2002 in association football

The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 2002 around the world.

January

• January 8: The Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion withdraw from the MLS. They are both dissolved on the same day.
• January 19: The opening match of the 2002 African Cup of Nations is played. Mali drew 1–1 against Liberia at the Stade du 26 Mars in Bamako, Mali.

February

• February 10: The 2002 African Cup of Nations final is played. Cameroon beat Senegal 3–2 on penalties to win their fourth African Cup of Nations.
• February 13: Dick Advocaat replaces Louis van Gaal as the manager of the Netherlands. His first game as Netherlands manager was 1–1 draw against England.

March

• March 16: A 2001–02 Football League First Division match between Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion is played. The match was won 3–0 by West Bromwich Albion after the match was abandoned in the 82nd minute, after Sheffield United went down to 6 men on the field. This match would be the only match in the history of English professional football history to be abandoned because of a shortage of players, and would later be known as the Battle of Bramall Lane.

April

• April 5: The 2001-02 Asian Club Championship Final was played. South Korean club Suwon Samsung Bluewings beat fellow South Korean club Anyang LG Cheetahs 4–2 on penalties.

May

• May 8: Dutch club Feyenoord beat German club Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in the 2002 UEFA Cup Final. The match was played at the Stadion Feijenoord, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
• May 12: Scottish club Celtic won the 2001–02 Scottish Premier League with 103 points. This would be the highest points total a team has finished with in Scotland until the 2016–17 season, when Celtic finished with 106 points.
• May 15: Spanish club Real Madrid beat German club Bayer Leverkusun in the 2002 UEFA Champions League final. The match was played at Hampden Park in Scotland.
• May 28: The 53rd FIFA Congress is held. This is when the 2002 FIFA Presidential Election happened. Joseph "Sepp" Blatter beats Issa Hayatou in the election.
• May 30: A.F.C. Wimbledon is founded in England. It is founded by Wimbledon F.C. fans who were annoyed that the club was allowed to move to Milton Keynes.
• May 31: The opening match of the 2002 FIFA World Cup is played. In that game, Senegal beat 1998 World Cup winners France 1–0 at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in South Korea.

June

• June 17: 1954 FIFA World Cup winner Fritz Walter passes away.^[1]
• June 21: Austrian champions Tirol Innsburck are declared bankrupt and lose their Austrian Bundesliga license. This comes shortly after winning their third Austrian Bundesliga title.
• June 30: The 2002 FIFA World Cup Final is played. Brazil beats Germany 2–0 at the International Stadium of Yokohama, Japan.

July

• July 31: The 2nd leg of the 2002 Copa Libertadores Final is played. Paraguayan club Club Olimpia beat Brazilian club São Caetano 2–1 (2–2 on aggregate). Club Olympia would win 4–2 on penalties.

August

• August 27: The 2nd leg of the 2002 UEFA Intertoto Cup finals were played.
  • German club Stuttgart beat French club Lille 2–0 (Stuttgart won 2–1 on aggregate).
  • English club Fulham beat Italian club Bologna 3–1 (Fulham won 5–3 on aggregate).
  • Spanish club Málaga drew 1–1 against fellow Spanish club Villarreal (Málaga won 2–1 on aggregate).
• August 30: The 2002 UEFA Super Cup is played. UEFA Champions League winner Real Madrid beat UEFA Cup winner Feyenoord 3-1 at the Stade Louis II in Monaco.
• August 31: Spanish club Real Madrid sign Brazilian footballer Ronaldo from Italian club Inter Milan for €45 million.
• Date Unknown: Dutch coach Gerard van der Lem replaces Martin Koopman as the manager of Saudi Arabia.

September

• September 17: 1958 FIFA World Cup winner Edvaldo Alves de Santa Rosa passes away. He dies due to cancer.
• September 18: The 2002 CONCACAF Champions' Cup Final was played. Mexican club Pachuca beat fellow Mexican club Monarcas Morelia 1–0 at the Estadio Azul in Mexico City.
• September 22: 1950 FIFA World Cup winner Julio Pérez passes away.

October

• October 31: A match between AS Adema and SO l'Emyrne in Madagascar ended at 149–0. This is due to SO l'Emyrne scoring 149 own goals in protest. It was later discovered that the match was fixed.

November

• November 9: 1950 FIFA World Cup winner Eusebio Tejera passes away.
• November 13: 1950 FIFA World Cup winner Juan Alberto Schiaffino passes away.

