Germany 2006: The Valedictory Function
Monday, 10. July 2006, 11:20:50
Prince Poldi crowned Gillette Best Young Player
The FIFA Technical Study Group has made its decision, bestowing Germany's Lukas Podolski with the coveted Gillette Best Young Player award. Selected from a shortlist of six talented nominees, the striker becomes the first Gillette Best Young Player award winner in the history of the FIFA World Cup™.
Germany enjoyed a thrilling FIFA World Cup journey on home soil, achieving a place in the semi-finals few felt confident of predicting before the tournament began. A joy to watch as they poured forward in attack, the hosts owed much of their success to the fearsome strike duo of Miroslav Klose and Podolski. Junior partner Podolski, at 21, was one of 40 candidates competing for the title of Gillette Best Young Player.
An integral part of Jurgen Klinsmann's starting line-up, Prince Poldi already boasts a tally of 15 goals in 31 games for his country. An impressive haul for one so young, over the course of this FIFA World Cup Podolski has demonstrated time and time again that he thrives under pressure.
Three strikes and boundless energy
The Polish-born German put in perhaps his strongest performance against Sweden in the Round of 16, firing in a brace to cap a display of tireless front-running. Facing Argentina in the quarter-finals, the youngster once again gave everything. The Bayern Munich-bound forward demonstrated real character in what was an extremely tight encounter, not least when he coolly converted from the spot during the penalty shoot-out.
Having scored against Ecuador in the first round, Podolski currently has three goals to his name and will be looking to bolster his account in the match for third place against Portugal on Saturday. His youth may have caused him to snap at a few chances along the way, but Poldi undoubtedly possesses remarkable maturity for a 21-year-old. However, his greatest attributes have to be his boundless energy and hunger for success.
Indeed, his statistics bear out his considerable contribution to the host nation's cause: in 563 minutes, Podolski struck three goals, took 21 shots and drew 15 fouls.
Klose takes the adidas Golden Shoe
THE ROAD TO GOLD: After 64 games packed with goals and non-stop action, Germany’s Miroslav Klose has carried off the adidas Golden Shoe award as the top scorer at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™. The striker notched five goals in seven matches to take his total FIFA World Cup tally to ten. Finishing in second and third place respectively were Argentina’s Hernan Crespo and Brazil’s Ronaldo, providing both with some consolation for exiting the tournament at the quarter-final stage. Although the two were tied on three goals and one assist each, it was Crespo who took the silver having spent just 305 minutes on the pitch compared with 409 for o Fenômeno. Klose’s five-goal tally is the lowest winning total since the 1962 FIFA World Cup Chile™, not that it makes his achievement any less worthy. With two goals against Costa Rica, a further brace against Ecuador and a fine header in the quarter-final with Argentina, Klose moved into third place in the list of top German goalscorers at the FIFA World Cup finals.
Ronaldo, who beat Klose to the coveted award at Korea/Japan 2002, will take away another unforgettable memory from Germany 2006. His three goals took him past German striking legend Gerd Muller to move to the top of the all-time FIFA World Cup scoring charts with 15 goals. The adidas Golden Shoe is awarded to the top scorer at the FIFA World Cup. In case of a tie, the positions are decided by the number of assists made by each player during the tournament. If two players are still tied, the one who has disputed the least number of minutes will be declared the winner. The FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) decides which assists should count as such.
