FIFA WC All-Star squad (2 Viewers)
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Neill lands among the stars
DID the clowns who voted for the official World Cup All-Stars actually watch the games?
If so, could they please explain why Francesco Totti is not in the Fallen Stars team, along with most of the Brazilians - Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Kaka and Adriano were all missing in action - and other World Cup disappointments like Frank Lampard, Juan Riquelme, Andriy Shevchenko, Wayne Rooney, David Beckham, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Raul?
Luca Toni and Luis Figo have not been terrible, but how do they get a place and Maxi Rodriguez -- the best player in the world no one knew about - doesn't?
So, inspired by the dilettantism behind the selection of the official All-Stars, I will pick mine, based on performance at this World Cup, not prior reputation.
In keeping with the one-striker flavour of the month trend among coaches here, I will choose a formation which will play 4-2-3-1.
GOALKEEPER
Gianluigi Buffon (Ita)
A compelling case could be made for Portugal's Ricardo, who became the first man to stop three kicks in a World Cup penalty shoot-out.
Germany's Jens Lehmann, whose heroics ousted favourite Argentina in a penalty shoot-out, also had a good tournament: Italy's two goals in the semi-final came from world-class finishing, not bad goalkeeping.
Some will say Buffon hasn't shown that he's been the best goalkeeper in Germany because he hasn't had enough to do with the outstanding defence in front of him, but the Juventus man has not looked like making a mistake.
A daunting presence between the posts who has allowed just one freakish own goal - which was not at all his fault -- Buffon has inspired Italy to become the first team to get to a final without conceding at least two goals.
RIGHT BACK
Gianluca Zambrotta (Ita)
There hasn't been another right back fit to carry his boots.
Fifty years ago, Brazil discovered the best fullbacks were converted midfielders who could play with the ball at their feet and had a creative eye. Zambrotta never stops running, is a diligent defender, but, when he joins the attack, wreaks havoc, as he showed with the spectacular goal against Ukraine.
CENTRE BACKS
Fabio Cannavaro (Ita)
Lucas Neill (Aus)
So maybe Roberto Ayala, Lilian Thuram and Portugal's Fernando Meira, who was so magnificent against France, might feel a trifle bitter about seeing Neill's name, especially as Australia conceded six goals. But it's my team and, for me, Neill was the revelation of the tournament.
Guus Hiddink as Henry Higgins converted the future Socceroos captain from a ferocious but limited English fullback into an Australian Beckenbauer.
And let's look at the goals Australia conceded: Japan's was a blatant foul on Mark Schwarzer; Adriano scored with a shot through Scott Chipperfield's legs; the second Brazilian goal came late as the Socceroos pushed forward and were exposed by the blistering speed of Robinho; Croatia's first goal came from an unstoppable free-kick and its second from a moment of madness from Zjelko Kalac, while Italy's winner came from a penalty that was incorrectly given.
Neill probably should have stayed on his feet but nonetheless did not foul Fabio Grosso. A Swiss FIFA insider, in an off-the-record conversation, said he personally didn't think it was a penalty.
As for Cannavaro, see Zambrotta. Going into the final, the Italian captain was the player of the tournament. He is surprisingly small but, like a martial artist, incredibly quick, deceptively strong and trusts his wits.
LEFT BACK
Ashley Cole (Eng)
One of the very few bright spots for England was the return to form of the Arsenal fullback, who saved his country from the ignominy of being eliminated by Ecuador.
Germany's Phillipe Lahm deserves an honourable mention for his tireless overachieving on the left, as does Mariano Pernia, Spain's Argentine-born defender with an outrageous range to his shots.
France's Eric Abidal can, at times, be brilliant but tends to drop out of games. Many would choose Grosso, but while the Italian looks good going forward - he scored the unforgettable goal against Germany and was clever enough to stumble on Neill with 10 seconds left against Australia -- his defence frailties, especially against a fast right winger, are all too obvious.
HOLDING MIDFIELDER
(Defensive)
Gennaro Gattuso (Ita)
If there was one player Italy could not afford to lose, it was the hyperkinetic AC Milan pitbull.
When he went to Glasgow Rangers early in his career in search of a break, Gattuso found himself in a league in which "get your tackles in, son" is the mantra of all coaches. He could not have felt more at home.
As overly-caffeinated off the field as he is on it, Gattuso has won more 50-50 balls and blunted more attacks than any player at this World Cup. He may not be a creative genius, but creative geniuses wouldn't get the chance to show their greatness if someone like Gattuso didn't win the ball and deliver it to them.
France's rejuvenated pairing of Patrick Vieira and Claude Makalele deserves honourable mention, as does Ghana's Michael Essien, German Torsten Frings, Argentina's quiet assassin Javier Mascherano and even Australia's Vince Grella, without whom the Socceroos wouldn't have been the same team.
MIDFIELDER
Maniche (Por)
Andrea Pirlo, Gattuso's AC Milan and Italian partner-in-crime, would be most people's consensus choice for this position, but as great as Pirlo is, he has too often relied on playing long balls in this tournament.
