Question:
SEOUL, June 14 (AFP) - France, a team boasting three of the world's best strikers, sent packing without scoring a goal. Argentina, bristling with superstars, tumbling out at the first hurdle.
The fair footballers from Denmark and Sweden, expected to suffer in the Asian heat and humidity, motoring through to the second phase.
And England's fans popular.
Whatever else happens at the World Cup, the 2002 finals are shaping up to be the strangest in the competition's 72-year history.
Perhaps it was only to be expected. The greatest sporting show on earth had generated bizarre headlines before a ball had been kicked.
Roy Keane's spectacular meltdown in the Irish camp, a Swedish training ground spat involving Freddie Ljungberg and the 'Indomitable Lions' of Cameroon embarking on a madcap oydssey to the Far East which at one point saw them stranded in Bangkok.
As Cameroon's footballers kicked their heels in Thailand - their charter flight had not obtained permission to fly over three Asian countries - they might have spared a thought for Trevor Sinclair and Ricardinho.
England's Sinclair jetted out to Dubai as injury cover and then onwards to South Korea only to come straight back again after being left out of Sven-Goran Eriksson's final 23.
But barely 24 hours after touching down in London Sinclair was winging his way back to the Far East after another injury.
Sinclair's trans-continental trekking was a breeze compared to Ricardinho's tortuous journey to join up with Brazil, who had seen their captain Emerson ruled out after a freak training ground accident.
When Ricardhino got the SOS, he packed his bag and rushed straight to the airport not realising that his passport was due to expire. He would have made it into South Korea but not necessarily back into Brazil.
A dash back to his home solved the problem and he travelled on an old Italian passport. But that was just the beginning.
After the long haul from South America his connecting plane from Japan was diverted from the southern Korean port city of Busan to Daegu.
But a storm in Daegu prevented the plane from landing there. The aircraft with Ricardinho on board went back to where it came from - Nagoya, Japan.
Emerson's exit and Ricardinho's travails came as the rest of the world were still trying to comprehend the result of the tournament's opening match: France 0 Senegal 1.
But France's fall was not a one-off. Within days, the United States, the worst team at the 1998 tournament, pulled off another upset with a 3-2 win over Portugal.
Cameroon, meanwhile, were still having transport problems. Having got to Japan, coach Winfried Schafer was aghast to discover that the Africans had based themselves in a remote island camp, miles from anywhere.
Small wonder Cameroon's players complained of tiredness - not that it seemed to bother them in their brutal battle with Germany at the end of the first round. With a record 16 yellow cards and two reds, the match officially became the dirtiest in World Cup history.
Fatigue was not something that appeared to bother Denmark and Sweden though. Denmark lost an estimated four litres of fluid per player in one game, but they steamed through Group A - rounding it off by dumping out France. Sweden, another side expected to wilt in the heat, ended up topping the 'Group of Death', helping ensure Argentina's embarrassing exit.
There have been more surprises. Japan defeating Russia, Mexico topping a group involving Italy, and last but not least, a whole host of footballers deciding that the essential look for this year's finals is a striking mohican hair-do.

Answer:

SEOUL, June 14 (AFP) - France, a team boasting three of the world's best strikers, sent packing without scoring a goal. Argentina, bristling with superstars, tumbling out at the first hurdle.
The fair footballers from Denmark and Sweden, expected to suffer in the Asian heat and humidity, motoring through to the second phase.
And England's fans popular.
Whatever else happens at the World Cup, the 2002 finals are shaping up to be the strangest in the competition's 72-year history.
Perhaps it was only to be expected. The greatest sporting show on earth had generated bizarre headlines before a ball had been kicked.
Roy Keane's spectacular meltdown in the Irish camp, a Swedish training ground spat involving Freddie Ljungberg and the 'Indomitable Lions' of Cameroon embarking on a madcap oydssey to the Far East which at one point saw them stranded in Bangkok.
As Cameroon's footballers kicked their heels in Thailand - their charter flight had not obtained permission to fly over three Asian countries - they might have spared a thought for Trevor Sinclair and Ricardinho.
England's Sinclair jetted out to Dubai as injury cover and then onwards to South Korea only to come straight back again after being left out of Sven-Goran Eriksson's final 23.
But barely 24 hours after touching down in London Sinclair was winging his way back to the Far East after another injury.
Sinclair's trans-continental trekking was a breeze compared to Ricardinho's tortuous journey to join up with Brazil, who had seen their captain Emerson ruled out after a freak training ground accident.
When Ricardhino got the SOS, he packed his bag and rushed straight to the airport not realising that his passport was due to expire. He would have made it into South Korea but not necessarily back into Brazil.
A dash back to his home solved the problem and he travelled on an old Italian passport. But that was just the beginning.
After the long haul from South America his connecting plane from Japan was diverted from the southern Korean port city of Busan to Daegu.
But a storm in Daegu prevented the plane from landing there. The aircraft with Ricardinho on board went back to where it came from - Nagoya, Japan.
Emerson's exit and Ricardinho's travails came as the rest of the world were still trying to comprehend the result of the tournament's opening match: France 0 Senegal 1.
But France's fall was not a one-off. Within days, the United States, the worst team at the 1998 tournament, pulled off another upset with a 3-2 win over Portugal.
Cameroon, meanwhile, were still having transport problems. Having got to Japan, coach Winfried Schafer was aghast to discover that the Africans had based themselves in a remote island camp, miles from anywhere.
Small wonder Cameroon's players complained of tiredness - not that it seemed to bother them in their brutal battle with Germany at the end of the first round. With a record 16 yellow cards and two reds, the match officially became the dirtiest in World Cup history.
Fatigue was not something that appeared to bother Denmark and Sweden though. Denmark lost an estimated four litres of fluid per player in one game, but they steamed through Group A - rounding it off by dumping out France. Sweden, another side expected to wilt in the heat, ended up topping the 'Group of Death', helping ensure Argentina's embarrassing exit.
There have been more surprises. Japan defeating Russia, Mexico topping a group involving Italy, and last but not least, a whole host of footballers deciding that the essential look for this year's finals is a striking mohican hair-do.