Buffon collects the Lev Yashin Award
Italy shotstopper Gianluigi Buffon has won the coveted Lev Yashin Award, given to the best goalkeeper at the FIFA World Cup™ finals. The Juventus star is a worthy successor to Belgium’s legendary Michel Preud’Homme, flamboyant French keeper Fabien Barthez and Germany’s Oliver Kahn, winners in 1994, 1998 and 2002 respectively. Buffon has been singled out as a potential all-time great ever since making his Serie A debut at tender age of 17 years and nine months. The 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ will go down in history as the tournament the classy custodian cemented his place alongside the best goalkeepers ever to play the game. It is difficult to find any chinks in Buffon's armour: the Italian star seems to possess the full range of qualities needed to be a complete No.1. Roberto Beccantini, a journalist at Italian daily newspaper La Stampa was brave enough to compare Buffon with legendary Azzurri keeper Dino Zoff, a hero of Italy’s 1982 FIFA World Cup-winning campaign. Beccantini believes Buffon possesses more of the characteristics shared by the classic Mediterranean stoppers while Zoff was perhaps more English in his style. The former Parma keeper wasted no time in making his mark at Germany 2006. Buffon’s acrobatics in his side’s opening game against Ghana were ample proof of his full recovery from the potentially career-threatening shoulder injury suffered at the beginning of the 2005/06 season. Despite having to endure a number of other knocks and niggles throughout the campaign, Buffon timed his return to full fitness perfectly, hitting top form to help the Vecchia Signora clinch the league title and the Azzurri lift the FIFA World Cup. Gigi’s toughest test would come in the group game against Czech Republic, going head-to-head with Juventus club-mate Pavel Nedved. After an intriguing duel, it was the keeper who came out on top, keeping a clean sheet in Italy’s 2-0 win. Prior to Sunday’s Final in Berlin, Buffon’s goal had been breached just the once, right-back Cristian Zaccardo putting through his own net against the USA. That one mishap aside, the Italian backline provided an effective screen throughout the tournament. Fabio Cannavaro and Co. were able to do their job safe in the knowledge that their world-class keeper would deal comfortably with any shots that did get through. In one of the highlights of Italy’s campaign, Buffon ran the length of field to celebrate with his team-mates after Marco Materazzi’s opener against Czech Republic. With the benefit of hindsight, this was the first sign that an indomitable team spirit was being forged among the members of Marcello Lippi's squad. In the Final itself, Buffon overcame the blow of conceding an early Zinedine Zidane penalty to put in an exemplary display, typified in the second half when he tipped over a goalbound Zidane header. Not may would argue against the fact that Buffon is a worthy FIFA World Cup winner and a deserved recipient of the Lev Yashin Award.
2006 FIFA World Cup adidas Golden Ball candidates
France provide a trio of aspirants, led by their lithe, graceful and lightning-quick striker, Thierry Henry. There had been question marks about the Arsenal captain’s performances for Les Bleus leading into the tournament, but Henry has answered his critics emphatically with a series of excellent and often-selfless performances in the lone striker role, performances that have thus far yielded three precious goals. Also in contention from Raymond Domenech’s camp is the powerful Patrick Vieira, another player who has emerged from a hail of criticism to prove that, at his best, there are few midfielders in the world capable of dominating and dictating a game so expertly. The last but certainly not the least of the French candidates is Zinedine Zidane. Already a legend in his own time, this most elegant of footballers continues to amaze with his near-balletic brilliance, and there can have been few individual performances at Germany 2006 to match that produced by the 34-year-old in France’s quarter-final win over Brazil. The hosts, meanwhile, may have bowed out at the semi-final stage, but their refreshingly adventurous approach won many friends outside German borders, and two players in particular caught the eye of the FIFA TSG members. One was Michael Ballack, the captain and a player whose workrate and driving influence in midfield earned him the apt tag of Germany’s lokomotive by coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Joining him in the reckoning is the man currently leading the race for another of the FIFA World Cup’s most illustrious honours, the adidas Golden Shoe. By anyone’s standards, Miroslav Klose has enjoyed a vintage tournament, with his strength, courage, eye for goal and link-up work with strike partner Lukas Podolski among the most impressive aspects of Germany’s play. It says much for the quality of Italy’s performances to this point in the tournament that they provide us with a greater number of candidates than any other team, with a quartet of Marcello Lippi’s team having been shortlisted for the honour. There will be no great surprise, certainly, at the sight of Gianluigi Buffon’s name in there, and the Juventus goalkeeper will hope that his agile, commanding and reliably inspirational performances for the Azzurri have been sufficient to see him follow in the footsteps of 2002 winner Kahn. Italy’s captain, Fabio Cannavaro has, however, been just as important in establishing Italy’s remarkably frugal defensive record – just one goal conceded, and an own goal at that – and the 32-year-old’s faultless marshalling of the Italian rearguard is sure to make him a strong contender. The composed, creative midfield play of Andrea Pirlo has also been recognised, with the AC Milan playmaker shortlisted for his telling contribution to Italy’s attacking play from a deep-lying position. Another player who has contributed to the Azzurri cause both defensively and offensively is Gianluca Zambrotta, a dynamic overlapping full-back who has popped up on both the right and left flanks to score and create goals in vital matches. The final candidate comes from Wednesday night’s beaten semi-finalists, Portugal, and this player can lay claim to having scored a couple of the tournament’s most spectacular goals against Mexico and the Netherlands. Maniche’s contribution has extended far beyond those eye-catching strikes, however, with his biting tackles and forceful running in the midfield engine room a key factor in Luiz Felipe Scolari’s team's march to the semi-finals.
