明晚的三四名爭奪戰結束後，葡萄牙隊和德國隊的主帥可能都將離任。
德國主帥克林斯曼作球員時在1990年幫助德國捧得世界盃。2004年夏天他接過德國國家隊教鞭並帶領德國隊殺進世界盃四強。
儘管德國隊沒能奪冠，但克林斯曼認為德國隊的表現可以被認為是成功的，並堅信德國隊的前途一片光明。
克林斯曼將有可能前往美國，執教美國國家隊。
而葡萄牙主帥斯科拉裏的世界盃不敗記錄被法國隊終止，這次失利也讓葡萄牙進軍冠軍爭霸戰的夢想破滅。
據傳，斯科拉裏將可能會巴西執教。但他表示合同結束前一切還未確定。
鏈結：http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=worldcup&prov=st&type=lgns
原文：Klinsmann, Scolari set for farewell?
July 7, 2006
STUTTGART, Germany (Ticker) - Jurgen Klinsmann and Luiz Felipe Scolari could be guiding Germany and Portugal for the last time on Saturday.
The two nations clash in the World Cup third-place playoff after hosts Germany bowed out to Italy and Portugal was eliminated by France in the semifinals.
Klinsmann, who won the World Cup with Germany as a player in 1990, took over as coach in the summer of 2004 and immediately set his sights on steering the team to success here.
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Young players such as Lukas Podolski - who has been named the young player of the tournament - and Bastian Schweinsteiger were handed their chance in the national team and Klinsmann also showed his ruthless streak by ditching longtime No. 1 goalkeeper Oliver Kahn in favor of Jens Lehmann for the tournament.
A 4-1 defeat in Italy in March, along with commuting from his California home, drew much criticism, something which was clearly forgotten about as Klinsmann and Germany moved into the final four.
Despite not meeting the nation's expectations of reaching - and winning - the final, Klinsmann feels the team's performance should still be regarded as a success and believes the national program has a bright future.
Klinsmann has already revealed he will bide his time before deciding whether to stay on as coach. He has been linked with the job for the United States, after a poor showing here has led to doubts over Bruce Arena's position.
The Germany coach will be without one of his top players as captain and top midfielder Michael Ballack will not play in order to rest a calf injury that has bothered him throughout the event.
Lehmann is also expected to sit, allowing Kahn to start between the goalposts.
On the other side is Scolari, the Brazilian who saw his unbeaten World Cup record come to an end by France.
The defeat to Les Bleus prevented Portugal from reaching its first World Cup final. By beating Germany, however, it will at least match the feat of finishing third set by the Eusebio-inspired 1966 team which beat the Soviet Union in England.
France also halted Scolari's amazing winning streak, which stood at 12 after having guided Brazil to the trophy in 2004.
Scolari has been linked with a return to the Brazil job but he insists nothing would be decided until his contract expires on July 31.
On the pitch, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo might have something to prove after being overlooked for the young player of the tournament award, which went to Podolski.
Ronaldo's antics against England and France cost him the award. The Manchester United winger won the fans' internet vote easily but FIFA's technical study group chose Podolski instead.
Ronaldo was criticized for his behavior surrounding Wayne Rooney's ejection, after which he winked at his bench, and was roundly booed in the semifinal against France - during which he blatantly dived in the penalty box.
Both Lothar Matthaus, the former Germany international who is the patron of the Gillette-sponsored award, and FIFA's technical chief Holger Osieck said lack of fair play had been an issue.
Podolski, who has just moved from FC Cologne to Bayern Munich, was named the winner after scoring three goals, one against Ecuador and twice vs. Sweden, and for a number of good performances including scoring a penalty kick against Argentina in the quarterfinal.
Despite Ronaldo's antics, he has produced some eye-catching displays with his speed and skill and will be looking to end the tournament on a high.
On Sunday, the world of soccer will say farewell to one of the greatest players of the past two decades.
France captain Zinedine Zidane, who is retiring after the tournament, aims to end his career by lifting the sport's most prestigious prize once again.
Zidane scored twice in France's 3-0 triumph over Brazil in the 1998 final and has been in formidable form in the knockout stages.
Italy, meanwhile, is hoping to lift the darkening clouds hanging over its country in the wake of the match-fixing scandal.
The Azzurri, beaten by Brazil on penalties in the 1994 final, is seeking its fourth World Cup championship, the last one coming in 1982.
作者-丁曉晨-北京第二外國語學院英語系
責編：佟杉杉