View Full Version : Zidane wins Golden Ball
NeilMcD
10/07/2006, 9:11 AM
Zinedine Zidane won the Golden Ball award for the World Cup's best player, despite being sent off for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the final.
More to follow...
Dont agree with this should have been Cannavarro. Zidane played for 2 or 3 games, Cannavarro played for 7.
Joke decision. I knew sentiment would get in the way of Cannavaro but at least he has his medal
Block G Raptor
10/07/2006, 9:14 AM
even with the sending off aside Cannavaro was the better player for me. Zidane should have been disqualified for his assault on materazzi anyway
Voting obviously done before the final. 3rd time in a row, the winner of this has lost in the final
Cannavaro for me but i think he'l be happy enough with his medal
Sandro
10/07/2006, 10:03 AM
The Golden Ball is a meaningless award, a business affair arranged mainly by sponsors just like France Football's one. Both have really little to do with real football and Cannavaro, being a defender like Maldini and Baresi, is aware he has no chance to get any award
Superhoops
10/07/2006, 10:23 AM
Voting obviously done before the final. 3rd time in a row, the winner of this has lost in the final
Voted for by journalists at half-time during the final.
After this decision not only is it a meaningless award but it is devalued for those who have won it before.
Hard to see why FIFA would ridicule themselves by sanctioning this award. On second thoughts, given their track record nothing now surprises me.
Dodge
10/07/2006, 10:34 AM
Jesus Superhoops, you're not one for melodrama are you? Zidane had a great toournament. Not the best player in it but so what, he probably was in 1998 and didn't win.
Relax FFS
Superhoops
10/07/2006, 10:54 AM
Jesus Superhoops, you're not one for melodrama are you? Zidane had a great toournament. Not the best player in it but so what, he probably was in 1998 and didn't win.
Relax FFS
one excellent game + two decent games + two ordinary games + one nightmare game + 3 yellow cards + headbutting an opponent + red card + not being available for penalty shoot out which his team lost = great tournament. :confused: :confused: Don't think so.
NeilMcD
10/07/2006, 11:00 AM
Yeah and to be honest I thought superhoops comments were very reserved so not sure why you are telling him to relax either. It was a disgrace of a decision to give it to Zidane. Cannavarro was player of the tournament as he was the best and most consistant performer.
Dodge
10/07/2006, 11:17 AM
I told him to relax because of the melodrama...
Zidane was BRILLIANT against Spain, Brazil and Portuagal and by a mile France's best player last night. To say he didn;'t have agreat tournament is being ridiculous (He was OK too in the other two games)
Of course Canavaro was the best player in the tournament but that doesn't Zidane wasn't great. Does Canavaro care if he didn’t win this? No. Does Zidane care that he won it? No. So why are people getting so upset about it here
NeilMcD
10/07/2006, 11:22 AM
Not sure anybody is getting upset.
Sandro
10/07/2006, 11:34 AM
Canavaro care if he didn’t win this? No. Does Zidane care that he won it? No. So why are people getting so upset about it here
Good point
Bondvillain
10/07/2006, 11:50 AM
Here's some of the awards suggested by a panicky FIFA to fill the press release after realising Zidane's sending off may not present the association in a warm halo of golden light:;)
The "Ooh, that's a pleasant surprise" award: Australia, Ghana
The "Yeeeaah..Pretty much as expected , then" Award : Trinidad & Tobago, Togo
The "Tim Henman punctuality & consistency award" : (Good to be back again, keep the engines running, we wont be long): Saudi Arabia
The "He's a bit special, isn't he? Who's he p*ss*d off to be out of the starting 11? " award: Willy Sagnol, Aaron Lennon
The "Medical Curiosity" award : Thierry Henry, Michael Ballack (I have received a blow to my lower abdomen. My face is now in great pain.)The "Dr Crippen services to medicine award" : The French medical team (Henry receives blow to abdomen, falls clutching face, & doctor applies icepack. To rear of head. Naturally.)
