BERLIN (AP) -- France captain Zinedine Zidane, sent off for
head-butting Marco Materazzi late in Sunday's World Cup final loss
to Italy, won the Golden Ball award for the tournament's best
player.
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|
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The results were released Monday morning in Berlin by FIFA.
Zidane polled 2012 points in the vote by journalists covering
the tournament, beating Italians Fabio Cannavaro (1977 points) and
Andrea Pirlo (715 points) in the ballot.
Zidane, who put France ahead with a penalty kick in the opening
minutes, was given a red card after slamming his head into
Materazzi's chest during the tense second period of extra time.
It was his last act as a professional player and one that was
widely criticized in France and abroad.
With the score locked 1-1 after 120 minutes the French missed
Zidane's prowess in the penalty shootout, which Italy calmly won
5-3 to collect its fourth World Cup title.
Zidane, 34, a former international player of the year and 1998
World Cup champion, announced last month that he was retiring from
soccer after the tournament.
He wasn't particularly outstanding in France's opening draws
with Switzerland and South Korea and missed the last group match
against Togo due to suspension. But Zidane produced some vintage
performances in the wins over Spain, Brazil and Portugal in the
knockout phase.
| Golden Ball Voting Totals |
|
Zinedine Zidane, France
|
2,012 points
|
|
Fabio Cannavaro, Italy
|
1,977
|
|
Andrea Pirlo, Italy
|
715
|
Voting for the 2006 Golden Ball closed at midnight Sunday. In
previous tournaments, the ballot has closed at halftime in the
final and the winner announced soon after the match.
Italy captain Cannavaro led an Italian defense that conceded
only two goals in the tournament: an own-goal against the United
States and Zidane's penalty. The final was his 100th cap for Italy.
"I got my award, that's it right there," Cannavaro said,
gesturing toward the World Cup trophy sitting on the table in front
of him. "I'm extremely pleased with what I have."
With fellow central defender Alessandro Nesta injured, Cannavaro
played every minute of Italy's seven games.
Many pundits tipped Cannavaro as the winner, including 1986
winner Diego Maradona.
"Fabio Cannavaro was the best player of this World Cup," the
Argentine great said. "Yes, it was a tournament without one
dominant player, but Fabio was huge."
Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn won the Golden Ball in 2002.
Other previous winners were Brazilians Ronaldo (1998) and Romario
('94) and Italy's Salvatore Schillaci ('90).
Germany striker Miroslav Klose was the Golden Shoe winner for
the tournament's leading scorer. He won with five goals. Ronaldo
won the award in 2002 with eight goals.
