Review 2004
August: Promoting spirit at the Games and peace in Haiti
From: FIFA
Traditionally August may be the close season for many nations’ players but
there was plenty of football going on around the world. The Athens’ Olympics
dominated the calendar with 26 teams, 16 men’s and 10 women’s, gathering in
Greece at the Games. After two highly competitive tournaments in which Iraq’s
men and Brazil’s women scored the headlines, Argentina claimed their first
Gold and U.S. women their second.
Not too many surprises in Athens but there was a huge shock in the women’s
game further north in Europe where Spain defeated Germany, a team they had lost
to 7-0 at the group stage, to win the UEFA U-19 Championship in Finland. In the
CONCACAF region, a place in the futsal championship final meant Cuba, alongside
eventual winners U.S., had made it to the FIFA world finals again, while in the
AFC continental championship Japan resisted a passionate crowd in Beijing to
defeat hosts China to lift the Asian Cup.
Early in the month FIFA had provisionally lifted the suspension placed on the
Kenyan Federation after fruitful discussions. And while many of their club
team-mates were getting a deserved rest, Brazil’s stars made a special “
football for peace” trip to the troubled Caribbean island of Haiti bringing
scenes of unforgettable bliss.
FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking
After their victory in the Copa America, Brazil consolidated their lead in the
Ranking, while second-place Argentina surged seven spots to fourth. Other big
movers in South America were Uruguay (19th, up 13) and Peru (61st, up 14).
In Asia, scene of July’s other major tournament, Asian Cup runners-up China PR
jumped 13 places to 51st and Oman shot up eight to 50th.
2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™
From the handful of matches played in CONCACAF and UEFA, Central Americans
Honduras and Guatemala produced the most spectacular results, beating Cost Rica
2-5 and Canada 0-2 respectively, while Jamaica pulled off a home draw against
the United States.
Key dates
-August 1: USA win CONCACF futsal championship and qualify along with
runners-up Cuba for the FIFA world finals in Chinese Taipei
-August 6: FIFA Emergency Committee provisionally lifts Kenyan suspension
-August 7: Japan win AFC Asian Cup, beating hosts China in the final
-August 8: Spain win UEFA U-19 Championship and qualify, alongside Germany,
Italy and Russia, for FIFA world finals in Thailand
-August 11: Olympic Football Tournament kicks off
-August 19: FIFA launches the FIFA Interactive World Cup in co-operation with
EA and Xbox
-August 26: USA beat Brazil in the final of the Women’s Olympic Football
Tournament
-August 28: Argentina defeat Paraguay to win first Men’s Olympic title
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