1998 FIFA World Cup Group D explained

Nigeria won their first two games while Paraguay drew their first two games 0–0, which meant that Nigeria were certain of qualifying in first place with a game to spare. In their final game, Spain got their only victory after scoring six against Bulgaria, but were still eliminated in third place after Paraguay beat Nigeria. Thus, Spain were the only top seed not to advance to the second round, while all others topped their respective groups. On the other hand, Bulgaria could not repeat their surprise performance from the previous tournament, finishing last in the group with a single point.

Standings

Matches

Paraguay vs Bulgaria

GK 1 José Luis Chilavert (c)
CB 4 Carlos Gamarra
CB 5 Celso Ayala
CB 11Pedro Sarabia
RWB 19
LWB 21
CM 10Roberto Acuña
CM 13Carlos Paredes
CM 16Julio César Enciso
CF 15
CF 9
Substitutions:
DF 20
FW 18
MF 7
Manager:
Paulo César Carpegiani
<-- -->
GK 1 Zdravko Zdravkov
RB 2 Radostin Kishishev
CB 3 Trifon Ivanov (c)
CB 5 Ivaylo Yordanov
LB 4 Ivaylo Petkov
RM 16
CM 6 Zlatko Yankov
CM 11
LM 10Krasimir Balakov
FW 8
FW 9
Substitutions:
FW 7
MF 18
Manager:
Hristo Bonev
Assistant referees


Achmat Salie (South Africa)
Hussain Ghadanfari (Kuwait)
Fourth official


Nikolai Levnikov (Russia)

Spain vs Nigeria

GK 1 Andoni Zubizarreta (c)
RB 2
CB 14
CB 4 Rafael Alkorta
LB 12Sergi
RM 21Luis Enrique
CM 20
CM 6 Fernando Hierro
LM 10Raúl
SS 19Kiko
CF 11
Substitutions:
MF 18
FW 17
MF 16
Manager:
Javier Clemente
<-- -->
GK 1 Peter Rufai
RB 2
CB 5 Uche Okechukwu (c)
CB 6 Taribo West
LB 3 Celestine Babayaro
DM 15Sunday Oliseh
RM 7 George Finidi
CM 8 Mutiu Adepoju
CM 10Jay Jay Okocha
LM 11
CF 20
Substitutions:
FW 9
MF 13
DF 21
Manager:
Bora Milutinović
Assistant referees


Luis Torres Zúñiga (Costa Rica)
Yuri Dupanov (Belarus)
Fourth official


Ian McLeod (South Africa)

Nigeria vs Bulgaria

GK 1 Peter Rufai
RB 8
CB 5 Uche Okechukwu (c)
CB 6 Taribo West
LB 3 Celestine Babayaro
DM 15Sunday Oliseh
RM 7
AM 10
LM 11Garba Lawal
CF 14
CF 20
Substitutions:
FW 4
FW 9
MF 13
Manager:
Bora Milutinović
<-- -->
GK 1 Zdravko Zdravkov
DF 2
DF 3 Trifon Ivanov (c)
DF 4 Ivaylo Petkov
MF 6
FW 7 Emil Kostadinov
FW 8 Hristo Stoichkov
MF 10Krasimir Balakov
MF 11
DF 13Gosho Ginchev
MF 14
Substitutions:
MF 18
FW 9
FW 19
Manager:
Hristo Bonev
Assistant referees


Jorge Díaz Gálvez (Chile)
Arnaldo Pinto (Brazil)
Fourth official


Marcio Rezende (Brazil)

Spain vs Paraguay

GK 1 Andoni Zubizarreta (c)
RB 15Carlos Aguilera
CB 5
CB 4 Rafael Alkorta
LB 12
RM 17Joseba Etxeberria
CM 6 Fernando Hierro
CM 18Guillermo Amor
LM 21Luis Enrique
SS 10
CF 9
Substitutions:
FW 7
MF 16
FW 19
Manager:
Javier Clemente
<-- -->
GK 1 José Luis Chilavert (c)
DF 2
DF 4 Carlos Gamarra
DF 5
FW 8
MF 10
DF 11Pedro Sarabia
FW 15Miguel Ángel Benítez
MF 16Julio César Enciso
DF 20Denis Caniza
MF 21
Substitutions:
MF 13
MF 7
FW 18
Manager:
Paulo César Carpegiani
Assistant referees


Aristidis Chris Soldatos (South Africa)
Owen Powell (Jamaica)
Fourth official


Esse Baharmast (United States)

Nigeria vs Paraguay

GK 1 Peter Rufai (c)
RB 17
CB 6 Taribo West
CB 16Uche Okafor
LB 19
RM 13Tijani Babangida
CM 15
CM 18
LM 11Garba Lawal
CF 9 Rasheed Yekini
CF 4 Nwankwo Kanu
Substitutions:
DF 21
MF 7
Manager:
Bora Milutinović
<-- -->
GK 1 José Luis Chilavert (c)
RB 2 Francisco Arce
CB 4 Carlos Gamarra
CB 5 Celso Ayala
LB 11Pedro Sarabia
CM 13Carlos Paredes
CM 16Julio César Enciso
CM 20
RF 17
CF 9 José Cardozo
LF 15
Substitutions:
MF 7
MF 10
FW 8
Manager:
Paulo César Carpegiani
Assistant referees


Mohamed Al Musawi (Oman)
Mikael Nilsson (Sweden)
Fourth official


Masayoshi Okada (Japan)

Spain vs Bulgaria

GK 1 Andoni Zubizarreta (c)
RB 15
CB 20Miguel Ángel Nadal
CB 4 Rafael Alkorta
LB 12Sergi
RM 17
CM 6 Fernando Hierro
CM 18Guillermo Amor
LM 21
SS 11
CF 7 Fernando Morientes
Substitutions:
FW 10
FW 19
MF 8
Manager:
Javier Clemente
<-- -->
GK 1 Zdravko Zdravkov
DF 2 Radostin Kishishev
DF 3 Trifon Ivanov (c)
MF 5 Ivaylo Yordanov
FW 7 Emil Kostadinov
FW 8
MF 10
DF 13Gosho Ginchev
MF 16
MF 18Daniel Borimirov
FW 19
Substitutions:
FW 9
MF 11
MF 14
Manager:
Hristo Bonev
Assistant referees


Nicolae Grigorescu (Romania)
Claudio Rossi (Argentina)
Fourth official


Nikolai Levnikov (Russia)

See also