Japan/Korea 2002 — the first Asian World Cup rewrote the script

The 2002 World Cup, co-hosted by Japan and South Korea, was the first held in Asia — and it produced some of the most stunning upsets in tournament history. The established order was shattered as traditional powerhouses crashed out in spectacular fashion.

South Korea became the ultimate fairy tale, reaching the semifinals as a co-host — the furthest any Asian team has ever gone. Along the way, they knocked out Spain, Italy, and Portugal, though some of those results remain controversial due to questionable refereeing decisions that still anger European fans.

The defending champion France was eliminated in the group stage without scoring a single goal. Senegal, making their World Cup debut, beat France in the opening match. Turkey finished third. The tournament proved that on any given day, in the World Cup's pressure-cooker environment, the underdog can beat anyone — a lesson that Cape Verde reinforced at the 2026 edition.