Group A was one of eight groups at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. It consisted of defending champions France, two-time winners Uruguay, Denmark and debutants Senegal. The group's first match was played on 31 May 2002 and the last on 11 June 2002.
From the outset, it was apparent that the group would not pan out as expected, as Senegal beat France 1–0 in the opening match of the tournament. France followed this with a goalless draw against Uruguay, in a match in which their star striker Thierry Henry was sent off, before rounding out the group with another defeat to Denmark. Senegal's other two matches finished as draws, including a well-earned point against Denmark and a bad-tempered game against Uruguay, in which 12 players were booked.
Denmark started the group well, beating Uruguay in Ulsan, before a late Senegalese equaliser in Daegu prevented them from qualifying for the round of 16 with a match to spare. Instead, they were forced to play France, knowing that a draw would see them through to the next round. They won 2–0 and finished top of the group thanks to Senegal's draw with Uruguay.
Dark horses Uruguay never really got going, with their high point being a goalless draw with a sub-par French side. They did manage to put three goals past Senegal in a high-scoring draw, but their loss to Denmark in their opening match had dashed any hopes they may have had of reaching the next round.
Standings
Denmark advanced to play England (runner-up of Group F) in the round of 16. Senegal advanced to play Sweden (winner of Group F) in the round of 16.
Matches All times are local (UTC+9)
France vs Senegal
GK 16Fabien BarthezRB 15Lilian ThuramCB 18Frank LeboeufCB 8 Marcel Desailly (c)LB 3 Bixente LizarazuCM 4 Patrick VieiraCM 17Emmanuel Petit RW 11Sylvain Wiltord AM 6 Youri Djorkaeff LW 12Thierry HenryCF 20David TrezeguetSubstitutions:FW 21Christophe Dugarry FW 9 Djibril Cissé Manager:Roger Lemerre GK 1 Tony SylvaRB 17Ferdinand ColyCB 13Lamine DiattaCB 4 Pape Malick DiopLB 2 Omar DafDM 6 Aliou Cissé (c) RM 14Moussa N'DiayeCM 19Papa Bouba DiopCM 15Salif DiaoLM 10Khalilou FadigaCF 11El Hadji DioufManager: Bruno Metsu Man of the Match: El Hadji Diouf (Senegal)
Assistant referees: Ali Al-Traifi (Saudi Arabia) Jorge Rattalino (Argentina) Fourth official: Felipe Ramos (Mexico)
Uruguay vs Denmark
GK 1 Fabián CariniRB 2 Gustavo Méndez CB 14Gonzalo SorondoCB 4 Paolo Montero (c)LB 6 Darío Rodríguez RM 8 Gustavo VarelaCM 5 Pablo GarcíaLM 7 Gianni GuigouAM 20Álvaro Recoba CF 9 Darío SilvaCF 13Sebastián Abreu Substitutions:FW 17Mario Regueiro FW 11Federico Magallanes FW 18Richard Morales Manager:Víctor Púa GK 1 Thomas SørensenRB 6 Thomas HelvegCB 4 Martin Laursen CB 3 René HenriksenLB 5 Jan Heintze (c) CM 2 Stig TøftingCM 7 Thomas GravesenRW 19Dennis RommedahlAM 9 Jon Dahl TomassonLW 8 Jesper Grønkjær CF 11Ebbe Sand Substitutions:DF 12Niclas Jensen FW 10Martin Jørgensen MF 17Christian Poulsen Manager:Morten Olsen Man of the Match: Jon Dahl Tomasson (Denmark)
Assistant referees: Awni Hassouneh (Jordan) Dramane Dante (Mali) Fourth official: Byron Moreno (Ecuador)
Denmark vs Senegal
