The final at the is remembered for Zinedine Zidane's masterclass, where he scored two headers in the first half. Emmanuel Petit added a third in stoppage time to seal the victory against a heavily favored Brazilian side. The match was preceded by mystery surrounding Brazil's star player, Ronaldo , who was initially left off the team sheet after suffering a health issue hours before kickoff but was eventually reinstated to the starting lineup.
The , held in France from June 10 to July 12, was a historic tournament that saw the host nation lift their first-ever trophy. It was the first edition to feature an expanded format of 32 teams (up from 24), a structure that remained the standard for over two decades. Tournament Overview Winner: France (1st Title) Runner-up: Brazil Third Place: Croatia Matches Played: 64 Total Goals: 171 (2.67 per match) The Final: France 3–0 Brazil World Cup 98
