The fifth title etched in our memory

Brazil came from behind to beat Japan this week in a dramatic match and secured their place in the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup.

It was a tough result for the Asian side, who dominated much of the first half but were ultimately punished by Brazil’s efficiency in the second half.

Japanese fans are already used to seeing Brazil come out on top. In 15 encounters between the two sides, Japan have won just once – last year, in fact. The Seleção have 12 wins, as well as two draws.

And the sight of the Brazilian fans celebrating certainly brought back memories for many Japanese old enough to remember the 2002 World Cup final. Exactly 24 years ago, on 30 June, at the Yokohama International Stadium, Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Brazil beat Germany 2–0 and lifted the trophy.

It was the national team’s fifth World Cup title, a record that stands to this day. It also remains Brazil’s most recent triumph; since then, the nation has been chasing that long-awaited sixth title.

After winning their fourth title in 1994 and coming close in 1998, when they lost the final to France, Brazil went into 2002 full of hope of returning to the top of the world.

The path of a champion

But the road to the final was not an easy one.

In their opening match against Turkey, it was the opponents who opened the scoring, with Hasan Şaş finding the net just before half-time.

To turn the game around, Brazil looked to their star player: Ronaldo. Winner of the 1997 ‘Ballon d'Or’, the striker had only just returned to the pitch after a long spell on the sidelines due to serious knee injuries, and many people were still wondering whether he was really ready to lead the national team.

The answer came on the pitch. Right at the start of the second half, Ronaldo equalised, and, in the closing minutes, Rivaldo converted a penalty to seal Brazil’s comeback victory.

The second match in the group stage was a 4–0 thrashing of debutants China. Roberto Carlos scored one of his famous free-kicks, whilst the other three came from the ‘Three Rs’: Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho.

Then came another goal-fest, this time in a 5–2 victory over Costa Rica. Ronaldo scored the first two for the Seleção, before Edmílson added another. The Central Americans fought back and reduced the deficit with two goals, but Rivaldo and Júnior put an end to any hopes of a draw and secured Brazil’s third victory in the group stage.

In the round of 16, Rivaldo and Ronaldo found the net again to knock Belgium out of the tournament.

Then, in the quarter-finals, came a dramatic comeback against England, with a 2–1 victory. The decisive goal, scored by Ronaldinho from a free-kick, is still debated to this day: did he intend to shoot straight at goal or was he trying to cross? Whatever the answer, the ball went in.

In the semi-finals, Brazil faced Turkey once again. This time, the South Americans kept a clean sheet, and Ronaldo scored the only goal of the match in a 1–0 victory.

And in the final against Germany, Ronaldo was once again the decisive figure. The striker scored twice to secure a 2–0 victory, in an unforgettable performance against Oliver Kahn, voted the best goalkeeper of that World Cup.

The key players in the triumph

Ronaldo not only silenced his critics but also finished the World Cup as top scorer, with eight goals. The other two ‘Rs’ also played a key role in the campaign: Rivaldo scored five times, whilst Ronaldinho netted twice and provided three decisive assists throughout the tournament.

To this day, Ronaldo remains Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer in World Cup history, with 15 goals in total.

The only Brazilian to have scored more goals in a single World Cup was Ademir de Menezes, who scored nine in 1950.

A team full of stars

The 23-man squad selected by Scolari was brimming with talent. No fewer than 12 players had been nominated for the ‘Ballon d'Or’ at some point in their careers – more than half the squad.

Four of them belong to the select group of Brazilians who have won the award: Ronaldo (1997 and 2002), Rivaldo (1999), Ronaldinho (2005) and Kaká (2007).

Kaká, incidentally, played a minor role in that campaign. He came on as a substitute for just a few minutes and would only go on to become one of the national team’s key players in the years that followed. To this day, he remains the most recent Brazilian to win the Ballon d'Or, almost two decades after his victory.

Others also came very close to winning the award, most notably Roberto Carlos, who finished runner-up in 2002.

That same year, following the World Cup triumph, several players from the squad received their first nomination for the Ballon d'Or thanks to their outstanding performances in the tournament – notably Edmílson, Lúcio and Ronaldinho.

Players from the 2002 Brazil squad who were nominated for the ‘Ballon d'Or’ or won the award:

  1. Cafu – 2 nominations (2001 and 2002)

  2. Denílson – 1 nomination (1998)

  3. Dida – 2 nominations (2003 and 2005)

  4. Edmílson – 1 nomination (2002)

  5. Juninho Paulista – 1 nomination (1997)

  6. Kaká – 6 nominations (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009) and 1 win (2007)

  7. Lúcio – 1 nomination (2002)

  8. Rivaldo – 6 nominations (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002) and 1 win (1999)

  9. Roberto Carlos – 8 nominations (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005)

  10. Rogério Ceni – 1 nomination (2007)

  11. Ronaldinho – 6 nominations (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007) and 1 win (2005)

  12. Ronaldo – 9 nominations (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005) and 2 wins (1997 and 2002)

It is worth noting that midfielder Emerson, who was dropped from the squad the day before the tournament began due to injury, also received two nominations for the award (2004 and 2005).

The challenge for a new generation

Brazil hopes to repeat its 2002 feat in 2026. The current squad already includes seven players who have been nominated for the ‘Ballon d'Or’ award during their careers, although none of them has won the award to date.

Players in Brazil’s 2026 squad who have been nominated for the ‘Ballon d'Or’ or have won the award:

  1. Alisson – 2 nominations (2018 and 2019)

  2. Casemiro – 1 nomination (2022)

  3. Fabinho – 1 nomination (2022)

  4. Marquinhos – 1 nomination (2019)

  5. Neymar – 9 nominations (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2021)

  6. Raphinha – 1 nomination (2025)

  7. Vinícius Júnior – 4 nominations (2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025)

An interesting comparison between Scolari’s squad in 2002 and Carlo Ancelotti’s squad in 2026 lies in the age range, which is much broader this time round.

At the 2002 World Cup, Brazil’s oldest player was Cafu, aged 31. In the current squad, however, ten players are older than he was at that time. The most experienced is Weverton, aged 38, followed by Alex Sandro, Neymar, Casemiro, Danilo, Ederson, Alisson, Fabinho, Marquinhos and Douglas Santos.

At the other end of the scale, the youngest player in the 2002 squad was Kaká, who was 20. In 2026, Rayan and Endrick will surpass that mark, both aged just 19.

It remains to be seen whether this squad – so diverse in age and experience, yet also brimming with talent, ambition and a desire to make history – will manage to write yet another glorious chapter for Brazilian football.

Has the time finally come for that long-awaited sixth World Cup title?

The answer will begin to unfold on Sunday, when Brazil face either Norway or Ivory Coast in the World Cup round of 16.