The "Boot through the plasma screen" award : (Shared) Jermaine Defoe, Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs, Damien Duff, Darren Bent, Huntelaar
The "Most entertaining Lunatic " award : Phil Scolari, Lionel Messi, Graham Poll (Disqualified for not being entertaining)
The "How long will this take, I would like to get some autographs" award: Ecuador (V England)
The "Replaced by a Doppelganger at the airport" award : The entire Serbia & Montenegro squad, Ronaldinho
The "Fifa world cup brought to you by Pepsi & Monty Python" award : Portugal V Holland, Australia V Croatia
The "Oh yeah, they were there too, weren't they?" award: Sweden, Poland, Van Nistelrooy
The "Thank you, Its been a great honour, yadda yadda yadda, now give me my money" award : Sven
The "Of course you were brought for a reason son, we want someone to keep an eye on our stuff when we're playing" award : Theo Walcott
The "Fit? Of course I'm fit! I'm fit enough to eat these 9 kebabs aren't I? " award: Ronaldo
The "Cheat? I'm not a cheat, I'm just a fundamentally horrible person" award: Christiano Ronaldo
The "More likely to be the name of a supporting character in "Hamlet" than a footballer" award :Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink
The "Anders Frisk perma-tanned adult film stars in football" award : Marco Van Basten
The "Well, There's 2 hours of my life I'm never getting back." award: Switzerland v Ukraine
The " What does this big red button marked 'Self Destruct' do?" award: Zidane, Czech Republic, The Netherlands, Wayne Rooney, Sven
The "Simply going through the motions of going through the motions at this stage" award : Brazil, David Beckham
The "Dammit, I really don't want to praise or like you, but you're making it very difficult for me" Award : Lehmann, Gattuso, Viera, Argentina
The "Harry Callahan" award : Didier Drogba (Handball? What is this handball? Your rules do not apply to me!)
The "Jam-packed to the brim with Excrement" award : Sepp Blatter, Christiano Ronaldo, Sven.
NeilMcD
10/07/2006, 11:51 AM
Zinedine Zidane
Zidane's final match in professional football was the World Cup final
Zinedine Zidane won the Golden Ball award for the World Cup's best player, despite being dismissed for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the final.
France captain Zidane polled 2,012 points in the vote by journalists mostly carried out at half-time.
The midfielder, 34, beat Italians Fabio Cannavaro (1,977 points) and Andrea Pirlo (715 points) in the ballot.
He scored a penalty early on in the final but was sent off in extra time as France went on to lose on penalties.
Highlights: Italy 1-1 France (Italy win 5-3 on penalties)
The former international player of the year and 1998 World Cup winner announced last month that he was retiring from football after the tournament.
The vast majority of those votes were cast by journalists before the final was over and that I'm sure is why Zidane has come out top
BBC sports news correspondent Gordon Farquhar
On Sunday, he put France ahead from the spot in the opening minutes but was sent off after slamming his head into Materazzi's chest during the tense second period of extra time, which ended 1-1.
It was to be his last act as a professional player and, with the French missing his prowess in the ensuing penalty shootout, Italy went on to claim the World Cup title.
BBC sports news correspondent Gordon Farquhar was in Berlin to see the game and the vote.
"The vast majority of those votes were cast by journalists before the final was over and that I'm sure is why Zidane has come out top," Farquhar told BBC Radio Five Live.
WORLD CUP BLOG
Those of us who dismissed Materazzi while he was at Everton could only watch in bemusement as this maverick, short-tempered talent made a massive contribution to Italy's win
Our blogger Phil in Berlin
More on our World Cup blog
"But it's going to be a bit embarrassing for Fifa - the man who got sent off in the final for a completely unacceptable foul against another player is the guy who's been chosen by journalists as the man of the tournament.
"The reason the journalists voted for Zidane was this great emotional thing - everybody knew it was his last tournament and the final was his last game of football ever - but most people were dumbfounded to see what he did on Sunday.
"If you'd asked the 2,012 journalists - who voted for him - after the game whether they wanted to change their vote, they probably would have."
Other players on the Golden Ball shortlist included Maniche (Portugal), Michael Ballack (Germany), Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy), Thierry Henry (France), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Patrick Vieira (France) and Miroslav Klose (Germany).
Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn won the prestigious award in 2002, while other previous winners include 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 as leading scorer at the World Cup with five goals.
Italian Gianluigi Buffon was named the tournament's best goalkeeper.
And semi-finalists Portugal won Fifa's "most entertaining team" award.