Adidas Golden Ball winner: Zinedine Zidane
In one of the tightest votes in history, the inimitable French playmaker Zinedine Zidane won the adidas Golden Ball at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™. Although his team ultimately failed in their bid to lift the Trophy, Les Bleus No. 10 was voted the best player to grace the stage at Germany 2006. Behind ‘Zizou’ came Italy’s defensive rock Fabio Cannavaro, with the Juventus defender’s Azzurri team-mate Andrea Pirlo completing the podium. After a less than impressive showing in the group phase, Zidane finally got into gear against Spain in the Round of 16, producing a virtually flawless performance to steer his side to a famous win and a place in the last eight. If there is such a thing as footballing perfection, the midfield maestro surely attained it in the quarter-final showdown with Brazil. His superb passes, magical feints and all-round inspiration took France into the last four, where a solid performance and a clinical penalty helped Les Bleus dispose of Portugal. In the Final against Italy, he opened the scoring with an exquisite, not to mention audacious, spot-kick. Despite his tireless prompting, however, Zidane was unable to pick up the second FIFA World Cup™ winners medal of a glittering career and was sent from the field for butting Marco Materazzi in the chest.
Cannavaro nets the adidas Silver Ball
The honour of lifting the coveted FIFA World Cup Trophy fell instead to Fabio Cannavaro. The Italy centre-half was in inspired form throughout the tournament and was the cornerstone of a superbly drilled back-line that conceded only two goals in the entire tournament. Fearsome in the tackle and quick to fill any gap, Cannavaro brought his experience and astuteness to bear as Italy marched to the title. The Italian captain also showed how to lead from the front. Never shy of bringing his team-mates into line with a sharp word or two, he fought sportingly for every ball and the statistics show that he was guilty of very few fouls.
Pirlo bags the adidas Bronze Ball
The ultra-dependable Andrea Pirlo was voted the third-best player of the tournament, having proved himself to be one the most complete players in the world. Part-playmaker, part-holding midfielder – dual roles he performs to perfection – he enjoyed a superb FIFA World Cup and capped it all off by picking up the Budweiser Man of the Match Award for another consummate display in the Final.
Brazil and Spain share FIFA Fair Play Award
Brazil and Spain have been chosen by the FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) as the joint winners of the FIFA Fair Play Award for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™, after picking up a total of 886 points from the 1,000 available. The FIFA Fair Play Award is given to the team with the best record of Fair Play, sportsmanship and good conduct both on and off the pitch, according to a points system and criteria established by the FIFA Committee for Ethics and Fair Play. Every single game at the tournament is evaluated according to these criteria, but only teams who reach the Round of 16 are considered eligible for the prize. The squads will share the prestigious FIFA Fair Play Trophy as well as receiving medals for each member of their playing and coaching staff, a certificate, and a voucher for 50,000 US dollars worth of sporting material to be used in youth development. The evaluation is carried out according to six criteria which place an emphasis on the positive rather than the negative aspects of a team’s performance. The number of cards a team receives is the only way that points can be deducted. The other criteria taken into consideration are: positive play, with points awarded for an attractive, offensive-minded playing style; respect for opponents; respect for the officials; behaviour of the coaching staff and the behaviour of supporters.
Third success for Brazil
For the third time in the history of the award, the Brazilian national team can take pride in having won the FIFA Fair Play Award. That said, the Auriverde's fanatical supporters would have clearly preferred their team to repeat their magnificent double from USA 94, when the Seleção took home both the FIFA Fair Play Award and the FIFA World Cup Trophy. While Brazil may have shown only rare glimpses of their renowned jogo bonito here on German soil, they cannot be accused of not playing fair. Leading by example was defender Lucio, who went more than four games without conceding a single free-kick. The Bayern Munich centre-back committed his first foul in his side's quarter-final defeat against France.
