Total recall/ Final

France: Barthez, Lizarazu, Leboeuf, Desailly, Thuram, Djorkaeff, Deschamps, Zidane, Petit, Karembeu, Guivarc’h.

Referee: S Belqola (Morocco)

Goals: Zidane 27, 45; Petit 90

Bookings: Brazil: Junior Baiano 34; France: Deschamps 38, Desailly 47, Karembeu 56

Red cards: Desailly 68

Substitutes: Brazil: Denilson for Leonardo 46, Edmundo for Cesar Sampaio 75

France: Boghossian for Karembeu 57, Dugarry for Guivarc’h 66, Vieira for Djorkaeff 76

90 minutes in a nutshell: France were as good as they needed to be and are deserved winners of the 1998 World Cup. There’s never been a wider winning margin in a final than three goals, and luckily for Mario Zagallo’s men, French profligacy meant that Brazil were spared the embarrassment of a record tonking. They were blown away by half-time and never looked like turning it round, not even when they were playingagainst ten men. It’s not often you get to say this, but Brazil were hopeless. Cloggers, the lot of ’em.

Boy done good: Emmanuel Petit crowned a superb display with his stoppage time goal. Having bossed the midfield for most of the match, he seemed to grow even stronger in the wake of Marcel Desailly’s departure, filling the boots of the best defender in the World Cup to such an extent that he wasn’t even missed.

Two left feet: Ronaldo showed touches of Stephane Guivarc’h in his play, but the man himself was down the other end giving the world a masterclass in uselessness. Each time he was presented with a gilt-edged chance to score, he employed a different facet of his ineptitude. He shot tamely! He hoofed it high and wide with only the keeper to beat! He tried to trap the ball only to see it fly off faster than a Roberto Carlos free kick! This man now holds a World Cup Winner’s medal. There’s no justice.

Magic moment: While petulant Brazilians stood in the French half, screaming at each other as yetanother move broke down, Petit was down the other end securing the trophy for France.

Mr Sitter: Which one of Guivarc’h’s efforts was the worst? His last kick before he was hauled off was an idiotic punt into the crowd whilst in prime position to score. Season ticket for St James’ Park, anyone?

Shiver the timbers: Denilson was found free in the box by Edmundo in the last minute but his shot twanged the crossbar.

Cheered: They’ve won the World Cup and the Tour de France has just begun. France is indeed a nation at ease with itself tonight.

Jeered: When the Brazilians kept possession of the ball after Fabien Barthez had played it out so Bixente Lizarazu could receive treatment, the crowd howled self-righteously.

Turning point: Guivarc’h was missing so many chances there was a worry that 1-0 wouldn’t be enough of a reward for French pressure. But Zinedine Zidane’s second goal on the half-time whistle made sure Brazil weren’t let off the hook for their abject first-half performance, and the die wascast.

Ref-er-ee!: Desailly can’t really complain about Mr Belqola waving either of his yellow cards at him. But seeing the way it all panned out he’s probably not going to bother.

Terrace talk: Brazil: "Lucky none of us actually come from Brazil, isn’t it? Come on France!"

France: "Keep the shouting down over there, chaps. There’s cycling on the telly."