Ronaldo - hauled off with 20 minutes to go. (Allsport)

By Reece Killworth

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This was a day the whole of Brazilian football had waited four years for.

Ever since their capitulation against France in the World Cup final four years ago, the samba kings have longed to make their return to the biggest stage of all.

And who better to fire them there than Ronaldo, the man at the centre of the controversy at the Stade de France.

It was he, as no-one will ever forget, who played in the 1998 final despite much-publicised health problems just before the game.

What went on that day remains a mystery and is the subject of much speculation, but whatever is the truth Ronaldo was not the only man to suffer.

The whole of Brazilian football suffered as their heroes were dragged down to a level they were not used to.

But fans have short memories so while they could quickly put the episode behind them, for Ronaldo the pain continued.

Three years of knee trouble followed yet the Inter Milan striker has shown great desire to make his way back.

Fired by the opportunity to right the wrongs of four years ago, he fought his way back into the Inter side before returning for Brazil.

And the last four weeks have been the stuff of dreams for the buck-toothed striker.

Six goals make him the leader in the race for the Golden Boot and set up a shoot-out with team-mate Rivaldo and Germany's Miroslav Klose in the final.

Surely he will not let the chance slip.

The only problem could be a slight thigh problem which made him a doubt in the build-up to the match and saw him hauled off with 20 minutes left.

For the good of football - as well as Ronaldo himself - I for one hope he is fit to play in the final.

But while the Brazilians can look forward to Sunday's showpiece in Yokohama, Turkey coach Senol Gunes has to reflect on a particularly costly decision.

Football management - particularly at international level - owes much to luck, but Gunes had effectively sealed his team's fate the moment he named his starting XI.

The decision to pick the cumbersome Hakan Sukur ahead of livewire Ilhan Mansiz - Turkey's golden goal scorer in the quarter-finals - was a baffling one.

It probably owed much to loyalty to the old campaigner who has led the line so effectively for Turkey down the years.

But gone are the days when the 'Bull of the Bosphorus' struck fear into defences.

He has misfired in the Far East and Mansiz is the man in form.

Having left the Besiktas man on the bench, Gunes left it until the 61st minute to throw him into the action.

His introduction was a major part in Turkey's late rally as he was a constant danger to a Brazilian defence which has looked decidedly shaky throughout this tournament.

He also revitalised Sukur, who was unlucky not to level matters with a volley straight out of the David Platt textbook.

But in the end it was too little too late and Turkey - and in particularly Gunes - were left to reflect on what might have been.

A few words of praise for goalkeeper Rustu Recber, though, who kept the Turks in it with a string of excellent saves and sound handling, particularly in the early stages of the second half.

Recber has been one of the two best keepers in the tournament - along with Germany's Oliver Kahn - and it is no surprise to hear he is being linked with the likes of Manchester United.

The Turks have conceded one goal in four games and much of that is down to Recber's commanding presence between the sticks.

Their problems have been at the other end - where Sukur has laboured long and hard without reward.

If only Gunes had taken the 'Bull' by the horns and sidelined him against Brazil, maybe things might have been different.

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