Kahn - refused to make excuses (Allsport)

Kahn: Defeat will make us stronger
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Germany goalkeeper and captain Oliver Kahn refuses to blame a hand injury for his blunder that gifted Brazil their opening goal in the World Cup final.

The nightmare all goalkeepers fear caught up with the seemingly invincible Kahn in the 67th minute here on Sunday when he spilled a 20-yard shot from Rivaldo and tournament "Golden Boot" Ronaldo was on hand to tap the ball home.

Few of the billions of fans watching on television or in the packed International Stadium realised that minutes earlier Kahn had damaged ligaments in the ring finger of his right hand.

But the fiercely competitive Kahn, who up to that instant had had a glorious tournament - conceding one goal en route to the final, dismissed suggestions that the injury might have been responsible for such a fundamental mistake.

"That has nothing to do with it (the goal)" he said on Monday.

"A finger ligament is torn, it will take a few weeks to heal, but never mind, we have a couple of weeks holiday now."

In an interview with Kicker, Kahn added: "If you lose the final, you are always disappointed. That is obvious.

"There is no consolation. I have to live with this mistake. It was the sole mistake in seven matches and it has been penalised.

"That is 10 times more bitter.

"(But) We are second at a World Cup and German football has found its place again.

"We have led German football back where it belongs, among the first four in the world. Now we are able to build on this success for 2006.

"What the team has achieved here will be remembered. The lost final will not change this."

As it was, there was nothing Kahn could do about Ronaldo's second goal in the 79th minute that clinched Brazil a record fifth World Cup.

With one touch to control a Kleberson right-wing cross - which was superbly dummied by Rivaldo - the 25-year-old Ronaldo drove home from 16 yards.

It was his Golden Boot-winning eighth goal of the tournament that signalled the end of two years of hell following career-threatening knee injuries.

It also erased memories of the France 98 final when Ronaldo was a virtual passenger in a 3-0 loss to the hosts.

The German team, meanwhile, can look forward to a warm welcome home when their aircraft touches down in Frankfurt at 1650 (local time) on Monday.

Chancellor Gerhard Schroder reflected the national mood when he spoke movingly of his pride in the team

"When the tournament started, no one had expected we would reach the final, (But) in the course of the tournament a real team developed," he said.

"That is the achievement of Rudi Voller and Michael Skibbe. That is a fantastic example for what we can expect in 2006.

"The team has improved our country's reputation in an outstanding manner."

Former Germany coach and World Cup-winning captain Franz Beckenbauer, highly critical of the team's form earlier in the tournament, admitted he had been won over.

"We do not have to complain, the German team has played a great World Cup," he said.

"We can be very happy about reaching the final. Second place at a World Cup is a big thing.

"Of course the achievement will have an impact on the Bundesliga and the World Cup (in Germany) in 2006 - there could not have been a better advertisement.

"It was bad luck that Oliver Kahn made this mistake leading to the 0-1, but it was a fluttering ball by Rivaldo and the ball was slippery."