German striker Lukas Podolski pipped Portuguese winger Ronaldo to be named the World Cup's best young player
Jerry The Saint
10/07/2006, 12:01 PM
And semi-finalists Portugal won Fifa's "most entertaining team" award.
:eek: Odd choice.
drinkfeckarse
10/07/2006, 12:26 PM
I find it odd but not unexpected that Ballack was on the shortlist. He only played 3 games and whilst he played well, he was not outstanding in my view but yet he's on the shortlist for Player of the Tournament??
Cannavarrrro?
wtf did he do?!?!??!
he was involved in ONE good game
they struggled past the might of australia - the usa - ooh dropped a greasey meat ball there azzuri didnt we
he was the best of the ten man italian side in the final - (totti didnt bother joining in) - not hard seen as all of them where out on their feet v a supposedly ageing and semi retired frog team
Canavarro was no more than basic
the germans were by far and away the best team in the tournament as they just went for broke as much as their team allowed a refreshing antidote to sterile b0llocks of Italy and Portugal
there was no real outstanding player in this tourney
NeilMcD
10/07/2006, 12:49 PM
What rubbish if you dont know why Cannavarro was the best player in the tournament you dont know very much about football. He had evertying a centre half needs. Reading of the game, pace, organisation, passion, aggression, good judgment. He showed this in every game they played. Against Germany he won tackles that he had no right to win. Against the Ukraine he was the same, with great headers and tackles etc. Italy were the more attacking team against Germany esp in extra time as they finished with 4 attackers on the pitch and thats why the won the game.
Its cliched and stereotypical to called the Italians cautious, in this tournament they were anything but with the exception of last night, but that appeared to be from tiredness in my view.
Cannavarrrro?
wtf did he do?!?!??!
he was involved in ONE good game
they struggled past the might of australia - the usa - ooh dropped a greasey meat ball there azzuri didnt we
he was the best of the ten man italian side in the final - (totti didnt bother joining in) - not hard seen as all of them where out on their feet v a supposedly ageing and semi retired frog team
Canavarro was no more than basic
the germans were by far and away the best team in the tournament as they just went for broke as much as their team allowed a refreshing antidote to sterile b0llocks of Italy and Portugal
there was no real outstanding player in this tourney
Remove this clowns posting privileges. You clearly haven't a notion about football
WeAreRovers
10/07/2006, 2:57 PM
Remove this clowns posting privileges. You clearly haven't a notion about football
Don't mind him, he's on another of his hilarious fishing expeditions.
KOH
BrayUnknowns
10/07/2006, 3:00 PM
Remove this clowns posting privileges. You clearly haven't a notion about football
here here
games v
australia
usa
ukraine
all of the above are rubbish teams in the world context. Fact!
France pished all over Italy in the final. Fact a dó.
Henry waltzed into the box like he had a free pass from the supposed "best defence in the world" - only his utter disbelief at the ease with which he got through and rubbish finishing that he seems to reserve for finals prevented him from capitalizing.
Canavarro was NOWHERE near the best player at teh world cup - by that sort of fuzzy thinking well than Paul McGrath was the Golden Ball winner in 94 when he had a storming game v the Italians
but do go on, dont let me stop you, if tehy say he's the best on the telly it must be true
but than again i expect that sort of fuzzy thinking on football from this quarter - a site full of Olés who told us France were a "finished team" of no significance back in the qualifiers, how prescient
Henry was **** in the final, wws.
drinkfeckarse
10/07/2006, 3:32 PM
Are you a little upset that France didn't win or something wws?
Marked Man
10/07/2006, 3:33 PM
Thought Zambrotta was Italy's best player myself.
Are you a little upset that France didn't win or something wws?
Hardly, Germany were my team of the tournament as you can see from my numerous posts on this subject........
Henry breezed past the Italian the defence with the ease of a pro footballer playing against a kids team, he just knocked Gattuso and Totti over at one stage, and sold Canavarro a peach of a dummy, in fairness to Canavaro he got back to redeem himself more than can be said for poor old Totti. And dont even start me on Camorenesi.....
drinkfeckarse
10/07/2006, 3:49 PM
And dont even start me on Camorenesi.....
