World Cup IV

This was the fourth and final cup in which the qualification was not group-based. This system allowed the cup to be held over the span of one season, instead of two. The Qualification rounds were based on the top 40 teams in the rankings table. Of those teams, the top eight in rankings qualified directly. The remaining thirty-two teams played for the final eight spots in the cup.

In the pre-qualification round the biggest surprises were when #40 Malaysia flattened #9 España 6-1 and #36 South Africa held an early lead to beat #13 Oceania 1-0. Other memorable moments were #15 México's 2-1 win in a penalty shoot out that saw 10 missed penalties before the 6th shot taker for México finally put home the goal, and when #20 Magyarország scored two consecutive goals in the 81st and 87th minutes to win 4-3 over #29 Česká republika.

In the qualification round México won yet again in penalties. This time the 3rd shooter for México put home the 2-1 goal to win over #33 Indonesia. Also #23 France held off a 2nd half comeback by Magyarország to win 2-1.

In Round II only thing separating #3 seed Scotland and #1 seed England in Group 3 was their mutual match, where Scotland was better by 1-0. Winner of the group was #4 seed Danmark leaving #2 seed Nederland last.

Semi-finals saw a thriller when Norge beat România 2-1 with a 92nd minute goal. Sverige won their semi 2-0 as expected putting the nail into Danmark's coffin just after halftime. This set up the grounds for one of the most exciting matches in World Cup history. In the final Norge used two Offensive Central Defenders to boost their midfield. They won the midfield and thus took the gold home. This was the first World Cup in which Sverige did not earn a gold medal.

Direct Qualification

• Template:Flag/SWEn
• Template:Flag/CANn
• Template:Flag/ENGn
• Template:Flag/ROUn
• Template:Flag/USAn
• Template:Flag/NEDn
• Template:Flag/GERn
• Template:Flag/FINn

Pre-Qualification

This round started on 2004-01-16 20:00:00 and was played in USA.

ID		Match Result
(13677190)	Template:Flag/ESPn	1 - 6	Template:Flag/MASn
(13677191)	Template:Flag/NORn	3 - 1	Template:Flag/SUIn
(13677192)	Template:Flag/POLn	1 - 0	Template:Flag/ISRn
(13677193)	Template:Flag/ITAn	0 - 1	Template:Flag/TURn
(13677194)	Template:Flag/OCEn	0 - 1	Template:Flag/RSAn
(13677195)	Template:Flag/DENn	3 - 1	Template:Flag/LVAn
(13677196)	Template:Flag/MEXn	2 - 1	Template:Flag/CROn
(13677198)	Template:Flag/BELn	0 - 1	Template:Flag/IDNn
(13677199)	Template:Flag/AUTn	3 - 0	Template:Flag/VENn
(13677200)	Template:Flag/SCOn	3 - 0	Template:Flag/GREn
(13677201)	Template:Flag/PORn	0 - 2	Template:Flag/IRLn
(13677202)	Template:Flag/HUNn	4 - 3	Template:Flag/CZEn
(13677203)	Template:Flag/BRAn	2 - 0	Template:Flag/ARGn
(13677204)	Template:Flag/RUSn	3 - 1	Template:Flag/SCGn
(13677205)	Template:Flag/FRAn	2 - 0	Template:Flag/INDn
(13677206)	Template:Flag/CHNn	3 - 2	Template:Flag/CHIn

Qualification

This round started on 2004-01-23 20:00:00 and was played in USA.

ID		Match Result
(13743435)	Template:Flag/NORn	3 - 0	Template:Flag/MASn
(13743436)	Template:Flag/POLn	2 - 1	Template:Flag/TURn
(13743437)	Template:Flag/DENn	1 - 0	Template:Flag/RSAn
(13743438)	Template:Flag/MEXn	2 - 1	Template:Flag/IDNn
(13743439)	Template:Flag/AUTn	4 - 0	Template:Flag/IRLn
(13743440)	Template:Flag/SCOn	2 - 0	Template:Flag/CHNn
(13743441)	Template:Flag/HUNn	1 - 2	Template:Flag/FRAn
(13743442)	Template:Flag/BRAn	3 - 0	Template:Flag/RUSn

Round II

This round started on 2004-01-30 20:00:00 and was played in USA.

