The 1998 FIFA World Cup was the 16th staging of the World Cup, the world championship for men’s national association football teams. This was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1990 (32 Days). It was the 2nd FIFA World Cup held in France and 9th in Europe.
The 1998 World Cup, feature 32 teams, expanding from the previous 24-team format in the history of FIFA. France won the 1998 World cup championship after defeating Brazil 3–0. The final was played on July 12, 1998, at Stade de France (Saint-Denis, Paris). France became the first host nation to win since Argentina in 1978.
France’s national team won its 1st World Cup trophy in the history of FIFA. Before the bidding process, two countries were selected: France, and Morocco.
1998 FIFA World Cup, France
Table of Contents
In this tournament 32 teams (from 5 confederations) qualified and 10 Venues were selected with 10 host cities. Davor Šuker was the top scorer of the 1998 World Cup with 6 goals. Michael Owen was selected as the best young Player and Ronaldo was selected as the Best Player.
Qualification for FIFA World 1998
- CAF (Africa) – 5 teams (Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia)
- AFC (Asia) – 3.5 Teams (South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Iran (via playoff))
- UEFA (Europe) – 14 Teams (France (automatic), Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, England, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Yugoslavia)
- CONMEBOL (South America) – 5 Team (Brazil (automatic), Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay)
- CONCACAF (North America, Central America, Caribbean) – 3 Teams (Mexico, USA, Jamaica)
1998 FIFA World Cup Quick facts
- Croatia, South Africa, Jamaica and Japan have qualified for the first time, marking a remarkable debut.
- Portugal, Russia, Uruguay, Czech Republic, Czech Republic, Sweden, Ukraine, and Australia.
- The highest number of goals scored in a 32-team World Cup is 171 goals.
- Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Davor Šuker, Dennis Bergkamp, Jay-Jay Okocha and Gabriel Batistuta are big faces of the World Cup.
- Champions – France
- Runners-up– Brazil
- Third place- Croatia
- Fourth place- Netherlands
| 1998 World Cup Tournament info | |
| Total Participating Teams | 32 (from 5 confederations) |
|---|---|
| Dates | June 10 – July 12 |
| Match Played | 64 |
| Venues | 10 (in 10 host cities) |
| Last Winner (1994 FIFA World Cup) | Brazil National Team |
Awards
| Goals scored | 171 (average of 2.64 goals per match) |
|---|---|
| Adidas Golden Ball | Davor Šuker |
| Adidas Golden Boot (6 goals each) | Davor Šuker |
| Best Young Player | Michael Owen |
| Fair Play Award | England and France |
| Most Entertaining Team | Netherlands |
| Golden Glove (Best Goalkeeper) | Fabien Barthez |
FIFA World Cup Ball
The official match ball for the 1998 FIFA World Cup, which took place in France, was named after the Latin word “Tricolore,” meaning “three-coloured.” Its design was inspired by the multi-coloured related to the traditional symbols of France.
Venues or Stadiums
9 cities across the United States, including Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey, Chicago, Dallas, and Orlando. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena hosted the final.
| Stadium Names | Location | Capacities |
|---|---|---|
| Paris (Saint-Denis) | Stade de France | 80,000 |
| Marseille | Stade Vélodrome | 60,000 |
| Paris | Parc des Princes | 48,875 |
| Lyon | Stade de Gerland | 44,000 |
| Lens | Stade Félix-Bollaert | 41,300 |
| Nantes | Stade de la Beaujoire | 39,500 |
| Toulouse | Stadium de Toulouse | 37,000 |
| Saint-Étienne | Stade Geoffroy-Guichard | 36,000 |
| Bordeaux | Parc Lescure | 35,200 |
| Montpellier | Stade de la Mosson | 34,000 |
