The 30 best players in World Cup history
By James Dudko
14. Rivaldo
If you want a vision of Brazilian flair at its finest, go back and watch Rivaldo’s contributions in two World Cups. The loping maestro who defied conventions of position and tactics left his mark on runs to consecutive finals.
In 1998, Rivaldo scored three times, including a brace to make Peter Schmeichel look foolish in the quarterfinal. Rivaldo’s goals and craft made Brazil a delight to watch, but he couldn’t help his country overcome hosts France in the final under the Paris sunshine.
He’d come up short once, but Rivaldo wasn’t about to let the same thing happen again in 2002. This time he was the veteran presence in an awesome front three also featuring Ronaldo and a 22-year-old Ronaldinho.
Rivaldo scored three times during the group stage before enlivening the tournament with an exquisite finish to beat Belgium in the round of 16. In the ranking of indelible World Cup goals, the volley merits comparison with Bergkamp’s brilliance against Argentina.
Rivaldo’s next act was to breach an outstanding England defense to help the Selecao escape a grueling quarterfinal clash with a 2-1 win.
A shameful piece of playacting during the 3-2 win over Turkey in Brazil’s first match wasn’t enough to dampen the overall joy Rivaldo otherwise brought to the tournament.
As much as Xavi exemplified Spain’s technique and efficiency, Rivaldo exuded the audacity and delight of Brazil’s style.