Spain leave their Furia at home
Luis Aragones’s Spain side may have ended up heading home earlier than expected after their flying start to this summer's showpiece tournament, but at least they can take some consolation from winning the FIFA Fair Play Award for the very first time. Known in some circles as La Furia Roja (The Red Fury), Xavi and Co channelled their aggression into playing an open, expansive style of football, teamed with the very highest standards of sportsmanship. La Selección received just six cards in their four games here at Germany 2006. Strangely enough, three of these cards were shown to members of Aragones's second-string side deployed in the final group game against Saudi Arabia.
Previous winners
Users declare Portugal most entertaining team
It took just four minutes for Portugal’s star-studded attack to stamp their presence on the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™. Luis Figo, the country’s most-capped player of all time, took on the defender, as we have seen him do so many times before. A subtle change of pace gave him all the room he needed to square the ball for Pauleta and Portugal’s all-time leading scorer netted the team’s first goal of the finals. From that point on, Luiz Felipe Scolari’s men never looked back, and set off on a FIFA World Cup journey that would win them admirers from across the globe. That first victory, against Angola, laid the foundations for Portugal’s success on German soil. Felipão and his team went from strength to strength, displaying the kind of neat, technical football for which the likes of Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo and Deco are rightly famed. But behind the silk lay steel, as Miguel, Ricardo Carvalho, Maniche and others exuded pride, determination and passion in every performance. It is that blend of courage and cunning that has led FIFAworldcup.com readers, in an online poll, to elect Portugal as the Most Entertaining Team presented by Yahoo! Of course, this tournament marked the swansong of Figo’s glittering international career, but the Inter Milan veteran made the most of the opportunity to remind the world that age has not dimmed his brilliance. The evergreen winger made three assists in the tournament, and all his magnificent all-around displays lacked was a goal. As any coach will tell you, one man does not make a team, and the fulminating Figo was not the only star in Scolari's constellation. Maniche was a player reborn, his all-action style and keen eye for goal bringing back memories of his dazzling displays at UEFA EURO 2004. The midfielder was his country’s leading scorer in the finals with two goals, both of which were outstanding in their execution. Up front, the Portuguese had one of the tournament’s most exciting, and most controversial attackers. Cristiano Ronaldo’s blistering pace and unpredictability gave defenders nightmares and helped the flying winger to second place in the Gillette Best Young Player award. But his crowd-pleasing style brought him in for some rough treatment from opponents, and his supposed tendency to go to ground easily made him a target for media disapproval. The 21 year-old starlet was not easily fazed, however, and he responded to the boo-boys in the way he knows best, producing some of his most mesmerising performances in the latter stages of the competition. Germany 2006 should be the first of many FIFA World Cup finals for a player whose confidence and charisma mark him out for future greatness.
The Mastercard All Star Team
The Mastercard All Star Team featuring the 23 most impressive players at the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ has been revealed - and Italy are the team best represented. Seven members of the Italy squad that will contest Sunday's Final with France were included in the All Star team, while opponents France and the two beaten semi-finalists Germany and Portugal all contribute four players each. Argentina, Brazil and England - three sides who fell at the quarter-final stage - are also represented in the team.
The Mastercard All Star Team is as follows:
Goalkeepers
Defenders
Midfielders
Forwards
The FIFA Technical Study Group has made its decision, bestowing Germany's Lukas Podolski with the coveted Gillette Best Young Player award. Selected from a shortlist of six talented nominees, the striker becomes the first Gillette Best Young Player award winner in the history of the FIFA World Cup™.
Germany enjoyed a thrilling FIFA World Cup journey on home soil, achieving a place in the semi-finals few felt confident of predicting before the tournament began. A joy to watch as they poured forward in attack, the hosts owed much of their success to the fearsome strike duo of Miroslav Klose and Podolski. Junior partner Podolski, at 21, was one of 40 candidates competing for the title of Gillette Best Young Player.
said Podolski as he received the prize.I'm very honoured, of course, this is a big motivation for myself to keep on improving in my career and to play a even better World Cup in four years' time even though I had hoped to take a different trophy home
An integral part of Jurgen Klinsmann's starting line-up, Prince Poldi already boasts a tally of 15 goals in 31 games for his country. An impressive haul for one so young, over the course of this FIFA World Cup Podolski has demonstrated time and time again that he thrives under pressure.
explained Holger Osieck, Head of the FIFA Technical Study Group.He not only scored three goals, he was a key element in Germany's attack, He showed a great understanding with Miroslav Klose and the two players formed a very effective partnership. Together, they netted eight of the Mannschaft's 11 goals.