Group 1

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
Template:Flag/SWEn	7	3	2	1	0	9	2	+7
Template:Flag/NORn	5	3	1	2	0	11	4	+7
Template:Flag/FINn	4	3	1	1	1	4	4	±0
Template:Flag/FRAn	0	3	0	0	3	0	14	-14

ID		Match Result		Date and Time
(13812846)	Template:Flag/SWEn	2 - 2	Template:Flag/NORn	30-01-2004 at 20.00
(13812847)	Template:Flag/FINn	2 - 0	Template:Flag/FRAn	30-01-2004 at 20.00
(13812848)	Template:Flag/SWEn	5 - 0	Template:Flag/FRAn	06-02-2004 at 20.00
(13812849)	Template:Flag/FINn	2 - 2	Template:Flag/NORn	06-02-2004 at 20.00
(13812850)	Template:Flag/SWEn	2 - 0	Template:Flag/FINn	13-02-2004 at 20.00
(13812851)	Template:Flag/NORn	7 - 0	Template:Flag/FRAn	13-02-2004 at 20.00

Group 2

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
Template:Flag/CANn	9	3	3	0	0	5	1	+4
Template:Flag/GERn	6	3	2	0	1	5	4	+1
Template:Flag/POLn	1	3	0	1	2	1	4	-3
Template:Flag/BRAn	1	3	0	1	2	3	5	-2

ID		Match Result		Date and Time
(13812852)	Template:Flag/CANn	2 - 0	Template:Flag/POLn	30-01-2004 at 20.00
(13812853)	Template:Flag/GERn	3 - 2	Template:Flag/BRAn	30-01-2004 at 20.00
(13812854)	Template:Flag/CANn	1 - 0	Template:Flag/BRAn	06-02-2004 at 20.00
(13812855)	Template:Flag/GERn	1 - 0	Template:Flag/POLn	06-02-2004 at 20.00
(13812856)	Template:Flag/CANn	2 - 1	Template:Flag/GERn	13-02-2004 at 20.00
(13812857)	Template:Flag/POLn	1 - 1	Template:Flag/BRAn	13-02-2004 at 20.00

Group 3

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
Template:Flag/DENn	6	3	2	0	1	5	2	+3
Template:Flag/SCOn	4	3	1	1	1	3	3	±0
Template:Flag/ENGn	4	3	1	1	1	3	3	±0
Template:Flag/NEDn	2	3	0	2	1	3	6	-3

ID		Match Result		Date and Time
(13812858)	Template:Flag/ENGn	2 - 1	Template:Flag/DENn	30-01-2004 at 20.00
(13812859)	Template:Flag/NEDn	2 - 2	Template:Flag/SCOn	30-01-2004 at 20.00
(13812860)	Template:Flag/ENGn	0 - 1	Template:Flag/SCOn	06-02-2004 at 20.00
(13812861)	Template:Flag/NEDn	0 - 3	Template:Flag/DENn	06-02-2004 at 20.00
(13812862)	Template:Flag/ENGn	1 - 1	Template:Flag/NEDn	13-02-2004 at 20.00
(13812863)	Template:Flag/DENn	1 - 0	Template:Flag/SCOn	13-02-2004 at 20.00

Group 4

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
Template:Flag/ROUn	9	3	3	0	0	6	2	+4
Template:Flag/USAn	4	3	1	1	1	3	2	+1
Template:Flag/AUTn	3	3	1	0	2	3	6	-3
Template:Flag/MEXn	1	3	0	1	2	0	2	-2

ID		Match Result		Date and Time
(13812864)	Template:Flag/ROUn	1 - 0	Template:Flag/MEXn	30-01-2004 at 20.00
(13812865)	Template:Flag/USAn	3 - 0	Template:Flag/AUTn	30-01-2004 at 20.00
(13812866)	Template:Flag/ROUn	3 - 2	Template:Flag/AUTn	06-02-2004 at 20.00
(13812867)	Template:Flag/USAn	0 - 0	Template:Flag/MEXn	06-02-2004 at 20.00
(13812868)	Template:Flag/ROUn	2 - 0	Template:Flag/USAn	13-02-2004 at 20.00
(13812869)	Template:Flag/MEXn	0 - 1	Template:Flag/AUTn	13-02-2004 at 20.00

Round III

This round started on 2004-02-16 20:00:00 and was played in USA.

