BRAZIL: Are playing in their sixth final and have won the four previous appearence in the title round. In 1950, the `final' was the last league match against Uruguay at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium. Brazil needed a draw but lost 1-2. The other four final they have played were in 1958 in Sweden, 1962 in Chile, 1970 at Mexico and 1994 at US.FRANCE: Though the idea of having a world cup for football was that of a Frenchman, Jules Rimet, they have never entered the final of the world's greatest sporting spectacle. Their best chance came in 1982 in spain and in 1986 in Mexico where the Micheal Platini-led team had brilliant individual talent. But in both the championships they were knocked out by Germany.
Probable starting line-up for final
BRAZIL: 1. Taffarel; 2-Cafu, 4-Junior Biano, 3-Aldair, 6-Roberto Carlos; 8-Dunga, 5-Cesar Sampaio, 10-Rivaldo, 18-Leonardo; 20-Bebeto, 9-Ronaldo.
FRANCE: 16-Fabien Barthez; 15-Lilian Thuram, 8-Marcel Desailly, 18-Franck Leboeuf,3-Bixente Lizarazu; 19-Christian Karembeu, 7-Didier Deschamps, 10-Zinedine Zidane, 17-Emmanuel Petit; 6-Youri Djorkaeff, 9-Stephane Guivarc'H.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
