FIFA Confederations Cup

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FIFA Confederations Cup
Founded 1992
Number of teams 8
Current champions  Brazil (3rd title)
Most successful team(s)  Brazil (3 titles)
Website Official website
2013 FIFA Confederations Cup

The FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the holders of each of the six FIFA confederation championships (UEFA, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, CAF, AFC, OFC), along with the FIFA World Cup holder and the host nation, to bring the number of teams up to eight.

Since 2005, the tournament has been held in the nation that will host the FIFA World Cup in the following year, acting as a rehearsal for the larger tournament. Brazil will host the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup from 15 to 30 June.

Contents

History and details [edit]

The tournament was originally organised by and held in Saudi Arabia and called the King Fahd Cup (Confederations Winners Cup or Intercontinental Championship), contested in 1992 and 1995 by the Saudi national side and some continental champions. In 1997, FIFA took over the organisation of the tournament, named it the FIFA Confederations Cup and staged the competition every two years.[1]

Since 2005, it has been held every four years, in the year prior to each World Cup in the host country of the forthcoming World Cup. Considered a dress-rehearsal for the World Cup it precedes, it uses around half of the stadia intended for use at the following year's competition and gives the host nation, who qualifies for that tournament automatically, experience at a high level of competition during two years of otherwise friendlies. At the same time, participation was made optional for the South American and European champions.[2]

Generally, the host nation, the World Cup holders, and the six continental champions qualify for the competition. In those cases where a team meets more than one of the qualification criteria (such as the 2001 tournament where France qualified as the World Cup champions and European champions), another team is invited to participate, often the runner-up in a competition that the extra-qualified team won.

On three occasions teams have chosen not to participate in the tournament. The UEFA Euro 1996 winner Germany declined its place in the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup, and was replaced by the Czech Republic, the runner-up in that tournament. France, 1998 FIFA World Cup winner, declined in the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup, and was replaced by Brazil, the 1998 World Cup runner-up (and also 1997 Copa América champion). Germany, the runner-up in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, chose not to participate in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, and was replaced by Turkey, the third place team in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

An earlier tournament existed that invited former World Cup winners, the Mundialito, or Copa D'Oro which celebrated the fifty year anniversary of the first World Cup. The Artemio Franchi Trophy, contested in 1985 and 1993 between the winners of the Copa América and UEFA European Football Championship, was also another example of an earlier contest between football confederations. Both of these are considered by some to be a form of an unofficial precursor to the Confederations Cup, although FIFA recognized only the 1992 tournaments onwards to be Confederations Cup winners.[3]

Results [edit]

King Fahd Cup [edit]

Year Host Final Third Place Match
Winner Score Runners-up Third Place Score Fourth Place
1992 [4]
Details
 Saudi Arabia
Argentina
3–1
Saudi Arabia

United States
5–2
Ivory Coast
1995 [4]
Details
 Saudi Arabia
Denmark
2–0
Argentina

Mexico
1–1
(5–4 pens.)

Nigeria

FIFA Confederations Cup [edit]

Year Host Final Third Place Match
Winner Score Runner-up Third Place Score Fourth Place
1997
Details
 Saudi Arabia
Brazil
6–0
Australia

Czech Republic
1–0
Uruguay
1999
Details
 Mexico
Mexico
4–3
Brazil

United States
2–0
Saudi Arabia
2001
Details
 South Korea
 Japan

France
1–0
Japan

Australia
1–0
Brazil
2003
Details
 France
France
1–0
(a.e.t.)

Cameroon

Turkey
2–1
Colombia
2005
Details
 Germany
Brazil
4–1
Argentina

Germany
4–3
(a.e.t.)

Mexico
2009
Details
 South Africa
Brazil
3–2
United States

Spain
3–2
(a.e.t.)