Whatever about the rest, you won't get any arguments from me on that score.
Jerry The Saint
10/07/2006, 3:57 PM
And dont even start me on Camorenesi.....
I'll hear no bad words against Camoranesi:
http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=4135
Camoranesi chose to celebrate in hair-raising fashion when he had his ridiculously long ponytail cut off on the pitch after the game.
Lazio defender Massimo Oddo, the side's unofficial barber on the trip, was handed the honour of chopping it off.
Never mind what Marco The Matrix said to Zidane, this is surely the most offensive thing an Italian could have done last night. That ponytail had more hair than the entire French squad, the baldest squad in World Cup history - FACT!
Im open to a severe beating on this but I do believe that Camoranesi is actually Argentinian
....he only speaks Argentinian as well, hasn't a word of Italian
Jerry The Saint
10/07/2006, 4:19 PM
Im open to a severe beating on this but I do believe that Camoranesi is actually Argentinian
....he only speaks Argentinian as well, hasn't a word of Italian
It's in the link above - Maradona gave him a motivational speech on the eve of the final. An awful lot of Argies have Italian passports although I think Camoranesi still considers himself Argentinian first but chose the Ed Joyce route to further his career.
I'm pretty sure he speaks Italian though, seeing as he's been playing there for years.
Jerry The Saint
10/07/2006, 4:20 PM
It's in the link above - Maradona gave him a motivational speech on the eve of the final. An awful lot of Argies have Italian passports although I think Camoranesi still considers himself Argentinian first but chose the Ed Joyce route to further his career.
I'm pretty sure he speaks Italian though, seeing as he's been playing there for years.
Oh, and I'm DEFINITE that he can't speak a word of Argentinian. :D
they do have there own language
the spanish cant understand a word they speak apparently cause they butcher it so bad.....or is that Portugeese.
Either way Brian Kerr thought him English.
Kerr tried to sign him for pats too but robbie devereuax was taking up our foreigner limit at the time.
And yeah there is a definite distinction between South American Spanish and the rest of the world
And yeah there is a definite distinction between South American Spanish and the rest of the world
tell me about it! nearly totally different the way they use it
FarBeag
10/07/2006, 10:32 PM
Cannavarrrro?
wtf did he do?!?!??!
he was involved in ONE good game
they struggled past the might of australia - the usa - ooh dropped a greasey meat ball there azzuri didnt we
he was the best of the ten man italian side in the final - (totti didnt bother joining in) - not hard seen as all of them where out on their feet v a supposedly ageing and semi retired frog team
Canavarro was no more than basic
the germans were by far and away the best team in the tournament as they just went for broke as much as their team allowed a refreshing antidote to sterile b0llocks of Italy and Portugal
there was no real outstanding player in this tourney
You are just on some sort of a wind up aren’t you? Please tell us all that its only a little joke.
DmanDmythDledge
10/07/2006, 10:48 PM
Cannavaro was the best player at this World Cup by a long shot, followed by Pirlo. Zidane only had two outstanding games against Spain and Brazil. Cannavaro was consistenly superb throughout the tournament.
jorge
10/07/2006, 10:49 PM
they do have there own language
the spanish cant understand a word they speak apparently cause they butcher it so bad.....or is that Portugeese.
Either way Brian Kerr thought him English.
Its the spannish that butcher their own language,if you listen to a southamerican speak and then a spaniard youll see how horrible the spannish spannish is.
CollegeTillIDie
10/07/2006, 11:01 PM
Italy deserved to win the Cup on the basis of the Whole tournament. They played well in 4 games France played well in 2.
Zidane was not player of the tournament. Materazzi got on his tits and he threw the head.
That would even disqualify you from a GAA All Star, getting sent off in a major match!
Cannavaro was player of the tournament Zambrotta and Buffon were close behind. wws posting was just another piece of Anti-Italian vitriol.