His touch against Germany wasn't good until, that is, he found Grosso with penalties looming. Michael Ballack, Steven Gerrard and Ze Roberto did well in this position, which requires defensive steeliness but also creativity, but Maniche excelled.
Not only did he score two memorable goals - he is one of the best from long range in the world -- but he was almost always the instigator of Portuguese attacks.
ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS
Maxi Rodriguez (Arg)
Cesc Fabregas (Spa)
Zinedine Zidane (Fra)
Spain's Fernando Torres said before the World Cup began that if his club had more players like team-mate Rodriguez, Atletico Madrid would win La Liga every year.
Rodriguez is one of the select few who can do a lot of heavy lifting - he runs back constantly on the right side and tackles and scraps -- but, when he has the ball, can also create goals from nothing.
His three goals in this campaign serve as a harbinger of things to come and who will forget his extra-time golazzo against Mexico, when he chested the ball down on the right side of the box and unleashed a volley that flew into the top corner with his less-favoured left foot?
Fabregas is only 19 but just months after his senior international debut, the Arsenal budding superstar showed why he, along with Lionel Messi, who was scandalously under-employed by Argentina, might be the best young player in the world.
Fabregas, who won the golden boot and was the most valuable player of the 2003 under-17 world championships, sees passes few see and is also a midfielder who can find the back of the net, crucial in this age of solitary strikers.
Zidane is, perhaps, a sentimental choice but even on tired 34-year-old legs, he can do things no one else dreams of trying. His performance against Brazil I will never forget.
STRIKER
Miroslav Klose (Ger)
It's mystifying why a bigger club hasn't swooped on the Werder Bremen man because all he does is score goals (10 in two World Cup campaigns) or lay them off for team-mates. Two of Lukas Podolski's three goals, both against Sweden, were put on a platter by Klose.
The Polish-born forward is very strong, can hold the ball as well as anyone with two or three defenders usually at his heels but, for a big man, has a wonderful turn and ability to dribble at opponents. He is also powerful in the air.
In an otherwise poor tournament for strikers (again, because they were mostly left on their own up front), Thierry Henry and Hernan Crespo were the pick of the rest.
COACH
Guus Hiddink (Aus)
Who else? Marcello Lippi, Raymond Domenach, Juergen Klinsmann and Luiz Felipe Scolari all did wonderfully well but ask the question this way: given the talent at their disposal, could Hiddink have taken those teams equally as far? Of course he could have.
You can not overstate the magnitude of what he did with Australia. He inherited a dispirited bunch going nowhere and, in a year, not only erased 32 years of World Cup qualifying heartache, but completely re-educated his players, then moulded them into a very formidable opponent.
By Robert Lusetich
July 10, 2006
DID the clowns who voted for the official World Cup All-Stars actually watch the games?
If so, could they please explain why Francesco Totti is not in the Fallen Stars team, along with most of the Brazilians - Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Kaka and Adriano were all missing in action - and other World Cup disappointments like Frank Lampard, Juan Riquelme, Andriy Shevchenko, Wayne Rooney, David Beckham, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Raul?
Luca Toni and Luis Figo have not been terrible, but how do they get a place and Maxi Rodriguez -- the best player in the world no one knew about - doesn't?
So, inspired by the dilettantism behind the selection of the official All-Stars, I will pick mine, based on performance at this World Cup, not prior reputation.
In keeping with the one-striker flavour of the month trend among coaches here, I will choose a formation which will play 4-2-3-1.
GOALKEEPER
Gianluigi Buffon (Ita)
A compelling case could be made for Portugal's Ricardo, who became the first man to stop three kicks in a World Cup penalty shoot-out.
Germany's Jens Lehmann, whose heroics ousted favourite Argentina in a penalty shoot-out, also had a good tournament: Italy's two goals in the semi-final came from world-class finishing, not bad goalkeeping.
Some will say Buffon hasn't shown that he's been the best goalkeeper in Germany because he hasn't had enough to do with the outstanding defence in front of him, but the Juventus man has not looked like making a mistake.
A daunting presence between the posts who has allowed just one freakish own goal - which was not at all his fault -- Buffon has inspired Italy to become the first team to get to a final without conceding at least two goals.
RIGHT BACK
Gianluca Zambrotta (Ita)
There hasn't been another right back fit to carry his boots.
Fifty years ago, Brazil discovered the best fullbacks were converted midfielders who could play with the ball at their feet and had a creative eye. Zambrotta never stops running, is a diligent defender, but, when he joins the attack, wreaks havoc, as he showed with the spectacular goal against Ukraine.
CENTRE BACKS
Fabio Cannavaro (Ita)
Lucas Neill (Aus)
So maybe Roberto Ayala, Lilian Thuram and Portugal's Fernando Meira, who was so magnificent against France, might feel a trifle bitter about seeing Neill's name, especially as Australia conceded six goals. But it's my team and, for me, Neill was the revelation of the tournament.
Guus Hiddink as Henry Higgins converted the future Socceroos captain from a ferocious but limited English fullback into an Australian Beckenbauer.