South Africa
2013
Details
 Brazil

Teams reaching the top four [edit]

Team Winners Runners-up Third Place Fourth Place
 Brazil 3 (1997, 2005, 2009) 1 (1999) - 1 (2001)
 France 2 (2001, 2003*) - - -
 Argentina 1 (1992) 2 (1995, 2005) - -
 Mexico 1 (1999*) - 1 (1995) 1 (2005)
 Denmark 1 (1995) - - -
 United States - 1 (2009) 2 (1992, 1999) -
 Australia - 1 (1997) 1 (2001) -
 Saudi Arabia - 1 (1992*) - 1 (1999)
 Cameroon - 1 (2003) - -
 Japan - 1 (2001*) - -
 Czech Republic - - 1 (1997) -
 Germany - - 1 (2005*) -
 Turkey - - 1 (2003) -
 Spain - - 1 (2009) -
 Colombia - - - 1 (2003)
 Ivory Coast - - - 1 (1992)
 Nigeria - - - 1 (1995)
 South Africa - - - 1 (2009*)
 Uruguay - - - 1 (1997)
*: hosts

Goalscorers [edit]

Overall top scorers [edit]

Player Country Goals
Cuauhtémoc Blanco  Mexico 9
Ronaldinho  Brazil
Adriano  Brazil 7
Romário  Brazil
Marzouk Al-Otaibi  Saudi Arabia 6
Alex  Brazil 5
John Aloisi  Australia
Luís Fabiano  Brazil
Robert Pirès  France
Vladimír Šmicer  Czech Republic

Hat-tricks [edit]

Awards [edit]

Golden Ball [edit]

The Golden Ball award is awarded to the player who plays the most outstanding football during the tournament. It is selected by the media poll.

Tournament Golden Ball Winner
1997 Saudi Arabia Brazil Denilson
1999 Mexico Brazil Ronaldinho
2001 Korea/Japan France Robert Pirès
2003 France France Thierry Henry
2005 Germany Brazil Adriano
2009 South Africa Brazil Kaká

Golden Shoe [edit]

The Golden Shoe is awarded to the topscorer of the tournament. If more than one players are equal by same goals, the players will be selected based by the most assists during the tournament.

Tournament Golden Shoe Award Goals
1997 Saudi Arabia Brazil Romário 7
1999 Mexico Brazil Ronaldinho 6
2001 Korea/Japan France Robert Pires 2
2003 France France Thierry Henry 4
2005 Germany Brazil Adriano 5
2009 South Africa Brazil Luís Fabiano 5

Golden Glove [edit]

The Golden Glove is awarded to the best goalkeeper of the tournament.

Tournament Golden Glove
2005 Germany Mexico Oswaldo Sánchez
2009 South Africa United States Tim Howard

FIFA Fair Play Award [edit]

FIFA Fair Play Award is given to the team who has the best fair play record during the tournament with the criteria set by FIFA Fair Play Committee.

Tournament FIFA Fair Play Award
1997 Saudi Arabia  South Africa
1999 Mexico  New Zealand,  Brazil
2001 Korea/Japan  Japan
2003 France  Japan
2005 Germany  Greece
2009 South Africa  Brazil

Winning coaches [edit]

Year Head coach Champions
1992 Argentina Alfio Basile  Argentina
1995 Denmark Richard Møller Nielsen  Denmark
1997 Brazil Mário Zagallo  Brazil
1999 Mexico Manuel Lapuente  Mexico
2001 France Roger Lemerre  France
2003 France Jacques Santini  France
2005 Brazil Carlos Alberto Parreira  Brazil
2009 Brazil Dunga  Brazil

References [edit]

  1. ^ "FIFA Confederations Cup" (PDF). FIFA. Retrieved 3 May 2012. 
  2. ^ "2005/2006 season: final worldwide matchday to be 14 May 2006". FIFA. 19 December 2004. Retrieved 6 January 2012. 
  3. ^ "Intercontinental Cup for Nations". RSSSF. 16 July 2009. Retrieved 6 January 2012. 
  4. ^ a b The first two editions were in fact the defunct King Fahd Cup. FIFA later recognized them retroactively as Confederations Cups. See Previous Tournaments.