December

• December 3: European champions Real Madrid beat South American champions Club Olimpia 2–0 in the 2002 Intercontinental Cup.
• December 17: The 2002 FIFA World Player of the Year gala is held. Brazilian footballer Ronaldo wins the Men's award, while American soccer player Mia Hamm wins the Woman's award.

Date Unknown

• The English Football Hall of Fame is opened.

Note: Players with clubs in bold are currently playing at that club. (As of September 2, 2025)

• January 1:
  • Simon Adingra, Ivorian footballer (Nordsjælland, Brighton & Hove Albion, Union Saint-Gilloise, Sunderland, Ivory Coast).
• January 3:
  • Nico González, Spanish footballer (Barcelona, Valencia, FC Porto, Manchester City). Son of former Spanish international footballer Fran and nephew of former Spanish footballer José Ramón.
• January 7:
  • Mohamed Daramy, Danish footballer (Copenhagen, Ajax, Stade de Reims, Denmark).
• January 9:
  • Piero Hincapié, Ecuadorian footballer (Independiente del Valle, Talleres de Córdoba, Bayer Leverkusen, Arsenal, Ecuador).
• January 16:
  • Bagas Kaffa, Indonesian footballer (Barito Putera). Twin brother of Indonesian footballer Bagus Kahfi.
• January 18:
  • Karim Adeyemi, German footballer (Red Bull Salzburg, FC Liefering, Borussia Dortmund, Germany).
• January 19:
  • Reinier, Brazilian footballer (Flamengo, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Girona, Frosinone, Granada, Atlético Mineiro).
• Janaury 20:
  • Arnaud Kalimuendo, French footballer (Paris Saint-Germain, Lens, Stade Rennais, Nottingham Forest, France Olympics),
• January 23:
  • Joško Gvardiol, Croatian footballer (Dinamo Zagreb, RB Leipzig, Manchester City, Croatia).
• January 29:
  • Andri Guðjohnsen, footballer (Real Madrid Castilla, IFK Norrköping, Lyngby, Gent, Blackburn Rovers, Iceland). Son of former Icelandic international footballer Eiður Guðjohnsen.
• January 30:
  • Marco Di Cesare, Argentine footballer (Argentinos Juniors, Racing Club).
  • Taylor Harwood-Bellis, English footballer (Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers, Anderlecht, Stoke City, Burnley, Southampton, England).
  • Christos Tzolis, Greek footballer (PAOK, Norwich City, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Club Brugge, Greece).
• January 31:
  • Giovanni, Brazilian footballer (Jong Ajax, Telstar, Fluminense, Ballkani).

• February 1:
  • Brian Brobbey, Dutch footballer (Jong Ajax, Ajax, RB Leipzig, Sunderland, Netherlands).
• February 3:
  • Radu Drăgușin, Romanian footballer (Juventus, Sampdoria Genoa, Tottenham Hotspur, Romania).
• February 11:
  • Dango Ouattara, Burkinabé footballer (Majestic FC, Lorient, Bournemouth, Brentford, Burkina Faso).
• February 14:
  • Nick Woltemade, German footballer (Werder Bremen, SV Elversberg, VfB Stuttgart, Newcastle United, Germany).
• February 25:
  • Maghnes Akliouche, French footballer (AS Monaco, France Olympics).

• March 2:
  • Eduardo Quaresma, Portuguese footballer ([[Sporting CP, Tondela, TSG Hoffenheim). Distant relative to Brazilian international footballer Zico.
• March 3:
  • Makar Litskevich, Belarusian footballer (Shakhtyor Soligorsk, FC Sputnik Rechitsa).
• March 10:
  • Ian Maatsen, Dutch footballer (Chelsea, Charlton Athletic, Coventry City, Burnley, Borussia Dortmund, Aston Villa, Netherlands).
  • Noni Madueke, English footballer (PSV Eindhoven, Chelsea, Arsenal, England).
• March 16:
  • Nathanaël Mbuku, French and DR Congolese footballer (Stade de Reims, FC Augsburg, Saint-Étienne, Dinamo Zagreb, Montpellier, France Olympic, DR Congo).

