held by the great German goal machine Gerd Muller.
Although they never move up in to top gear, Brazil end Africa’s hopes with further strikes from Adriano and Ze Roberto.
Adriano’s goal also means that Brazil become the first nation to score 200 goals in the history of the World Cup finals.
Ronaldo, who has suffered heavy criticism for being overweight and sluggish, continues to answer his detractors in the best possible way: “The record had stood for seven World Cups so I am naturally very pleased to beat it. I’ll now just have to keep on scoring to fire us to another title.
“We win as a team. I get goals and on we go. Now I want more and more and more!”
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—– In a classic tortoise and hare-type tale in Hanover, France come from behind to beat Spain 3-1.
The younger Spanish team, who had been one of the most impressive teams in the group stage, is quickly out of the traps and look set to trounce the ageing French team - the oldest squad at the finals - after taking the lead through a David Villa penalty.
After Frank Ribery levelled just before the break, Spain once again went on to prove their tag as the World Cup’s great under-achievers.
France gradually assume control to claim a quarter-final meeting with Brazil through late goals from a couple of thirtysomethings - Patrick Vieira and captain Zinedine Zidane.
Rather like England, the 1998 champions have so far failed to impress. It looks like they are now coming on to their game though, to the relief of under-fire coach Raymond Domenech: “We may have a team of old men but we know how to be patient. Younger people run out of breath. There’s something exceptional waiting for us; unique emotions.
“As for Zidane, he kept going for the whole match. In the 89th minute, he stuck to it - he still accelerated.”
The consolation for Spain is that, with the benefit of experience, they will be amongst the fancied teams for the Euro 2008 championships.
—– Elsewhere, Juventus sporting director Gianluca Pessotto is seriously injured after falling from a window at club headquarters.
Juventus, along with AC Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina, are about to face a sports tribunal in Italy over the Serie A match-fixing scandal but their 35 year-old recently retired midfielder is not implicated.
Italy captain and Juventus defender Fabio Cannavaro walked out of a World Cup media conference at their training camp in Duisberg on hearing the news of Pessotto’s fall.
Alessandro Del Piero and Gianluca Zambrotta leave the squad to visit their stricken former colleague.
Pessotto’s wife reveals that he has been unhappy with his role at the Turin club and had been suffering from depression.
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