The forces of history did not kick a goal at the World Cup, or win a header at the near post, or make a mistimed tackle which deserved a red card. But they were there, as an integral part of the games. In fact, three of the top four nations at France '98 – France, Holland, and Brazil – directly profited from their colonialism.

The backbone of the victorious French team – defenders Lilian Thuram and Marcel Desailly – are from Guadeloupe and Ghana. Midfield genius Zinedine Zidane is of Algerian heritage. Flying winger Christian Karembeu was born in New Caledonia.

France regards its colonies, such as the French West Indies, Senegal, and New Caledonia, as being part of "metropolitan France," an extensive republic that exists wherever the Tricolour is flown. Ten players, almost half of France’s squad, were born beyond its borders. The French national team is truly a symbol of the world game, coming from four continents – Europe, Africa, Oceania, and South America.

Brazil’s mixed history

Pundits have long speculated that part of runner-up Brazil's success in world soccer comes from the diversity of races represented in its ethnic mix. While Brazil's population is officially 54 percent European, 38 percent mulatto, and eight percent black, those statistics are skewed by the social cachet that goes with being considered white. The defending champions at France ‘98 had only a couple of players that a casual observer would have described as "white" – goalkeeper Taffarel, and maybe midfielder Leonardo. Mostly the team was mulatto (Ronaldo, Bebeto, Edmundo, et al.) or black (Cesar Sampaio, Junior Baiano).

That racial mix is part of Portugal's colonial legacy. Although Brazil has been an independent country since 1822, 300 years of Portuguese rule, with an economy based on slave labor from Africa, left its mark.

It is a society with a huge gap between rich and poor. Soccer came to Brazil in the 1880s as the game of the white elite, and it wasn't until professionalism was allowed in the 1930s that black and mulatto players could get a game with the top clubs. By 1950, it was the game of the people, and enormous crowds packed the semi-built Maracana stadium to see Brazil lose at the last gasp to Uruguay. In 1958 Brazil, with Garrincha and the young Pele, came to Sweden and took the World Cup home with them.