I being a Juventus fan(bring on Serie C) was happy to see Cannavaro have a very good tournament. Also seeing the ex Juve great Zidane, having a very good tournament was nice as well. Zidane played very well against Brazil and to a lesser extent Spain. I know one can only beat whats put in front of them, but in fairness Ukraine or Australia hardly set fear into the defences of the cup contenders. The former only had one tactic, get it to Sheva. Cannavaro did a good job in both and had a stormer against Germany. However, in the final the Italians were very lucky at the back at times, even after France going down to ten. Cannavaro was completely at fault for Malouda's run into the box for the penalty, and was stretched many times during the final.Had Italy lost to the penalty, would he have been hailed afterwards. For me, Zidane was entitled to the award because he dragged the team along completely to the final. The coolness for the penalty also contributed. He even gave the team talks, as captain, as Domenech looked up his stars in the Daily Star. Other than Zizou, the best left back in the world, Zambrotta, should have got it. Ballack's performance against Argentina was up there with any performance for me. Typically I am not a fan of Henry, but thought he was superb in the final and didnt deserve to be on the losing side in yet another major final.
Flea you and me would share a lot of the same view of this world cup. Ukraine/Australia and USA were fodder really so to deify anyone on the back of (less than convincing) performances (esp v USA and Australia) is typical of the rush to judge b0ll0cks that had people crowning Spain World Champs after one game. This isnt a wind up its cool headed examination of what actually happened rather than the myth that grows around ONE epic game (v Germany - a genuine great match between two teams playing brilliant football).
And it is a cast iron fact that France basically owned the ball after half time in the final and I agree strongly that Henry played very well - its hard to pick out one Italian player who played well in the final - and most didnt play at all after half time - they were practically dead on their feet.
One of the most disgusting things in the final was the two frees by Totti - he only touched the ball three times and two were frees he wasted by kicking it at the wall going for glory when a simple chip into the box yielded the goal as france back four just couldnt cope with the simple aerial ball. A selfish , useless player, Totti confirmed his rubbishness in this World Cup.
On Canavarro - unquestionably a great defender but not a great player in the pantheon of the games greats, we're talking a bar that has been raised higher than a few defensive tackles by a class defender, and he has to be measured against the poverty of three of the teams Italy faced in the World Cup - they struggled v two of those extremely modest opponents - USA and Australia and a third opponent Ukraine were very poor overall in my opinion (with the obvious exception of their skipper who was different class)
Billsthoughts
11/07/2006, 12:05 PM
Couple of points....
Italy did have a much easier run to the final than France.
France totally outplayed them for the majority of the final
Italy only really impressed in the semi which seems to have coloured a few peoples views......
Dodge
11/07/2006, 12:50 PM
Italy had Ghana and the Czechs in their group (and beat both convincingly). France had nobody in ther group and still finished 2nd. IMO Italy were the only team to perform throughout the tournament (bar the 2nd half v France) and deserved to win.
nedder
11/07/2006, 1:23 PM
Couple of points....
Italy did have a much easier run to the final than France.
France totally outplayed them for the majority of the final
Italy only really impressed in the semi which seems to have coloured a few peoples views......
Cannavoro impressed in every game, no matter who was the opposition.
Italy's game is based on a solid defense and a hardworking midfield ( totti excluded). They were never going to win this world cup playing flamboyant football
....and the first half, and the whole of extra time, and the australia game, and the usa game...
as i said a myth is born....
the same as 98 when zidane was banned for two games (for stamping on a saudi - who slagged his relgion no doubt) but was credited as 'winning the world cup' singlehandedly'
Maradona won a world cup on his own. Thats the bar.
NeilMcD
11/07/2006, 1:39 PM
Italy won the world cup simple as that I dont think they care if France owned the ball in the final.
Junior
11/07/2006, 1:54 PM
Match stats state Italy had 51% posession. I know this means nothing in the grand scheme of things, but it would suggest that France didn't have it all their own way. I would give the 1st half to ITaly, 2nd half to France and France probably shaded ET, but not much in it.
Match stats mean nothing, if anyone 'watched' the final would clearly say that France dominated everything from the second half onwards. Even in the first half, Italy only really threatened from set pieces. Cannavaro did not impress in the final(to the extent of putting him up with Beckenbauer and Moore) so maybe he should have got Golden Ball considering Kahn stuffed up the 2002 final. If Wiltord had to get the ball to Trez in the 2nd half of extra time (when down to ten) France would have been lauded. Italy won it, but it was by no means pretty. Delighted for Zambortta and Gattuso in particular though. Played great all tournament.
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