Three strikes and boundless energy
The Polish-born German put in perhaps his strongest performance against Sweden in the Round of 16, firing in a brace to cap a display of tireless front-running. Facing Argentina in the quarter-finals, the youngster once again gave everything. The Bayern Munich-bound forward demonstrated real character in what was an extremely tight encounter, not least when he coolly converted from the spot during the penalty shoot-out.
Having scored against Ecuador in the first round, Podolski currently has three goals to his name and will be looking to bolster his account in the match for third place against Portugal on Saturday. His youth may have caused him to snap at a few chances along the way, but Poldi undoubtedly possesses remarkable maturity for a 21-year-old. However, his greatest attributes have to be his boundless energy and hunger for success.
added Osieck.Another factor we considered was how much playing-time he saw. He started all the games and was only substituted after scoring twice against Sweden and right at the end of the Poland match.
Indeed, his statistics bear out his considerable contribution to the host nation's cause: in 563 minutes, Podolski struck three goals, took 21 shots and drew 15 fouls.
concluded Osiek.Our choices are based on hard facts and how a player performs at a given tournament, the World Cup in this case, Podolski still has a lot to learn but he is clearly a player with a great future.
Klose takes the adidas Golden Shoe
THE ROAD TO GOLD: After 64 games packed with goals and non-stop action, Germany’s Miroslav Klose has carried off the adidas Golden Shoe award as the top scorer at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™. The striker notched five goals in seven matches to take his total FIFA World Cup tally to ten. Finishing in second and third place respectively were Argentina’s Hernan Crespo and Brazil’s Ronaldo, providing both with some consolation for exiting the tournament at the quarter-final stage. Although the two were tied on three goals and one assist each, it was Crespo who took the silver having spent just 305 minutes on the pitch compared with 409 for o Fenômeno. Klose’s five-goal tally is the lowest winning total since the 1962 FIFA World Cup Chile™, not that it makes his achievement any less worthy. With two goals against Costa Rica, a further brace against Ecuador and a fine header in the quarter-final with Argentina, Klose moved into third place in the list of top German goalscorers at the FIFA World Cup finals.
Ronaldo, who beat Klose to the coveted award at Korea/Japan 2002, will take away another unforgettable memory from Germany 2006. His three goals took him past German striking legend Gerd Muller to move to the top of the all-time FIFA World Cup scoring charts with 15 goals. The adidas Golden Shoe is awarded to the top scorer at the FIFA World Cup. In case of a tie, the positions are decided by the number of assists made by each player during the tournament. If two players are still tied, the one who has disputed the least number of minutes will be declared the winner. The FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) decides which assists should count as such.
