Soccer: Germany cancels party after Cup defeat

Germany cancelled the party today after Brazil beat the resurgent national soccer side 2-0 in the World Cup final, a slip-up from hero Oliver Kahn and a Ronaldo double denying Germany a fourth World Cup triumph.

Germans across the country put their hands to their heads as goalkeeper Kahn, faultless throughout the tournament, let slip a drive from Brazil's Rivaldo for Ronaldo to stroke in the rebound, then bowed to the inevitable as the Brazilian striker struck in a fine second.

"It's a terrible disappointment. Olly could and should have stopped the first goal. The match had been very tight until then," said Thomas Hove, a 31-year-old student.

In Hamburg, 100,000 fans braved light rain in front of a giant screen by the harbour. Another 100,000 packed Frankfurt's Roemer Square where the team will still be welcomed on Monday.

Berlin's central Potsdamer Platz, with a giant outdoor screen, was full three hours before the kickoff with flag-waving fans in team strips. Thousands more were turned away.

After a wretched qualifying campaign that saw them lose 5-1 at home to England, optimism had gradually grown. Two weeks before the tournament, only five percent of Germans believed the team would emerge as champions. Most thought Germany would be knocked out by the quarter-finals.

By Sunday, polls showed a majority of Germans believed their side would beat Brazil. One from ZDF television station said 82 percent of Germans thought so.

Sales of black, red and gold national flags soared in the lead-up to the final.

Before the game, Oliver Kahn was named the best goalkeeper of the 2002 World Cup. Top-selling newspaper Bild offered fans masks of the 33-year-old German captain to roar on their team.

In the end, the slowly bubbling euphoria and increasing flag-waving came to nothing as the thousands trudged home, although many were pleased that their team, panned before the finals, had gone so far.

"It's a real shame but there are still heroes in Germany. Nobody expected us to come this far and we had nothing to lose in the final," said Annett Kraft, a 24-year-old cleaner.

Three months before a general election, Germany's progress may still be a good omen for Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. A German incumbent has never lost an election after the German team reached the World Cup Final.

- REUTERS

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