THIS CUP NOT FOR FAINT OF HEART.

Byline: SCOTT FRENCH SOCCER

DORTMUND, Germany - This World Cup largely has been defined by phantom penalties and excessive cards. By poor officiating and poorer ethics. By players diving and falling and writhing on the ground, anything to dupe the referee into awarding a penalty kick or giving an opponent a yellow or red card.

So, naturally, the legacy will be something quite positive.

The overriding lessons of this World Cup, so artfully presented during a dramatic -- if not always thrilling -- quarterfinal round, are all about mind-set, and it's the teams that want to go for it, that want to attack, that are seeking to score goals rather than prevent them that are the success stories of Germany 2006.

Brazil and Argentina lost their way en route to a likely June 9 final in Berlin and paid for that with stunning final-eight exits. The Argentines' failure was more egregious; They were the tournament's best team, no question, capable of such brilliance as the 24-pass goal in the sublime rout of Serbia and Montenegro or Maxi Rodriguez's overtime volley to beat Mexico.

As Brazil floundered, its Magic Quartet -- Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka and Adriano -- a dud, its first team's every performance a disappointment, the Argentines were offering mesmerizing soccer.

Everything flowed so gracefully through Juan Roman Riquelme to Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola, at times to Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez.

This was the true Magic Quintet.

It all went wrong Friday against Germany in Berlin, and for all the wrong reasons. Argentina seemed capable of doing anything it desired in the quarterfinal, setting the game's pace -- relaxed, unhurried -- and dictating nearly every roll of the ball. That they never extended themselves to attack, never pulled out something spectacular, owes plenty to coach Jose Pekerman's tactics and selections.

The Argentines' patience knew no end, and Messi's absence, especially when Riquelme departed in the 73rd minute, made no sense. When Riquelme begged out, exhausted, it was the beginning of Argentina's end. His replacement, Esteban Cambiasso, is more defensive-minded. Then Julio Cruz, instead of Messi or Saviola, replaced Crespo, a virtual one-for-one swap.

``We have a lot of respect for (Messi and Saviola),'' Germany assistant coach Joachim Loew said afterward. ``And if they bring on Messi, they can counterattack. Messi is fast and a good dribbler. He'd have been a big danger for us. ... (When Cambiasso and Cruz came on), that's when we knew Argentina was stepping back, and we really had to make the most of that.''

Argentina's dominance immediately disappeared. Miroslav Klose pulled the Germans even, Michael Ballack and Torsten Frings took control of midfield, and Jens Lehmann stepped up when penalty kicks arrived.

There was no spark in the Brazilians when they faced France. They seemed unable or unwilling to push forward. France, with vintage Zinedine Zidane at the controls and Claude Makelele and Patrick Vieira cleaning everything up behind him, owned midfield. Zidane was spectacular as the French repeatedly surged forward. Brazil's forays were cut off 25, 30 yards from goal. When it did poke through, there was no chance against France's seamless backline.

Italy, which today will face Germany at Dortmund's Westfalenstadion, also reached the final four via attack. An overmatched opponent, Ukraine, and Luca Toni's timely resurgence led to three goals.

Portugal, France's foe Wednesday in Munich, benefited from England's inability to attack.

Now all we need is a Germany-France title game.

Eng-er-land's fans get passing grade

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany - The remnants of the English invasion nursed beers in the town square Sunday night, punctuating their presence every so often with song.

``Eng-er-land, Eng-er-land, Eng-er-land ...,'' they bellowed, still making the case for their team a day after its elimination on penalty kicks by Portugal.

England's World Cup dismissal, its sixth in a quarterfinal, registered as resignation rather than disbelief among its supporters and mostly over-the-top media. Swedish coach Sven-Goran Eriksson took the brunt of the blame, his inability to guide a ``golden generation'' into the final four and beyond apparently unforgivable.

Eriksson, whose tenure ended with the shootout defeat, couldn't prod his team beyond pedestrian performances.

David Beckham also received a fair share of criticism. When he relinquished his captaincy in a tearful news conference Sunday, one wag called it the first wise decision he's made in six years of wearing the armband for England. John Terry, the favorite to replace Beckham as captain, might possess more leadership capabilities, but ``Becks,'' has always, offered an honest performance.

His brilliant foot provided all three victories, forcing the own goal against Paraguay, setting up Peter Crouch against Trinidad & Tobago and finding the net with a bending ball against Ecuador.

More press went to the English ``WAGs'' (wives and girlfriends), most of whom found Germany the perfect place to shop, party at nightclubs, get drunk and dance on tables.

Their conduct, seeming to confirm every continental stereotype of Brits on holiday, grew so extreme that Victoria Beckham -- ``Posh Spice,'' queen of the ``WAGs'' -- stopped hanging out. She was, a source told The Independent, ``aware that the more the WAGs go out and get drunk, the more the criticism is going to be leveled at them, both at home and abroad."

England's supporters have long offered an odd dichotomy: They are the most passionate fans on earth, and an evening in their company, in a stadium with their team, is a phenomenal experience. But there are some among them who get drunk and break stuff, or throw stuff at police or opposing fans -- and they often are egged on by the media or those opposing fans.

There was trouble in Germany, especially in Stuttgart, where nine people were hurt and more than 500English supporters arrested, but nothing like the scenes previous championships have witnessed.

The authorities, who have kept a close eye out, gave the English a passing grade.

``Our fans,'' Stephen Thomas, the senior English police official assisting the Germans, told Associated Press, ``have been superb.''

-- Scott French

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) Miroslav Klose's second-half header for Germany helped seal the fate of the Argentines.

Thomas Kienzle/Associated Press

(2) English fans chanted, sang and knocked back a few pints while cheering on their team.

Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

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