Buffon collects the Lev Yashin Award
Italy shotstopper Gianluigi Buffon has won the coveted Lev Yashin Award, given to the best goalkeeper at the FIFA World Cup™ finals. The Juventus star is a worthy successor to Belgium’s legendary Michel Preud’Homme, flamboyant French keeper Fabien Barthez and Germany’s Oliver Kahn, winners in 1994, 1998 and 2002 respectively. Buffon has been singled out as a potential all-time great ever since making his Serie A debut at tender age of 17 years and nine months. The 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™ will go down in history as the tournament the classy custodian cemented his place alongside the best goalkeepers ever to play the game. It is difficult to find any chinks in Buffon's armour: the Italian star seems to possess the full range of qualities needed to be a complete No.1. Roberto Beccantini, a journalist at Italian daily newspaper La Stampa was brave enough to compare Buffon with legendary Azzurri keeper Dino Zoff, a hero of Italy’s 1982 FIFA World Cup-winning campaign. Beccantini believes Buffon possesses more of the characteristics shared by the classic Mediterranean stoppers while Zoff was perhaps more English in his style. The former Parma keeper wasted no time in making his mark at Germany 2006. Buffon’s acrobatics in his side’s opening game against Ghana were ample proof of his full recovery from the potentially career-threatening shoulder injury suffered at the beginning of the 2005/06 season. Despite having to endure a number of other knocks and niggles throughout the campaign, Buffon timed his return to full fitness perfectly, hitting top form to help the Vecchia Signora clinch the league title and the Azzurri lift the FIFA World Cup. Gigi’s toughest test would come in the group game against Czech Republic, going head-to-head with Juventus club-mate Pavel Nedved. After an intriguing duel, it was the keeper who came out on top, keeping a clean sheet in Italy’s 2-0 win. Prior to Sunday’s Final in Berlin, Buffon’s goal had been breached just the once, right-back Cristian Zaccardo putting through his own net against the USA. That one mishap aside, the Italian backline provided an effective screen throughout the tournament. Fabio Cannavaro and Co. were able to do their job safe in the knowledge that their world-class keeper would deal comfortably with any shots that did get through. In one of the highlights of Italy’s campaign, Buffon ran the length of field to celebrate with his team-mates after Marco Materazzi’s opener against Czech Republic. With the benefit of hindsight, this was the first sign that an indomitable team spirit was being forged among the members of Marcello Lippi's squad. In the Final itself, Buffon overcame the blow of conceding an early Zinedine Zidane penalty to put in an exemplary display, typified in the second half when he tipped over a goalbound Zidane header. Not may would argue against the fact that Buffon is a worthy FIFA World Cup winner and a deserved recipient of the Lev Yashin Award.
2006 FIFA World Cup adidas Golden Ball candidates
France provide a trio of aspirants, led by their lithe, graceful and lightning-quick striker, Thierry Henry. There had been question marks about the Arsenal captain’s performances for Les Bleus leading into the tournament, but Henry has answered his critics emphatically with a series of excellent and often-selfless performances in the lone striker role, performances that have thus far yielded three precious goals. Also in contention from Raymond Domenech’s camp is the powerful Patrick Vieira, another player who has emerged from a hail of criticism to prove that, at his best, there are few midfielders in the world capable of dominating and dictating a game so expertly. The last but certainly not the least of the French candidates is Zinedine Zidane. Already a legend in his own time, this most elegant of footballers continues to amaze with his near-balletic brilliance, and there can have been few individual performances at Germany 2006 to match that produced by the 34-year-old in France’s quarter-final win over Brazil. The hosts, meanwhile, may have bowed out at the semi-final stage, but their refreshingly adventurous approach won many friends outside German borders, and two players in particular caught the eye of the FIFA TSG members. One was Michael Ballack, the captain and a player whose workrate and driving influence in midfield earned him the apt tag of Germany’s lokomotive by coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Joining him in the reckoning is the man currently leading the race for another of the FIFA World Cup’s most illustrious honours, the adidas Golden Shoe. By anyone’s standards, Miroslav Klose has enjoyed a vintage tournament, with his strength, courage, eye for goal and link-up work with strike partner Lukas Podolski among the most impressive aspects of Germany’s play. It says much for the quality of Italy’s performances to this point in the tournament that they provide us with a greater number of candidates than any other team, with a quartet of Marcello Lippi’s team having been shortlisted for the honour. There will be no great surprise, certainly, at the sight of Gianluigi Buffon’s name in there, and the Juventus goalkeeper will hope that his agile, commanding and reliably inspirational performances for the Azzurri have been sufficient to see him follow in the footsteps of 2002 winner Kahn. Italy’s captain, Fabio Cannavaro has, however, been just as important in establishing Italy’s remarkably frugal defensive record – just one goal conceded, and an own goal at that – and the 32-year-old’s faultless marshalling of the Italian rearguard is sure to make him a strong contender. The composed, creative midfield play of Andrea Pirlo has also been recognised, with the AC Milan playmaker shortlisted for his telling contribution to Italy’s attacking play from a deep-lying position. Another player who has contributed to the Azzurri cause both defensively and offensively is Gianluca Zambrotta, a dynamic overlapping full-back who has popped up on both the right and left flanks to score and create goals in vital matches. The final candidate comes from Wednesday night’s beaten semi-finalists, Portugal, and this player can lay claim to having scored a couple of the tournament’s most spectacular goals against Mexico and the Netherlands. Maniche’s contribution has extended far beyond those eye-catching strikes, however, with his biting tackles and forceful running in the midfield engine room a key factor in Luiz Felipe Scolari’s team's march to the semi-finals.