Group 1

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
Template:Flag/ROUn	9	3	3	0	0	10	2	+8
Template:Flag/DENn	3	3	1	0	2	9	6	+3
Template:Flag/GERn	3	3	1	0	2	3	7	-4
Template:Flag/SCOn	3	3	1	0	2	3	10	-7

ID		Match Result		Date and Time
(14022721)	Template:Flag/ROUn	4 - 0	Template:Flag/GERn	16-02-2004 at 20.00
(14022723)	Template:Flag/DENn	6 - 1	Template:Flag/SCOn	16-02-2004 at 20.00
(14022724)	Template:Flag/ROUn	3 - 0	Template:Flag/SCOn	20-02-2004 at 20.00
(14022725)	Template:Flag/DENn	1 - 2	Template:Flag/GERn	20-02-2004 at 20.00
(14022726)	Template:Flag/ROUn	6 - 2	Template:Flag/DENn	23-02-2004 at 20.00
(14022727)	Template:Flag/GERn	1 - 2	Template:Flag/SCOn	23-02-2004 at 20.00

Group 2

Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
Template:Flag/SWEn	7	3	2	1	0	6	1	+5
Template:Flag/NORn	5	3	1	2	0	6	3	+3
Template:Flag/CANn	4	3	1	1	1	4	6	-2
Template:Flag/USAn	0	3	0	0	3	1	7	-6

ID		Match Result		Date and Time
(14022728)	Template:Flag/CANn	2 - 2	Template:Flag/NORn	16-02-2004 at 20.00
(14022729)	Template:Flag/SWEn	2 - 0	Template:Flag/USAn	16-02-2004 at 20.00
(14022730)	Template:Flag/CANn	1 - 0	Template:Flag/USAn	20-02-2004 at 20.00
(14022731)	Template:Flag/SWEn	0 - 0	Template:Flag/NORn	20-02-2004 at 20.00
(14022732)	Template:Flag/CANn	1 - 4	Template:Flag/SWEn	23-02-2004 at 20.00
(14022733)	Template:Flag/NORn	4 - 1	Template:Flag/USAn	23-02-2004 at 20.00

Semi-Finals

This round started on 2004-02-27 20:00:00 and was played in USA.

ID		Match Result
(14140868)	Template:Flag/ROUn	1 - 2	Template:Flag/NORn
(14140869)	Template:Flag/DENn	0 - 2	Template:Flag/SWEn

Final

This round started on 2004-02-29 20:00:00 and was played in USA.

ID		Match Result
(14287675)	Template:Flag/SWEn	2 - 4	Template:Flag/NORn

Tactics and Ratings

Sverige: 3-5-2 Normal Midfield: magical (very low) Right Defence: outstanding (very low) Central Defence: titanic (very high) Left Defence: extra-terrestrial (very high) Right Attack: extra-terrestrial (low) Central Attack: magnificent (low) Left Attack: solid (low) Indirect Set Pieces: Attack: {{{isp_attack}}} Defence: {{{isp_defence}}}

Norge: 3-5-2 Normal Midfield: divine (very high) Right Defence: passable (very low) Central Defence: inadequate (very high) Left Defence: inadequate (very high) Right Attack: supernatural (very low) Central Attack: outstanding (very high) Left Attack: passable (very high) Indirect Set Pieces: Attack: {{{isp_attack}}} Defence: {{{isp_defence}}}

HT Annoucements

Hattrick announces

World Cup!	13.1.2004
This friday at 20.00 HT-time the kick-off for the World Cup takes place in the US. Will Sweden be thrown off the throne for the National Teams like with the U20s? One of the main contenders will probably be the hosting US team. Good luck to all managers and may the best team win!

Hattrick announces

4 Giants gone already

17.1.2004

The first qualification round to the World Cup, played tonight, saw some spectacular results, as 4 of the 6 largest countries were knocked out already: Indonesia beat Belgium with 50 times (!) as many users. The Swiss were beaten by (admittedly strong) Norway. In a classic meet between arch-rivals, third largest HT nation Argentina was beaten by Brasil (which is only a tenth the size of Argentina in HT). Finally, 4th largest nation España was demolished by Malaysia with amazing 6 - 1.

Hattrick announces

World Cup Kickoff!	30.1.2004
Tonight the World Cup IV in USA takes off with the first round of the league play. Sweden faces Norway, a classic rivalry between neighbors. Canada-Polska in Group 2 and England-Denmark in Group 3 also promises to be interesting games tonight. Kickoff is at 20:00 HT-time.

Hattrick announces

Norway World Champions!

29.2.2004

In spite of the Swedes being in the lead with both 1 - 0 and 2 - 1, Norge managed to turn the game around, much thanks to Karsten Hammer who scored a Hattrick. Eventually Norge won with 4 - 2, having dominated both halves of the game. National Coach of Norge is Snylte, who is bound to be a national hero in Norway after his masterful coaching in the World Cup, that ended Sweden's dominance over the Hattrick World. Congrats from all of the HT-Team to an amazing victory!