Zidane wins Cup's best player award
(AP)
Updated: 2006-07-10 17:20 France captain Zinedine Zidane, sent off for
headbutting Marco Materazzi late in Sunday's World Cup final loss to Italy, won
the Golden Ball award for the tournament's best player.
France's Zinedine
Zidane walks past the World Cup Trophy after being sent off during their
World Cup 2006 final soccer match against Italy in Berlin July 9, 2006.
[Reuters] |
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 overtime.
It was his last act as a professional player.
The French missed Zidane's prowess in the penalty shootout, which Italy
calmly won to collect its fourth World Cup title.
Zidane, a former international player of the year and 1998 World Cup
champion, announced last month that he was retiring from soccer after the
tournament.
Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn won the Golden Ball in 2002. Other previous
winners were Brazilians Ronaldo (1998) and Romario ('94), Italy's Salvatore
Schillaci ('90) and Argentine great Diego Maradona.
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.
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