• April 16:
  • Filip Jörgensen, Swedish-born Danish footballer (Villarreal, Chelsea, Denmark).
• April 20
  • Georginio Rutter, French footballer (Stade Rennais, TSG Hoffenheim, Leeds United, Brighton & Hove Albion).
• April 27:
  • Anthony Elanga, Swedish footballer (Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United, Sweden). Son of former Cameroonian international footballer Joseph Elanga.

• May 6:
  • Cole Palmer, English footballer (Manchester City, Chelsea, England).
• May 13:
  • Eugenio Pizzuto, Mexican footballer (Pachuca, Lille, Braga B, Tigres UANL).
• May 15:
  • Chrislain Matsima, French footballer (AS Monaco, Lorient, Clermont Foot, FC Augsburg, France Olympics).
• May 16:
  • Tomás Araújo, Portuguese footballer (Benfica B, Benfica, Gil Vicente, Portugal).
  • Ryan Gravenberch, Dutch footballer (Ajax, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Netherlands).
  • Quentin Merlin, French footballer (Nantes, Olympique Marseille, Stade Rennais).
  • Kenneth Taylor, Dutch footballer (Jong Ajax, Ajax, Netherlands).
• May 19:
  • Riccardo Calafiori, Italian footballer (AS Roma, FC Basel, Bologna, Arsenal, Italy).
• May 25:
  • Noah Atubolu, German footballer (SC Freiburg II, SC Freiburg).
  • Manfred Ugalde, Costa Rican footballer (Deportivo Saprissa, Lommel, Twente, Spartak Moscow, Costa Rica).
• May 26:
  • Maxime Estève, French footballer (Montpellier, Burnley)
• May 27:
  • Jérémy Doku, Belgian footballer (Anderlecht, Stade Rennais, Manchester City, Belgium)
  • Gabri Veiga, Spanish footballer (Celta Vigo, Al-Ahli, Porto)
• May 28:
  • Gianluca Busio, American soccer player (Sporting Kansas City II, Sporting Kansas City, Venezia, United States).

• June 3:
  • Yan Couto, Brazilian footballer (Coritiba, Manchester City, Girona, Braga, Borussia Dortmund, Brazil).
• June 7:
  • Tomáš Suslov, Slovakian footballer (FC Groningen, Hellas Verona, Slovakia).
  • Tanguy Nianzou, French footballer (Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Sevilla).
• June 10:
  • Aaron Hickey, Scottish footballer (Heart of Midlothian, Bologna, Brentford, Scotland)
• June 12:
  • Koni De Winter, Belgian footballer (Juventus U23, Empoli, Genoa, AC Milan, Belgium).
• June 16:
  • Ismaël Koné, Canadian soccer player (CF Montréal, Watford, Olympique Marseille, Stade Rennais, Sassuolo, Canada).
• June 19:
  • Efraín Álvarez, American-born Mexican footballer (LA Galaxy II, LA Galaxy, Club Tijuana, Guadalajara, Mexico). Brother of former American soccer player Carlos Alvarez.
  • Nuno Mendes, Portuguese footballer (Sporting CP, Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal).
• June 20:
  • Hugo Ekitike, French footballer (Stade de Reims, Paris Saint-Germain, Eintracht Frankfurt, Liverpool).
• June 27:
  • Jarrad Branthwaite, English footballer (Everton, Blackburn Rovers, PSV Eindhoven, England).

• July 4:
  • Murillo, Brazilian footballer (Corinthians, Nottingham Forest, Brazil).
• July 11:
  • Amad Diallo, Ivorian footballer (Atalanta, Manchester United, Rangers, Ivory Coast).
• July 12:
  • Nico Williams, Spanish footballer (Athletic Bilbao, Spain national football team). Brother of Ghanian international footballer Iñaki Williams.
• July 17:
  • Enzo Millot, French footballer (AS Monaco, VfB Stuttgart, Al-Ahli, France Olympics).
• July 19:
  • Fábio Silva, Portuguese footballer (FC Porto, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Anderlecht, PSV Eindhoven, Rangers, Las Palmas, Borussia Dortmund, Portugal)
• July 25:
  • Adam Hložek, Czech footballer (Sparta Prague, Bayer Leverkusen, TSG Hoffenheim, Czech Republic).
• July 26:
  • Morgan Rogers, English footballer (West Bromwich Albion, Manchester City, Blackpool, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa, England national football team).
• July 30:
  • Ardon Jashari, Swiss footballer (Luzren, Club Brugge, AC Milan, Switzerland).

