ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
THE STARS OF GERMANY 2006
If you were to go back in time with my all-tournament squad or anybody else's and show it to somebody on the eve of the Germany-Costa Rica opener, you'd have gotten some strange looks, and some questions: "Where's Ronaldinho? Frank Lampard? Rooney? Ballack? Shevchenko? Petr Cech?" World Cup 2006 will be remembered as a tournament when several superstars failed to make an impact. There is no doubt that football is a young man's game but in Germany many of the headliners were older, well-established stars considered too old to make an impact. Without further adu(what a horrible pun), I present my all-tournament team for World Cup 2006, the players that really shined on the grandest stage of all.
Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Buffon - Italy. What more can you say about this veteran? He was outstanding for a team that let up two goals total(an own-goal and a penalty) and if you need any convincing check the replay of his save on Zidane's header in overtime during the final. That's called saving your defense's, and entire country's, collective ass.
Honorable Mention: Jens Lehmann - Germany, Ricardo - Portugal, Shaka Hislop - Trinidad
Defenders: Fabio Cannavaro - Italy. The best player of the entire tournament and deserved winner of the Ballon D' Or which was given to Zidane more as a token of his career accomplishments, though Zizou did have a great tourney. Cannavaro was untouchable, however, and he's 32-years-old, not to mention short.
Rafael Marquez - Mexico. Indispensible for a team that gave Argentina all they could handle. A dynamo in the tackle and going forward.
Phillip Lahm - Germany. This blond-haired left-back scored the first goal(and what a goal) of the tournament and was brilliant throughout, especially attacking down the flanks.
Lilian Thuram - One of the all-time greats, who came out of retirement with Zidane. Moved to the centre to compensate for a loss of pace, he anchored the stout French resistance, barring that stupid penalty he conceded against Spain.
Honorable Mention: Miguel - Portugal, Ashley Cole - England, Trabelsi - Tunisia, Materazzi/Zambrotta - Italy, Juan Pablo Sorin - Argentina
Midfield: Zidane - France. There's no denying that Zizou had a tremendous tournament. He almost singlehandedly dismantled Brazil and if his header had gone either side of Buffon in extra-time at the final, his name would be ineffable. As it is he's just one of the three greatest players of all time.
Andrea Pirlo - Italy. Basically did everything for Italy that Zidane did for France.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal. Those who fail to include him on any all-tournament squad are having a laugh. He was the best player on a team that made the semi-finals, morality be damned. He also should have won best young player. Podolski? C'mon Fifa. At least pick Messi or Torres of Spain.
Torsten Frings - Germany. The best player on the German team, his tenacious defensive coverage being the only reason they could afford to play such attacking football.
Honorable Mention: Riquelme/Rodriguez - Argentina, Joe Cole/Hargreaves - England, Figo-Portugal, Stephen Appiah - Ghana, Viera/Ribery - France, Xabi Alonso - Spain
Forwards: Miroslav Klose - Germany. He won the Golden Boot. Nuff said.
Thierry Henry - France. Finally put to rest all that "can't play well for France" talk. Left alone up front, yet still extremely dangerous.
Honorable Mention: Hernan Crespo -Argentina, Luca Toni - Italy, Ronaldo - Brazil(for that one stepover goal that broke the record), Torres - Spain, Tim Cahill - Australia, Didier Drogba - Ivory Coast
Supersubs: Messi - Argentina, Odonkor - Germany, Lennon - England, Simao Sabrosa - Portugal, Robinho - Brazil
There you have it, my all-tournament team.
Starters broken down by country:
Italy - 3
Germany - 3
France - 3
Portugal - 1
Mexico - 1
Entire team(40, admittedly very large) broken down by country:
Italy - 6
France - 5
Germany - 5
Portugal - 5
Argentina - 5
England - 4
Spain - 2
Brazil - 2
Mexico - 1
Ghana - 1
Australia - 1
Ivory Coast - 1
Tunisia - 1
Trinidad & Tobago - 1
posted by Journo Blog at 6:21 PM
3 Comments:
Guys who should be starting on your all-tournament team...
Goalie: Ricardo - Portugal
Defense: Miguel - Portugal
And you should have at least mentioned Maniche...if not Maneesh.
Robben did cross my mind; his performance against Serbia was incredible, but he seemed invisible when it counted.
Nedved-Rosicky could have made it as one of my duos, but the Czechs not scoring again after the US game really hurt their chances.
Senderos should have made my team, I completely forgot about him.
Ljungberg may have merited a mention too. Without his late goal against Paraguay Sweden probably don't make the second round. I'm also a big fan of the way he plays.
Podolski's 3 goals is an important stat, especially when you consider that somebody like Henry also scored 3. I just don't believe he is in the same class as Ronaldo, who was magnificent, not to mention fun to watch. Goals are goals though I suppose.
The "Without further adu.." was a reference to Ghana-born US phenom Freddy Adu. It makes no sense and was a horrible pun. Apologies.
Oops, left Italy's Gattuso off my all-tournament team. He has to be there though, without the 'bulldog' Italy's defense doesn't look as good and frankly they probably don't win it all.
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