Best Individual Player in the World Cup?

[Fallen Hero]

Cannavaro is a great option, although they tend to be biased against defensive players in these things.

[JaredL]

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i agree with you about zidane in the first two games. since then, however, he's been sensational. do you really think zidane has just been serviceable in france's victories over spain, brazil and portugal? if that's the case, i'm sorry, you're looking with colored glasses.


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I will fully admit to looking with colored glasses. I have mentioned numerous times here that I strongly dislike Zidane based on his play for Real Madrid. I'm very pleased that in his last match for them he lost to Sevilla (though he scored which takes some of the fun out of it for me).

Zidane was admittedly very good in the Spain game and I didn't watch the Brazil game so I have to rely on what I read (chose a bad time to move across the country [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] ) but the Portugal match is a good example of what I mean. He had a brilliantly taken penalty - keeper guessed right and still had no chance, but otherwise wasn't particularly amazing. He completely botched one excellent scoring opportunity by making a horrible pass I think to Ribery (it was a guy coming up on the right) when they had a 3 on 2 break, and in general did nothing particularly special barring the penalty. A big part of that of course was the way the match went. After France scored the match wasn't really setup for the attacking midfield of France to show their stuff and as I said he botched the main big scoring opportunity (to be honest I can't remember if this was before or after the goal, you should know which I'm talking about). I guess he was man of the match, but it's one of those deals where whoever took the penalty would have gotten it had they made it (though again it was very well taken) because it was solidly a team effort and nobody really impressed above all others on their side.

As you said, in their first couple matches he was far from impressive. He was pretty much anonymous in those matches, looking nothing whatsoever like the Zidane from the late 90s and early 2000s. Furthermore, him being forced to sit out that third match doesn't exactly help the argument that he has had a very strong world cup finals.

Basically I think that all of this adds up to a good but not great world cup for him. Henry was more important imo for France. Given his lack of club success, Real Madrid in fact underachieving, it shouldn't be enough to get him anywhere near the top of the golden ball discussion barring emotions based on his retirement.

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others who particularly impressed me:

ribery (where'd he come from? wow)


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I agree on this. I think France's turnaround came from him stepping up in a major way. As I've said here, I think the 4-5-1 system they use, in particular with the two solidly defensive minded midfielders, requires a creative playmaker who can take on multiple defenders. Ribery has done this extremely well the last few matches for them.

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, lahm, klose, ricardo, buffon, pirlo, cannavaro, essien.

honestly, i'd gove the golden ball to fabio cannavaro. maybe i'm high.

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I could see this happening. If Italy win it's obviously largely due to defensive success. Cannavaro played a major role in that.

Jared

[sam h]

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Zidane absolutely does not deserve the Golden Ball. For the third year in a row, he has failed to lead his team to any club competition titles [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img], nor has he been particularly impressive in any matches in the World Cup finals. He has been very solid and done what is needed, but he has far from excelled as some others have in this World Cup. Given his uninspiring play domestically if he gets it is 100% for sentimental reasons.

I would probably have given it to Ronaldinho based on leading his team to the Primera and Champions League titles but it's hard to give it to him with his pretty anonymous performance in this world cup. Another strong candidate would be Eto'o, though his country failed to qualify for the world cup finals so that will make it less likely for him to get it.

Based on this World Cup finals Buffon would be a good candidate but he has no shot given the Juventus scandal I have to think. I think it should go to Henry if France win (though unfortunately it would probably go to Zidane in this case). If Italy win I could see it going to Laca Toni, especially if he scores an important goal in the final, though I think Klose is the top candidate if Italy wins.

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I think the other posters were referring to the Golden Ball that is given to best player in the cup, not to the Golden Ball/European Footballer of the Year.

I don't see how you can call Zidane's performances against Spain and Brazil "not particularly impressive." Did you watch the Brazil game?

[Fallen Hero]

I think Zidane would be a terrible choice and I'm a huge fan.

[JaredL]

Sam,

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I think the other posters were referring to the Golden Ball that is given to best player in the cup, not to the Golden Ball/European Footballer of the Year.


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If this is the case it's insane to suggest Zidane get this. He was rubbish in two matches, suspended for a third very crucial group match, played very well against Spain (though not ridiculously so), apparently played very well against Brazil (see below), and played decently but not amazingly in the match against Portugal. If he pulls a hat trick out for the final, sure, but barring something ridiculous he's a terrible choice if you simply want to name the best player of the tournament (although I could see giving it to him anyway).

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I don't see how you can call Zidane's performances against Spain and Brazil "not particularly impressive." Did you watch the Brazil game?

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Trust me, I know that he played well against Spain [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] As I said above, I did not watch the Brazil game as I was driving through the middle of the country that day (and the day before and after unfortunately). Based on what I've read he played very well in that match too.

Jared

[capone0]

I don't know what tradition holds BUT if the best player from the WC is chosen from a winning squad and the French win I don't see how he could not get it. He's been by far the best French player in the last 3 matches although not truly dominant in the Portugal match (which I didn't get to see).

He just lead his team which didnt' win a game in 2002, and hadn't done much in group play until he got suspended into beating 3 of the better teams that were left including the previous champ and one of the hotter teams in the world in Portugal.

If Italy wins, do you think it's possible anyone on their team wins this award? Maybe their goalie since he has only given up 1 goal but otherwise Italy's performance has been very solid from everyone but no truly dominant performances.

[sam h]

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Sam,

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I think the other posters were referring to the Golden Ball that is given to best player in the cup, not to the Golden Ball/European Footballer of the Year.


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If this is the case it's insane to suggest Zidane get this. He was rubbish in two matches, suspended for a third very crucial group match, played very well against Spain (though not ridiculously so), apparently played very well against Brazil (see below), and played decently but not amazingly in the match against Portugal. If he pulls a hat trick out for the final, sure, but barring something ridiculous he's a terrible choice if you simply want to name the best player of the tournament (although I could see giving it to him anyway).

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I don't see how you can call Zidane's performances against Spain and Brazil "not particularly impressive." Did you watch the Brazil game?

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Trust me, I know that he played well against Spain [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] As I said above, I did not watch the Brazil game as I was driving through the middle of the country that day (and the day before and after unfortunately). Based on what I've read he played very well in that match too.

Jared

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Sorry I guess you had made another post right before I had posted. Anyway, I'm not necessarily arguing for Zidane, although I think if he really shines in the final then it will be perfectly reasonable to give it to him. I agree that he did not actually look that great against Portugal, other than taking the penalty well. Ultimately, however, you have to weigh it against the other possible selections, given established criteria for these things. Cannavero I agree would be a good choice but defenders rarely win and Italy's defensive success is hard to pin just on him. Klose scored a great goal against Argentina but other than that actually disappeared for most of Germany's last two matches. Buffon is great but I don't think he has been sensational like Kahn was in 2002. It's strange, because in each of the last three cups there have been 2-3 players that I have thought really distinguished themselves and were very strong candidates but in this world cup I don't think anyone has really risen above the pack at all. Kind of disappointing actually.

[battschr]

Zidane's been awesome, imo.

[KingNeo]

Buffon.

The guy is a stud.

[PokerFink]

I've been more impressed with Ribery than anyone else in the tournament.