1 July 2006 - Brazil's Dynamic Duo Bids Farewell

On 1 July 2006, two football legends played their last match for Brazil, finishing as the national team's first and second most-capped players.

The occasion was Brazil's game against France in the World Cup quarterfinals. The Seleção line-up that day included right back--and captain--Cafu and left back Roberto Carlos. Roberto Carlos earned his first cap in 1992. He did not play in the 1994 World Cup, but won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil. Cafu, meanwhile, first played for Brazil in 1990 and was a member of both the 1994 and 2002 World Cup-winning sides. In 2006, they were part of a defense that had conceded only a single goal in the tournament up to that point, in a 4-1 group stage victory over Japan.

Unfortunately for Brazil, they conceded another goal--the only one of the match--against France. It came in the 57th minute as striker Thierry Henry connected with a Zinedine Zidane cross and slammed it into the roof of the net. France won 1-0 and Brazil were eliminated.

Afterward, both Cafu and Roberto Carlos drew criticism for the loss. Some commentators claimed that Cafu had passed his prime and should not have been included in the team for the tournament. Others blamed Roberto Carlos for failing to mark Henry on the goal. Both players then retired from the national team, though Cafu continued to play club ball until 2008. Roberto Carlos remains active and currently plays Russian Premier League club Anzhi Makhachkala.

The match was Cafu's 142nd for Brazil, making him their most-capped player. It was the 125th for Roberto Carlos, placing him in second. They are both well ahead of the closest active player, Lucio, who currently has 99.

3 June 1997 - That Movie Should Have Been Called "Bend It Like Roberto Carlos"

On 3 June 1997, Brazil managed a 1-1 draw with France in the opening match of the Tournoi de France thanks to one of the most celebrated goals in football history.

Organized by the French Football Federation as a friendly in anticipation of the 1998 World Cup, the Tournoi de France featured France, Brazil, England, and Italy. The first two kicked the competition off before a crowd of 28,193 at Lyon's Stade de Gerland.

Midway through the first half, with the match still scoreless, Brazil won a free kick about 35 meters out in the right channel. Roberto Carlos stepped up to take the kick, taking a long run and blasting the ball to his right around the wall of French defenders. It appeared to be heading well out of bounds, but took an improbable and dramatic curve to the left, striking the post and deflecting into the goal. The curve completely baffled French keeper Fabien Barthez, who stood rooted to his post as the ball flew into the net.

France equalized with a 55th-minute strike from midfielder Marc Keller to end the match 1-1, but finished third in the tournament behind Brazil and first-place England. It proved to be good practice, though, as France and Brazil met again in the World Cup Final the next summer, with France winning 3-0.

15 May 2002 - Bayer Gets Another Real Headache

On 15 May 2004, Real Madrid won their record ninth European Cup/Champions League trophy, beating Bayer Leverkusen in the Final.

The Final--Bayer's first and Real Madrid's twelfth--was a rematch of the two team's quarterfinal meeting in 1998, which the Spaniards won 1-4 on aggregate en route to their seventh tournament title. Like that previous match, Real Madrid were heavily favored and took very little time to stake their claim to the trophy, going up in the 8th minute with a strike from their center forward, Raúl. Bayer did not lie down, however, and quickly responded with a 13th-minute header from Lúcio, their Brazilian center back.

Then, in the 45th minute, Madrid got a Brazilian edge of their own when Roberto Carlos surged forward from his left back position and sent a high arcing cross into the box. It dropped to Zinedine Zidane, who executed a stunning left-footed volley from the edge of the box. The ball rocketed over Bayer's keeper, putting Madrid up 1-2. It was the last goal of the match.

Neither team has returned to the Final since. Despite the loss, Bayer took some consolation by winning the Bundesliga that season.

26 February 1992 - Roberto Carlos Gets The Call-Up

On 26 February 1992, defender Roberto Carlos made his first appearance for Brazil in a 3-0 win over the United States in a friendly. He went on to play for them a total of 125 times to take second place on Brazil's list of most-capped players.

Only 18 years old at the time, he had just begun his professional career two years earlier with Brazilian Série B side União São João. They were still in Brazil's second tier when Roberto Carlos surprisingly received that first call-up to the national team. But new manager Carlos Alberto Parreira (in the second of his three spells in charge of Brazil) was looking for new blood to rejuvenate the team after a disappointing showing at the 1990 World Cup.

Playing before a home crowd in Fortaleza, the young left wingback proved his worth, helping to keep the visiting Americans scoreless. Meanwhile, his fellow defender Antônio Carlos added one goal to a brace from midfielder Raí as the hosts eased to a comfortable 3-0 victory.

Roberto Carlos missed out on Brazil's 1994 World Cup-winning campaign, but was a voted to the FIFA World Cup All-Star team in 1998 and again in 2002, when Brazil lifted the trophy. He made his last appearance in the 2006 World Cup as Brazil were eliminated by France in the quarterfinals.

8 June 2005 - Crespo Humbles Brazil

On 8 June 2005, Argentina beat Brazil 3-1 in a World Cup qualifying match at the Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti in Buenos Aires.

The Albicelestes stunned the defending World Cup champions, taking a quick lead with a 3rd minute goal from striker Hernán Crespo. Crespo fired a low shot from just inside the edge of Brazil's penalty area and the ball went into the net just past the hands of oustretched keeper Dida.

Midfielder Juan Román Riquelme then doubled Argentina's lead in the 18th minute with a powerful left-footed shot from 30 meters out that flew to Dida's right and into the top corner.

Crespo added a third in the 40th minute with a flying header, completing Argentina's domination of the first half and giving them a 3-0 lead at the break.

Brazil fought back in a physical second half and finally netted a goal with a Roberto Carlos free kick in the 71st minute. They had several chances to add to their tally, but a combination of the woodwork and brilliant play from Argentina's keeper Roberto Abbondanzieri turned away shots from Ze Roberto, Roque Junior, Kaká, Adriano, and Ronaldinho.

Despite the loss, Brazil finished second in CONCACAF to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where both Argentina and Brazil were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

20 May 2004 - A Birthday Present Only FIFA Could Give (To Itself)

On 20 May 2004, FIFA organized a friendly re-match of the 1998 World Cup Final between France and Brazil. FIFA was founded on 21 May 1904 and organized the match to honor its centennial.

The friendly, like the original match, was played at Paris' Stade de France, but this time before a crowd of 79,344 - a new attendance record for the French national team. The match featured a virtual galaxy of stars, including Roberto Carlos, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Kaká for Brazil and Marcel Desailly, Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, and David Trezeguet for Les Bleus.

Unlike the 1998 Final, which was a 3-0 victory for France, the friendly ended as a scoreless draw. That in itself was historic, as never before in the ten previous meetings between the two countries had a match ended without a goal.