• August 18:
  • Amar Dedić, Austrian-born Bosnian footballer (Red Bull Salzburg, FC Liefering, Wolfsberger AC, Olympique Marseille, Benfica, Bosnia and Herzegovina).
  • Bart Verbruggen, Dutch footballer (Anderlecht, Brighton & Hove Albion, Netherlands).
• August 21:
  • Zion Suzuki, American-born Japanese footballer (Urawa Red Diamonds, Sint-Truiden, Parma, Japan).
• August 26:
  • Dilane Bakwa, French footballer (Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Nottingham Forest).
• August 30:
  • Fábio Carvalho, Portuguese footballer (Fulham, Liverpool, RB Leipzig, Brentford).

• September 1:
  • Heorhiy Sudakov, Ukrainian footballer (Shakhtar Donetsk, Benfica, Ukraine).
  • Illya Zabarnyi, Ukrainian footballer (Dynamo Kyiv, Bournemouth, Paris Saint-Germain, Ukraine)
• September 2:
  • Bradley Barcola, French footballer (Olympique Lyon, Paris Saint-Germain, France). Brother of Togolese international footballer Malcolm Barcola.
• September 14:
  • Pape Matar Sarr, Senegalese footballer (FC Metz, Tottenham Hotspur, Senegal).

• October 4:
  • Aster Vranckx, Belgian footballer (Mechelen, VfL Wolfsburg, AC Milan, Sassuolo, Belgium).
• October 10:
  • Paul Nebel, German footballer (Mainz 05, Karlsruher SC).
  • James Trafford, English footballer (Manchester City, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley).
• October 17:
  • Maximilian Beier, German footballer (TSG Hoffenheim, Hannover 96, Borussia Dortmund, Germany).
• October 18:
  • James McAtee, English footballer (Manchester City, Sheffield United, Nottingham Forest). Brother of English footballer John McAtee, great-grandson of English footballer and manager Alan Ball Sr., and great-nephew of English international footballer Alan Ball Jr..
• October 20:
  • Yeremy Pino, Spanish footballer (Villarreal, Crystal Palace, Spain).
• October 21:
  • Thierno Barry, French footballer (Sochaux B, Beveren, Basel, Villarreal, Everton).
• October 23:
  • Elkan Baggott, Thai-born Indonesian footballer (Ipswich Town, Gillingham, Bristol Rovers, Blackpool, Indonesia).
• October 31:
  • Ansu Fati, Spanish footballer (Barcelona, Brighton & Hove Albion, AS Monaco, Spain).

• November 6:
  • Elliot Anderson, English footballer (Newcastle United, Bristol Rovers, Nottingham Forest). Grandson of former English footballer Geoff Allen and brother of Love Island contestant Wil Anderson.
• November 10:
  • Eduardo Camavinga, Angolan-born French footballer (Stade Rennais, Real Madrid, France).
• November 12:
  • Tino Livramento, English footballer (Southampton, Newcastle United, England).
• November 13:
  • Giovanni Reyna, American soccer player (Borussia Dortmund, Nottingham Forest, Borussia Mönchengladbach, United States). Son of former American soccer players Claudio and Danielle Reyna.
• November 25:
  • Pedri, Spanish footballer (Las Palmas, Barcelona, Spain).
• November 28:
  • Destiny Udogie, Italian footballer (Hellas Verona, Udinese, Tottenham Hotspur, Italy).
• November 29:
  • Yunus Musah, American soccer player (Valencia, AC Milan, Atalanta, United States).

• December 14:
  • Francisco Conceição, Portuguese footballer (Porto, Ajax, Juventus, Portugal). Son of former Portuguese intenrational footballer Sérgio Conceição, and brother of Portuguese footballers Sérgio and Rodrigo Conceição.
• December 17:
  • Castello Lukeba, French footballer (Olympique Lyon, RB Leipzig, France).
• December 18:
  • Giuliano Simeone, Italian-born Argentine footballer (Atlético Madrid B, Atlético Madrid, Real Zaragoza, Deportivo Alavés, Argentina). Son of former Argentine international footballer Diego Simeone, and brother of Argentine footballers Gianluca and Giovanni Simeone.
• December 31:
  • Ryan Flamingo, Dutch footballer (Sassuolo, Vitesse, Utrecht, PSV Eindhoven).