Adidas Golden Ball winner: Zinedine Zidane
In one of the tightest votes in history, the inimitable French playmaker Zinedine Zidane won the adidas Golden Ball at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™. Although his team ultimately failed in their bid to lift the Trophy, Les Bleus No. 10 was voted the best player to grace the stage at Germany 2006. Behind ‘Zizou’ came Italy’s defensive rock Fabio Cannavaro, with the Juventus defender’s Azzurri team-mate Andrea Pirlo completing the podium. After a less than impressive showing in the group phase, Zidane finally got into gear against Spain in the Round of 16, producing a virtually flawless performance to steer his side to a famous win and a place in the last eight. If there is such a thing as footballing perfection, the midfield maestro surely attained it in the quarter-final showdown with Brazil. His superb passes, magical feints and all-round inspiration took France into the last four, where a solid performance and a clinical penalty helped Les Bleus dispose of Portugal. In the Final against Italy, he opened the scoring with an exquisite, not to mention audacious, spot-kick. Despite his tireless prompting, however, Zidane was unable to pick up the second FIFA World Cup™ winners medal of a glittering career and was sent from the field for butting Marco Materazzi in the chest.
Cannavaro nets the adidas Silver Ball
The honour of lifting the coveted FIFA World Cup Trophy fell instead to Fabio Cannavaro. The Italy centre-half was in inspired form throughout the tournament and was the cornerstone of a superbly drilled back-line that conceded only two goals in the entire tournament. Fearsome in the tackle and quick to fill any gap, Cannavaro brought his experience and astuteness to bear as Italy marched to the title. The Italian captain also showed how to lead from the front. Never shy of bringing his team-mates into line with a sharp word or two, he fought sportingly for every ball and the statistics show that he was guilty of very few fouls.
Pirlo bags the adidas Bronze Ball
The ultra-dependable Andrea Pirlo was voted the third-best player of the tournament, having proved himself to be one the most complete players in the world. Part-playmaker, part-holding midfielder – dual roles he performs to perfection – he enjoyed a superb FIFA World Cup and capped it all off by picking up the Budweiser Man of the Match Award for another consummate display in the Final.
Brazil and Spain share FIFA Fair Play Award
Brazil and Spain have been chosen by the FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) as the joint winners of the FIFA Fair Play Award for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™, after picking up a total of 886 points from the 1,000 available. The FIFA Fair Play Award is given to the team with the best record of Fair Play, sportsmanship and good conduct both on and off the pitch, according to a points system and criteria established by the FIFA Committee for Ethics and Fair Play. Every single game at the tournament is evaluated according to these criteria, but only teams who reach the Round of 16 are considered eligible for the prize. The squads will share the prestigious FIFA Fair Play Trophy as well as receiving medals for each member of their playing and coaching staff, a certificate, and a voucher for 50,000 US dollars worth of sporting material to be used in youth development. The evaluation is carried out according to six criteria which place an emphasis on the positive rather than the negative aspects of a team’s performance. The number of cards a team receives is the only way that points can be deducted. The other criteria taken into consideration are: positive play, with points awarded for an attractive, offensive-minded playing style; respect for opponents; respect for the officials; behaviour of the coaching staff and the behaviour of supporters.
Third success for Brazil
For the third time in the history of the award, the Brazilian national team can take pride in having won the FIFA Fair Play Award. That said, the Auriverde's fanatical supporters would have clearly preferred their team to repeat their magnificent double from USA 94, when the Seleção took home both the FIFA Fair Play Award and the FIFA World Cup Trophy. While Brazil may have shown only rare glimpses of their renowned jogo bonito here on German soil, they cannot be accused of not playing fair. Leading by example was defender Lucio, who went more than four games without conceding a single free-kick. The Bayern Munich centre-back committed his first foul in his side's quarter-final defeat against France.