And let's look at the goals Australia conceded: Japan's was a blatant foul on Mark Schwarzer; Adriano scored with a shot through Scott Chipperfield's legs; the second Brazilian goal came late as the Socceroos pushed forward and were exposed by the blistering speed of Robinho; Croatia's first goal came from an unstoppable free-kick and its second from a moment of madness from Zjelko Kalac, while Italy's winner came from a penalty that was incorrectly given.
Neill probably should have stayed on his feet but nonetheless did not foul Fabio Grosso. A Swiss FIFA insider, in an off-the-record conversation, said he personally didn't think it was a penalty.
As for Cannavaro, see Zambrotta. Going into the final, the Italian captain was the player of the tournament. He is surprisingly small but, like a martial artist, incredibly quick, deceptively strong and trusts his wits.
LEFT BACK
Ashley Cole (Eng)
One of the very few bright spots for England was the return to form of the Arsenal fullback, who saved his country from the ignominy of being eliminated by Ecuador.
Germany's Phillipe Lahm deserves an honourable mention for his tireless overachieving on the left, as does Mariano Pernia, Spain's Argentine-born defender with an outrageous range to his shots.
France's Eric Abidal can, at times, be brilliant but tends to drop out of games. Many would choose Grosso, but while the Italian looks good going forward - he scored the unforgettable goal against Germany and was clever enough to stumble on Neill with 10 seconds left against Australia -- his defence frailties, especially against a fast right winger, are all too obvious.
HOLDING MIDFIELDER
(Defensive)
Gennaro Gattuso (Ita)
If there was one player Italy could not afford to lose, it was the hyperkinetic AC Milan pitbull.
When he went to Glasgow Rangers early in his career in search of a break, Gattuso found himself in a league in which "get your tackles in, son" is the mantra of all coaches. He could not have felt more at home.
As overly-caffeinated off the field as he is on it, Gattuso has won more 50-50 balls and blunted more attacks than any player at this World Cup. He may not be a creative genius, but creative geniuses wouldn't get the chance to show their greatness if someone like Gattuso didn't win the ball and deliver it to them.
France's rejuvenated pairing of Patrick Vieira and Claude Makalele deserves honourable mention, as does Ghana's Michael Essien, German Torsten Frings, Argentina's quiet assassin Javier Mascherano and even Australia's Vince Grella, without whom the Socceroos wouldn't have been the same team.
MIDFIELDER
Maniche (Por)
Andrea Pirlo, Gattuso's AC Milan and Italian partner-in-crime, would be most people's consensus choice for this position, but as great as Pirlo is, he has too often relied on playing long balls in this tournament.
His touch against Germany wasn't good until, that is, he found Grosso with penalties looming. Michael Ballack, Steven Gerrard and Ze Roberto did well in this position, which requires defensive steeliness but also creativity, but Maniche excelled.
Not only did he score two memorable goals - he is one of the best from long range in the world -- but he was almost always the instigator of Portuguese attacks.
ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS
Maxi Rodriguez (Arg)
Cesc Fabregas (Spa)
Zinedine Zidane (Fra)
Spain's Fernando Torres said before the World Cup began that if his club had more players like team-mate Rodriguez, Atletico Madrid would win La Liga every year.
Rodriguez is one of the select few who can do a lot of heavy lifting - he runs back constantly on the right side and tackles and scraps -- but, when he has the ball, can also create goals from nothing.
His three goals in this campaign serve as a harbinger of things to come and who will forget his extra-time golazzo against Mexico, when he chested the ball down on the right side of the box and unleashed a volley that flew into the top corner with his less-favoured left foot?
Fabregas is only 19 but just months after his senior international debut, the Arsenal budding superstar showed why he, along with Lionel Messi, who was scandalously under-employed by Argentina, might be the best young player in the world.
Fabregas, who won the golden boot and was the most valuable player of the 2003 under-17 world championships, sees passes few see and is also a midfielder who can find the back of the net, crucial in this age of solitary strikers.
Zidane is, perhaps, a sentimental choice but even on tired 34-year-old legs, he can do things no one else dreams of trying. His performance against Brazil I will never forget.
STRIKER
Miroslav Klose (Ger)
It's mystifying why a bigger club hasn't swooped on the Werder Bremen man because all he does is score goals (10 in two World Cup campaigns) or lay them off for team-mates. Two of Lukas Podolski's three goals, both against Sweden, were put on a platter by Klose.
The Polish-born forward is very strong, can hold the ball as well as anyone with two or three defenders usually at his heels but, for a big man, has a wonderful turn and ability to dribble at opponents. He is also powerful in the air.
In an otherwise poor tournament for strikers (again, because they were mostly left on their own up front), Thierry Henry and Hernan Crespo were the pick of the rest.
COACH
Guus Hiddink (Aus)
Who else? Marcello Lippi, Raymond Domenach, Juergen Klinsmann and Luiz Felipe Scolari all did wonderfully well but ask the question this way: given the talent at their disposal, could Hiddink have taken those teams equally as far? Of course he could have.
You can not overstate the magnitude of what he did with Australia. He inherited a dispirited bunch going nowhere and, in a year, not only erased 32 years of World Cup qualifying heartache, but completely re-educated his players, then moulded them into a very formidable opponent.
By Robert Lusetich
July 10, 2006