SPOTLIGHT

Pele likes the symmetry of today’s final.

“Brazil is the only team to have won the World Cup outside our continent,” the Brazilian legend said. “Now we have the chance to repeat that.

“In Sweden [in 1958], Brazil played against the home team. Here, we are playing against the home team. I think everything goes normally.”

Forty years ago, of course, Brazil had Pele. Now it has Ronaldo, who needs three goals to overtake Croatia’s Davor Suker and win the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer.

And the last Brazilian to score a hat trick in the World Cup was . . . Pele in 1958.