Spain leave their Furia at home
Luis Aragones’s Spain side may have ended up heading home earlier than expected after their flying start to this summer's showpiece tournament, but at least they can take some consolation from winning the FIFA Fair Play Award for the very first time. Known in some circles as La Furia Roja (The Red Fury), Xavi and Co channelled their aggression into playing an open, expansive style of football, teamed with the very highest standards of sportsmanship. La Selección received just six cards in their four games here at Germany 2006. Strangely enough, three of these cards were shown to members of Aragones's second-string side deployed in the final group game against Saudi Arabia.
Previous winners
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Korea/Japan 2002: Belgium
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France 1998: England and France
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USA 1994: Brazil
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Italy 1990: England
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Mexico 1986: Brazil
Users declare Portugal most entertaining team
It took just four minutes for Portugal’s star-studded attack to stamp their presence on the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™. Luis Figo, the country’s most-capped player of all time, took on the defender, as we have seen him do so many times before. A subtle change of pace gave him all the room he needed to square the ball for Pauleta and Portugal’s all-time leading scorer netted the team’s first goal of the finals. From that point on, Luiz Felipe Scolari’s men never looked back, and set off on a FIFA World Cup journey that would win them admirers from across the globe. That first victory, against Angola, laid the foundations for Portugal’s success on German soil. Felipão and his team went from strength to strength, displaying the kind of neat, technical football for which the likes of Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo and Deco are rightly famed. But behind the silk lay steel, as Miguel, Ricardo Carvalho, Maniche and others exuded pride, determination and passion in every performance. It is that blend of courage and cunning that has led FIFAworldcup.com readers, in an online poll, to elect Portugal as the Most Entertaining Team presented by Yahoo! Of course, this tournament marked the swansong of Figo’s glittering international career, but the Inter Milan veteran made the most of the opportunity to remind the world that age has not dimmed his brilliance. The evergreen winger made three assists in the tournament, and all his magnificent all-around displays lacked was a goal. As any coach will tell you, one man does not make a team, and the fulminating Figo was not the only star in Scolari's constellation. Maniche was a player reborn, his all-action style and keen eye for goal bringing back memories of his dazzling displays at UEFA EURO 2004. The midfielder was his country’s leading scorer in the finals with two goals, both of which were outstanding in their execution. Up front, the Portuguese had one of the tournament’s most exciting, and most controversial attackers. Cristiano Ronaldo’s blistering pace and unpredictability gave defenders nightmares and helped the flying winger to second place in the Gillette Best Young Player award. But his crowd-pleasing style brought him in for some rough treatment from opponents, and his supposed tendency to go to ground easily made him a target for media disapproval. The 21 year-old starlet was not easily fazed, however, and he responded to the boo-boys in the way he knows best, producing some of his most mesmerising performances in the latter stages of the competition. Germany 2006 should be the first of many FIFA World Cup finals for a player whose confidence and charisma mark him out for future greatness.
The Mastercard All Star Team
The Mastercard All Star Team featuring the 23 most impressive players at the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ has been revealed - and Italy are the team best represented. Seven members of the Italy squad that will contest Sunday's Final with France were included in the All Star team, while opponents France and the two beaten semi-finalists Germany and Portugal all contribute four players each. Argentina, Brazil and England - three sides who fell at the quarter-final stage - are also represented in the team.
The Mastercard All Star Team is as follows:
Goalkeepers
- Gianluigi Buffon (Italy),
- Jens Lehmann (Germany), and
- Ricardo (Portugal)
Defenders
- Roberto Ayala (Argentina),
- John Terry (England),
- Lilian Thuram (France),
- Philipp Lahm (Germany),
- Fabio Cannavaro (Italy),
- Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy), and
- Ricardo Carvalho (Portugal)
Midfielders
- Ze Roberto (Brazil),
- Patrick Vieira (France),
- Zinedine Zidane (France),
- Michael Ballack (Germany),
- Andrea Pirlo (Italy),
- Gennaro Gattuso (Italy),
- Francesco Totti (Italy),
- Luis Figo (Portugal), and
- Maniche (Portugal)
Forwards
- Hernan Crespo (Argentina),
- Thierry Henry (France),
- Miroslav Klose (Germany), and
- Luca Toni (Italy)
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