NOTEBOOK: FIFA CONGRATULATES (WHO ELSE?) ITSELF.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

Soccer's new era opened Thursday with FIFA giving itself a pat on the back for the current World Cup.

FIFA's executive committee, meeting for the first time under newly elected president Sepp Blatter, agreed to hire a consulting firm to study reorganization of its management structure and heard Blatter step away from one of the main planks of his campaign platform.

Earlier in the day, FIFA's World Cup organizing committee heard chairman Lennart Johansson of Sweden declare the tournament that ends Sunday an ``overwhelming success.''

Johansson said there had been problems with ticket scandals and fan violence, including fights in Lens that left a policeman in a coma. But he and Blatter said the quality of play, atmosphere in the stadiums and general organization made this ``a memorable World Cup in almost every respect.''

Jacques Lambert, managing director of the French World Cup organizing committee, expressed ``total satisfaction'' with the way the event came off.

Find a seat: Laurent Blanc was suspended for two games by FIFA, meaning the French defender will miss Sunday's World Cup final against Brazil.

The suspension, which also rules him out of France's first qualifying game of the next European Championship, can't be appealed. But it comes amid criticism that World Cup referees are taking no action against players guilty of feigning injury or play-acting.

Blanc, who has played 74 times for France, was sent off for the first time in his long career for pushing Croatian defender Slaven Bilic in the face Wednesday as the two prepared for a free kick.

Although there were claims that Bilic, who tumbled to the ground clutching his face, might have been play-acting to get the Frenchman sent off, FIFA said the red card and the suspension stand.

Reacting to French officials who said earlier they would appeal any suspension, FIFA said that unless there was a case of mistaken identity and it wasn't Blanc who committed the offense, there was no chance of the ban being dropped.

FIFA regarded Blanc's action as violent conduct. It also suspended other players, such as Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert and Argentina's Ariel Ortega, for more than one game for similar conduct.

Time to rethink this thing: The Croats had a day off to get over their semifinal loss to France and prepare for the consolation prize: the third-place game against the Netherlands.

But how do you motivate a team that has just missed its greatest moment in history at the World Cup? How do you get over a major letdown for a match that is little more than a game to fill a TV slot?

``We really wanted to play the final, but now we have to concentrate and try to be third,'' said striker Davor Suker, whose fifth goal of the tournament gave Croatia a brief 1-0 lead.

``We will be motivated and I pray that the Dutch won't be. It will be a difficult game, but it's better to finish third than fourth.''

The Croats retreated to their new headquarters at Chantilly, north of Paris, after their loss Wednesday night at the Stade de France. The players, visibly depressed after a defeat they felt could have been easily avoided, pledged to play hard for third place.

``If we had managed to hold onto our lead for five minutes, we would have won,'' defender Slaven Bilic said. ``But now we have to concentrate on the match on Saturday.''

Midfielder Mario Stanic expected a tough match against the gifted Dutch team, which lost in a penalty shootout to Brazil in the semifinals.

``We want to finish third in our first World Cup,'' Stanic said.

``We'll give everything to capture third place,'' defender Igor Stimac added.

Positive thinking: It worked so well in 1994, Brazil is positive it will work again.

The defending World Cup champions were scheduled to meet Thursday night with Evandro Motta, a specialist in success psychology.

FIFA spokesman Keith Cooper said Motta would address the team on ``mastering positive energy which, in turn, creates success.''

Motta met with the team before the '94 championship in Pasadena, where Brazil won its record fourth title in a shootout over Italy.

Misc.: Said Belqola of Morocco was chosen to referee the championship game. The customs inspector from Fes will be joined Sunday by linesmen Mark Warren of England and Achmat Salie of South Africa. Abdul Rahman Al Zeid of Saudi Arabia is the alternate. . . .

An estimated 24 million of France's 60 million residents watched on television as the home team beat Croatia in the semifinals Wednesday. . . .

Brazil was a 4-6 favorite to repeat as champions, according to Ladbrokes, the largest of Britain's legal betting houses. France was a 6-5 bet to win its first Cup.

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PHOTO Downtown Seoul buildings display the year South Korea will help host the World Cup. Japan will be the other host nation.

Associated Press