Germany, crippled without red-carded playmaker and current captain, Michael Ballack, had to rely on Oliver Kahn's perfection in goal, while praying for Brazilian mistakes. Neither were forthcoming. Ronaldo slipped one past Kahn in the 66th minute, off a Rivaldo ricochet—delivered at such close range that the German blocked but couldn't hold it—and then again in the 78th. Ahead 2–0, a cocky Brazil brought some substitutes into the game—Juninho, only on for five minutes, looked certain to score—and it became obvious that the champions had the world's two best teams. A better final would've been Brazil starters v. Brazil bench.

Kahn took home the Golden Ball trophy, as the player of the tournament, on the basis of his prior performances. (Before Ronaldo, only Ireland's Robbie Keane had been able to get one past him.) Analyzing the Brazilian's first goal Kahn told the press: "My one and only mistake in seven matches. But that one mistake was brutally punished." For his eight goals Ronaldo took the high-scorer's Golden Shoe.

In celebration, the South Americans used the largest stadium in the world's only Shinto-majority country to produce what must have been the highest rated bit of televangelism in broadcast history, as Kaká, Edmilson and Lucio ripped off their jerseys, revealing undershirts that read—in Portuguese and English—"I belong to Jesus" and "Jesus loves you." Other Brazilian players danced in a conga line. Now, God be praised, they could break the forty days of celibacy imposed by coach Luis Felipe Scolari. As Ronaldo told reporters: "Sex I am going to do in a few moments, but nothing can be so rewarding as the World Cup."

They had won all seven of their games, and an unprecedented fifth world championship: a pent-campeão!

Despite their victory, they'd still have to go through qualification four years later.