It is a truth not quite universally acknowledged that interest in the World Cup diminishes sharply once one's country's team has been eliminated, unless one is actually hosting the affair. There were thus, by Sunday night, probably just four countries in the world still tuned in to the 2002 proceedings: Germany and Brazil, naturally; Japan, mainly to see how International Stadium Yokohama looked on television (it looked terrific); and South Korea, doing long-distance honors as cohost. Well, all right, and a couple of billion other die-hard fans, but they hardly count. Most of the rest of the world, going about its business, missed a momentous final game.

Those delinquent viewers should have watched: It was worth it, a fitting end to a largely successful, if not athletically spectacular, tournament. Congratulations are due to Brazil for a well-deserved win, of course, and to the dazzling Ronaldo, who put 1998 behind him forever. Still, justice would have been served had either one of these soccer powerhouses taken home the prize. Both had glorious records to defend. Both had fallen into the doldrums in the past year. Both staged surprising comebacks in time to make the final against all the odds. A win for either would have been a heartwarming story.

But, as they say in the United States about a very different version of football, on any given Sunday any team can win or lose. (Hey, it's football, not rocket science.) They also say, "The point is, can you win or lose like a man?" On Sunday, the lucky team was Brazil. They had Ronaldo. But both loser and winner finished with style.