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The lead-up to the 1998 FIFA World Cup final remains one of the most extraordinary and unsettling moments in modern football history.

Having dazzled throughout the tournament and led Brazil to the final, striker Ronaldo suffered a sudden and mysterious medical incident just hours before kick-off.

Speculation swept through the Stade de France as confusion grew over whether the reigning Ballon d’Or winner would be included in Mario Zagallo’s starting line-up, with Brazil standing on the verge of defending the world title they had captured in the United States four years earlier.

It was later revealed that Ronaldo had experienced a convulsive fit on the afternoon of the final, losing consciousness and spending around three hours in a local hospital. When initial medical tests showed no major concerns, he was discharged shortly before the match and declared his intention to play.

At that time, Ronaldo was playing for Inter Milan, and the final set him against one of his club teammates, French midfielder Youri Djorkaeff. Despite the magnitude of the occasion, Djorkaeff took a moment away from his own match preparations to check on his friend’s condition.

“That’s true,” Djorkaeff told FourFourTwo. “I went to Brazil’s dressing room. Mario Zagallo opened the door. I told him that I’d heard something had happened to my friend Ronaldo and wanted to make sure he was all right.”

During the previous season at the San Siro, Djorkaeff and Ronaldo had formed a strong friendship, often engaging in light-hearted training ground competitions that strengthened their bond.

“I said to Ronaldo, ‘Don’t leave me out there playing alone.’ Throughout that season in Milan, after every training session, the two of us stayed back to practise hitting the crossbar,” Djorkaeff recalled.

Both players had been instrumental to Inter Milan’s successful campaign that year, finishing second in Serie A and lifting the UEFA Cup after defeating Lazio in the final, with Ronaldo scoring the decisive goal. Those extra practice sessions had even sparked a friendly rivalry between the two stars, one that would resurface dramatically in Paris that night.

“We used to joke that whoever scored the most points in training would go on to win the World Cup,” Djorkaeff continued. “He couldn’t miss that final.”

Djorkaeff’s visit to the Brazilian dressing room was both an act of friendship and a reminder of their competitive spirit. “I told him, ‘I’m going to beat you,’” he said—words that proved prophetic as France went on to defeat a stunned Brazil side 3-0 in the final.

Despite the result, their mutual respect endured. “After the match, we swapped shirts,” Djorkaeff confirmed, underlining the enduring bond between two of football’s greats.