The Defining Moment
Germany 2002
Germany reached the 2002 final against all expectations. With a modest squad compared to previous generations, Oliver Kahn was the absolute pillar his miraculous saves carried Germany all the way to Yokohama. He became the only goalkeeper to win the tournament's Golden Ball. But in the final, Kahn committed an uncharacteristic error: he spilled a Rivaldo shot and Ronaldo pounced for 1-0. Ronaldo scored again for the 2-0 winner. The image of Kahn sitting against his post, defeated, staring into the distance, is one of football's most eloquent: the best goalkeeper in the world could not carry his team at the decisive moment. Germany fell as runners-up, but Kahn's performance throughout the tournament remains legendary.