GK 1 Thomas SørensenRB 6 Thomas Helveg CB 4 Martin LaursenCB 3 Rene HenriksenLB 5 Jan Heintze (c)CM 2 Stig TøftingCM 7 Thomas Gravesen RW 19Dennis Rommedahl AM 9 Jon Dahl Tomasson LW 8 Jesper Grønkjær CF 11Ebbe Sand Substitutions:FW 10Martin Jørgensen MF 17Christian Poulsen FW 18Peter Løvenkrands Manager:Morten Olsen GK 1 Tony SylvaRB 17Ferdinand ColyCB 13Lamine DiattaCB 4 Pape Malick Diop (c)LB 2 Omar DafRM 14Moussa N'Diaye CM 3 Pape Sarr CM 15Salif Diao CM 19Papa Bouba DiopLM 10Khalilou Fadiga CF 11El Hadji DioufSubstitutions:FW 7 Henri Camara FW 9 Souleymane Camara DF 21Habib Beye Manager: Bruno Metsu Man of the Match: Khalilou Fadiga (Senegal)
Assistant referees: Ferenc Szekely (Hungary) Visva Krishnan (Singapore) Fourth official: Kim Young-Soo (South Korea)
France vs Uruguay
GK 16Fabien BarthezRB 15Lilian ThuramCB 18Frank Leboeuf CB 8 Marcel Desailly (c)LB 3 Bixente LizarazuCM 4 Patrick VieiraCM 17Emmanuel Petit RW 11Sylvain Wiltord AM 22Johan MicoudLW 12Thierry Henry CF 20David Trezeguet Substitutions:DF 2 Vincent Candela FW 9 Djibril Cissé FW 21Christophe Dugarry Manager:Roger Lemerre GK 1 Fabián CariniRB 3 Alejandro LemboCB 4 Paolo Montero (c)CB 14Gonzalo SorondoLB 6 Darío Rodríguez RM 8 Gustavo VarelaCM 5 Pablo García LM 16Marcelo Romero AM 20Álvaro RecobaCF 9 Darío Silva CF 13Sebastián Abreu Substitutions:FW 11Federico Magallanes MF 22Gonzalo de los Santos MF 7 Gianni Guigou Manager:Víctor Púa Man of the Match: Fabien Barthez (France)
Assistant referees: Vladimir Fernández (El Salvador) Curtis Charles (Antigua and Barbuda) Fourth official: Urs Meier (Switzerland)
Denmark vs France
GK 1 Thomas SørensenRB 6 Thomas HelvegCB 4 Martin LaursenCB 3 Rene Henriksen (c)LB 12Niclas Jensen CM 2 Stig Tøfting CM 17Christian Poulsen CM 7 Thomas GravesenRW 19Dennis RommedahlLW 10Martin Jørgensen CF 9 Jon Dahl TomassonSubstitutions:FW 8 Jesper Grønkjær DF 20Kasper Bøgelund MF 23Brian Steen Nielsen Manager:Morten Olsen GK 16Fabien BarthezRB 2 Vincent CandelaCB 15Lilian ThuramCB 8 Marcel Desailly (c)LB 3 Bixente LizarazuCM 4 Patrick Vieira CM 7 Claude MakéléléRW 11Sylvain Wiltord AM 10Zinedine ZidaneLW 21Christophe Dugarry CF 20David TrezeguetSubstitutions:FW 9 Djibril Cissé MF 22Johan Micoud MF 6 Youri Djorkaeff Manager:Roger Lemerre Man of the Match: Zinedine Zidane (France)
Assistant referees: Carlos Matos (Portugal) Elise Doriri (Vanuatu) Fourth official: Ľuboš Micheľ (Slovakia)
Senegal vs Uruguay
GK 1 Tony SylvaRB 17Ferdinand Coly CB 13Lamine DiattaCB 4 Pape Malick DiopLB 2 Omar Daf RM 19Papa Bouba Diop CM 6 Aliou Cissé (c)CM 5 Alassane N'Dour LM 10Khalilou Fadiga CF 7 Henri Camara CF 11El Hadji Diouf Substitutions:DF 21Habib Beye MF 14Moussa N'Diaye MF 12Amdy Faye Manager: Bruno Metsu GK 1 Fabián Carini RB 3 Alejandro LemboCB 4 Paolo Montero (c) CB 14Gonzalo Sorondo LB 8 Gustavo VarelaRM 16Marcelo Romero CM 5 Pablo García LM 6 Darío Rodríguez AM 20Álvaro RecobaCF 9 Darío SilvaCF 13Sebastián Abreu Substitutions:FW 17Mario Regueiro FW 18Richard Morales FW 21Diego Forlán Manager:Víctor Púa Man of the Match: Papa Bouba Diop (Senegal)
Assistant referees: Jaap Pool (Netherlands) Ferenc Szekely (Hungary) Fourth official: Kyros Vassaras (Greece)
See also Denmark at the FIFA World Cup France at the FIFA World Cup Senegal at the FIFA World Cup Uruguay at the FIFA World Cup
References
Match reports