WORLD CUP ROSSONERI: CHRISTIAN ZIEGE

Christian Ziege was one of the leading figures of the European Championship won by Germany in 1996 in England, leaving his mark with the first goal scored by the Germans in the tournament against the Czech Republic. The former Bayern Munich star, as well as the entire German team, approached the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea in search of redemption. 

In those six years, so much had changed, starting with the career of the German outfielder who, after winning everything in Bavaria with his home team, played for AC Milan - 47 appearances, four goals and the Scudetto win with Zaccheroni - Middlesbrough, Liverpool and finally Tottenham. 

It was with Spurs that Ziege earned a call-up to Rudi Völler's national team, a group full of champions such as Kahn, Ballack and the other former Rossoneri player Bierhoff, who came into it off two disappointing international competitions, the 1998 World Cup in France and the Belgium-Netherlands European Championship in 2000. 

It was clear that things would be different in Asia from the first match of the competition. On 1 June, the Germans faced Saudi Arabia at the Sapporo Dome, determined not to underestimate their opponents. The result on the pitch was one that was destined to go down in history: 8-0 to Völler's men, Germany's biggest winning margin in the history of the World Cup and which remains, to this day, the biggest win of the new millennium. 

It was a match that Ziege started in, contributing with two assists and ending up with a caution at the end of the first half. Germany, with Christian's help, ended Group E as leaders ahead of Ireland - with Cameroon and Saudi Arabia eliminated - and then followed that up with three consecutive 1-0 victories over Paraguay, the USA and South Korea. 

The final in Yokohama, however, favoured Scolari's Brazil, who managed to complete their perfect run of seven wins in seven matches with a brace from Ronaldo. For Ziege, there were only six minutes as a substitute, a small part in a match on a prestigious stage that was to end the former AC Milan full-back's long and successful career with the national team.

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