Beach soccer world championship 1997

Beach soccer world championship 1997
Number of nations	8th
World Champion	Brazil (3rd title)
venue	Brazil
Opening game	January 14, 1997
Endgame	January 19, 1997
Games	16
Gates	144  (⌀: 9 per game)
Top scorer	Júnior (11 goals), Venancio Ramos (11 goals)
Best player	Junior

The beach soccer world championship 1997 was the third edition of the world championship tournament for men in beach soccer . The tournament took place from January 14-19 , 1997 in Copacabana , Rio de Janeiro , Brazil for the third time in a row.

Attendees

The following 8 national teams from the respective continental associations ultimately qualified for the final round:

3 from Europe	France	Portugal	Italy
3 from South America	Argentina	Brazil (GG)	Uruguay
1 from North, Central America and the Caribbean	United States
1 from Asia	Japan
0 from Africa
0 from Oceania

Preliminary round

Group A

rank	country	Gates	difference	Points
1	Uruguay	12:10	+ 2	6th
2	Argentina	10: 8	+ 2	6th
3	Italy	8: 8	0	3
4th	France	7:10	- 3	3

Uruguay	-	Argentina	5: 4
Italy	-	France	4: 1
France	-	Uruguay	5: 3
Argentina	-	Italy	3: 2
Argentina	-	France	3: 1
Uruguay	-	Italy	4: 2

Group B

rank	country	Gates	difference	Points
1	Brazil	27: 8	+ 19	9
2	United States	12:11	+ 1	6th
3	Portugal	14:18	- 4th	3
4th	Japan	5:21	- 16	0

Brazil	-	Japan	12: 3
United States	-	Portugal	7: 5
Brazil	-	Portugal	10: 2
United States	-	Japan	2: 1
Brazil	-	United States	5: 3
Portugal	-	Japan	7: 1

Final round

Semifinals

Uruguay	-	United States	6: 5 n.e.
Brazil	-	Argentina	14: 3

3rd place match.

United States

-

Argentina

5: 1

final

Brazil

-

Uruguay

5: 2

Awards

• Best player: Junior 
• Top scorer: Júnior (11 goals), Venancio Ramos (11 goals)
• Best goalkeeper: Paulo Sérgio