JEDDAH, 1 July — Soccer fans across Saudi Arabia were all praise for Ronaldo and his Brazilian team for their 2-0 decisive victory over Germany in the 17th World Cup final in Yokohama yesterday.

In Riyadh, Alfonso Santos, deputy chief of mission at the Brazilian Embassy, paid tributes to both Brazil and Germany for playing a great match. He said although Brazil showed great talent as a team, Ronaldo stole the show by scoring two goals in the finals and eight goals in seven matches. Ronaldo, with a tally of 12 goals in World Cups, now equals legend Pele’s record of 12 goals he scored for Brazil in all the World Cups he played.

“A great carnival is going on in Brazil to celebrate the World Cup win. Soccer is a national craze in Brazil. Even I used to play soccer in the past. So I know how excited the people are back home ,” Santos said.

The Brazilian diplomat said the World Cup series brought to the fore three different soccer schools - European, South American and Asian.

“The emergence of South Korea as a footballing nation has proved that Asian soccer has also come of age. The Saudi national team needs exposure to these different styles of football for doing better in future. But it all depends on how they manage the game. We’ve got to realize that soccer has become globalized. Unless you’re familiar with the different styles of the game, you cannot hope to improve,” Santos observed.

Dr. Heidom Joachim, deputy chief of mission at the German Embassy, said that it was an excellent. “Of course, Brazil, a world-class team, deserved to win and we congratulate them on their outstanding performance. The Germans played well in the first half and also showed great fighting spirit,” he added.

Unfortunately, they squandered some chances when they could have easily scored. But in the end, Brazil outplayed them and earned a well-deserved victory.

Saudis, other Arabs, Asians and even Europeans in the Eastern Province hailed Brazil’s victory. Since Saudi TV Channel One was relaying the match live, most of the soccer fans remained indoors.

The final game was termed as a dream contest of titans. Even before the match started Brazil were favorites for the local football buffs.

Arturo Hugo, the lone Brazilian who could be contacted by Arab News, termed the victory as a “God’s gift to Brazil from Asian soil.”

He said: “Brazil has proved that hard work and determination could reverse the fate. Ronaldo proved that he is currently the best footballer. He is a true magician. He is ingenious.” He admitted that Germany gave some nervous moments to Brazil in the first half.

Dietrich Busch, a German executive of a joint venture company took his country’s defeat in a sporting spirit. “The Brazilians are champs in true sense, we should admit it,” he said. He paid tributes to Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos.

He said German goalkeeper, Oliver Kahn who until now had performed so well paid dearly for one small mistake and Ronaldo never gave him a second chance. Busch was referring to the first goal scored by Ronaldo. He said that Germans too played superbly but in the second half they lost their rhythm. And in the final 20 minutes they looked tired and worn out.

Fares Al-Ghamdi, a Saudi youth who idolizes Ronaldo, was ecstatic over Brazil’s victory.

“No doubt it was the finest match of the tournament and Ronaldo proved that he is in the league of great names like Pele, Beckenbauer and Maradona.”

Miteb Al-Badeen, an Arab journalist, said it was a dream match. “The Saudi team should draw lessons from this match. I personally feel that Saudi youths should be sent to Brazil to play there for a year. That is how they will sharpen their skills.”

Moqbil Al-Sayyari, Gulf Editor of Arriyadiyah, said: “Brazil deserved to win the finals. They were superior to the Germans in each department. Their defense and attack were well coordinated. This was undoubtedly Ronaldo’s best performance. He has compensated for his failures in the 1998 World Cup.”

Al-Sayyari said both the teams began their campaign as underdogs after their poor performance in the qualifying rounds and both proved that they were true champions.

“Fighting spirit and determination are the essence of soccer which unfortunately our national side lacks,” he remarked.

“Brazil’s fifth triumph in soccer’s greatest show on earth was expected and they played very well,” said Khalid Alghamdi, a Saudi soccer fan working in an MOH hospital in Jeddah.

Thomas Renn, German general manager at MedNet Gulf E.C. in Jeddah, said: “The Germans played the best in the finals compared to their performance in the whole tournament. In fact, it was one of the best World Cup finals seen in the last 15 years. Ronaldo made all the difference in the game. I didn’t expect Germany to play so well because of the all-round criticism that they did not do so well in their matches early in the tournament. The best team won the match and the finals.”

“The double strike by Ronaldo, the Golden Boot winner, spelt doom for the three-time champions Germany,” K.P. Abdul Salam, president of Saudi Indian Football Forum said. “Ronaldo, no doubt, is the acknowledged hero of the World Cup 2002.”

— Javid Hassan in Riyadh, Saeed Haider in Dammam & K.S. Ramkumar in Jeddah