Crowd violence continued to mar games in Argentina, while racism became the new threat in Europe both on and off the field.

Wisla Krakow defender Nikola Mijailovic was banned for five games for racially abusing Blackburn's black striker Benni McCarthy in a UEFA Cup game, while a fan of Paris Saint-Germain was killed by a policeman after PSG hooligans attacked a Jewish supporter of Israeli club Hapoel Tel Aviv.

The best team in Europe won the Champions League. FC Barcelona came from behind to beat Arsenal at Stade de France after the Gunners had goalkeeper Jens Lehmann sent off in the 18th minute for a professional foul.

Although Brazil flopped at the World Cup, two of its clubs made it to the final of the Copa Libertadores, with Internacional beating Sao Paulo 4-3 on aggregate. Egypt's Al Ahly won the African title, South Korean side Chonbuk became Asian champion, and Mexico's America won the CONCACAF championship.

Internacional then beat Barcelona in the Club World Cup final in Yokohama, Japan.

Like the World Cup, the African Cup of Nations was decided on penalties. Egypt won the title after a 0-0 draw against Ivory Coast in the final in Cairo.

At the World Cup, only Ghana made it to the last 16 from Africa, leaving a question mark over whether the continent has the organizational skills to make an impact on world soccer four years before it stages the World Cup in South Africa.

The tournament in Germany created major movement among national team coaches. World Cup winner Marcello Lippi and Klinsmann decided not to stay. The United States invited Klinsmann to replace Bruce Arena but he declined.

In other major player transfers, AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko and Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Ballack both moved to already powerful Chelsea, which won its second England Premier League in a row. Neither made an immediate impact in English soccer, however, and got cool receptions from the Blues fans.

There was as much action off the field as on it, from the boardroom to the courtroom.

The arrival of Randy Lerner at Aston Villa and Eggert Magnusson at West Ham means that foreign owners are in control of six clubs in the English Premier League. Another consortium led by the ruler of Dubai, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, has made a takeover bid for Liverpool.

Soccer lost one of its all-time greats when Ferenc Puskas, who led Hungary's "Golden Team'' of the 1950s and won three European Cup titles with Real Madrid, died in November at age 79.

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