2006 World Cup All-Tournament Team

Sorry, but being an England fan and seeing Chelsea play a few times, John Terry had a poor tournament. Ferdinand along side him was much better.

Riquelme and Maxi Rodrigues should be in it. Especially ahead of Totti and Pirlo!

Thank you Bob for your attention. I agree to your opinin that this is not a good selection when there are so many players that will be better than this team such as Pirlo, Ribery, Messi, Zambrotta and ….

Thanks for this good Blog

where is neil or chipperfield for australia in that squad. seems to me that fifa is just trying to avoid the arguments

that ribery isn’t in it is ridiculous

Totti?!? Terry?!? lol

where are riquelme,pirlo, ribery and frings?

People could argue all day about this, I guess, but why would FIFA name such a squad before the tournament finishes? It makes no sense, unless they plan to update it. We do not know what will happen in the final, which is the most important game BTW!

The real “Kenner” should look forward to my all-Elf after tomorrow, and if I get a wild hair up my butt, may name a 23-man roster.

Dave hamildav@yahoo.com

What the F#*%???

It is painfully clear that the F-Wits at Fifa live in an alternate universe. That’s fine when you’re reading a comic book, but not so good here. One needs only one name missing to tell the tale:

RIBERY

Fifa is telling me that the Energizer Bunny of the Cup, my new favorite player for his never quit guts, was not one of the top players this event? What are they smoking?

And yes thank you for pointing this out Dave, hello the Cup is NOT OVER! Most important two games to come!

And indeed what is up with no players from teams that didn’t make the quarter finals? Excuse me, this is a roll call of 23 who excelled, beyond the whole team result. Yes, sometimes a miracle player can be on a less than fab team. It looks like whoever it is at Fifa that puts this list together was lazy and only turned on the tv recently. Too busy with the legal prostitutes? Ridiculous.

My eyes are rolling back into my head. Of course the interesting thing might be that being left out of the list could piss off those on the four teams still playing (I repeat — Cup not over Fifa) enough to make them play even better.

I don’t care who you want to win this Cup. Everyone has to admit Ribery has rocked and deserved respect. I hope he scores some huge advertising contracts.

Fifa rhymes with Dumb-a

FIFA has blown this and only Germany’s great job as a host has salvaged this Cup, so no one should be surprised at their premature list. FIFA erred years ago by not offering me a contract to break down their stuff for them properly, but that’s fine with me. I am making more money now probably than I would there, although I would prefer to be working in the sport somewhere.

Franck Ribery was a last-minute selection for the French team, hardly noticed by FIFA in any way, but yes, he is the main reason — along with Thuram and Gallas offering real STEEL in the back — France has made it to the final truth be told. He creates space on the wings like few others have in this tournament. Certainly Barthez is the luckiest keeper in the world to be here, as sorry as he has become.

Dave hamildav@yahoo.com

The all-star team is not balanced and contains way too many Italians. Australia should be represented, they have so many good players.
And FIFA and the big countries allways pay so little attention to the minnows they fail to spot talent carrying these lesser teams. Did you see Trinidad’s Shaka Hislop in goal? Wanchope of Costa Rica, and where are the Africans?

This again has confirmed my view that this committee of FIFA are a bunch of dumbass’s and have taken the game down hill. What Idiots srsly. What an embarrassment. FIFA YOU ARE SH*T NO OFFENCE BUT YOU ARE AND YOUR ORGANISATION IS JUST A JOKE and I agree with the person up there who said that if it wasn’t for GERMANY being such a GREAT HOST this tournament would be up sh*t creek.

I’m agree that Totti and Toni were not performing at their best. But, how about Fabio Grosso ? This guy has been exceptional since the first round. He created many dangerous attack from the left wing (e.g. vs Aussie) and even decisive goal (against Germany). Grosso may represent the new era of left full-back : big and not too speedy, but tactically intelligent and lethal !!

Yeah, were is Frings… FIFA banning him again? Once not enough? Bring Frings back.

— and then, also agreeing with LiverpoolFC and Dave Hamilton, FIFA bites the hand that feeds them by issuing an undeserved but devasting ban when it comes to Frings. Shame on you, FIFA, shame, shame, shame.

I can not understand why Frings is not in the list. He was the outstanding defensive Midfielder of this Tournament.

Oh, I forgot, FIFA informally apologized to the German Team by nominating Poldi as the best young player. Well, I think Poldi would have been happier in the finals with Frings…

FIFA will never admit that they wrongfully eliminated a player that deserves to be in the elite line-up…. Lippi said, that Frings’ absence would not weaken the German team. Why, then Lippi and Italia, did you guys force FIFA to ban him?? If it didn’t matter, why didn’t you accept the fact that FIFA has not investigated any Germany players before your you guys butted in? Italy does not deserve anything but the Golden Rat award. I am still very very angry.

Sorry about my typos, but my keyboard is very sick and ready to be tossed.

AKC77… You are so correct and you are not alone with your opinion.

I am with you, Lulu. You go girl. Well written.

so, what about an all-star team of less successful nations. mine would be a 4-4-2:

Goal:
Ricardo(ANG)
Subs: Kingston(GHA), Zuberbuehler(SUI)

Defender:
Tymoschuk (UKR), Simunic(CRO), Marquez(MEX),Salgado(ESP)

Subs:Jaidi(TUN),Terry(ENG), Mensah(GHA)

Midfielder:
Fabregas(ESP), Valencia(ECU), Hargreaves(ENG),Essien(GHA)

Subs: Appiah(GHA),Barnetta(SUI),Boateng(GHA),Cahill(AUS)

Forwards:
Torres (ESP),Villa(ESP)

Subs: Robben(NED),Delgado(ECU), Borgetti(MEX)

just saw that terry i son the officiallist and that i’ve no asian player on may team, so i choose Koji Nakata instead

What do you think the future of Ronaldo would be and is he gonna play in the next worldcup?

shevchenko for striker

I meant Ronaldo of Brazil.

Hey, among the players from the teams that fell at the first hurdle, I’ll go for Didier Drogba. The Elephant has the potential to go very far with some big match experience. Potential unfulfil thus far.
Better luck in the next tournament which will be held in your continent.

What about Schwartzman?, the australian goalkeeper! Honestly I think he was just superb! He might not be unfamous, but this world cup he did much more that those so ‘famous’traditional goalkeepers!

From: Australia

I think technically Totti was listed as a foward.

I think Riquelme, Maxi Rodriguez, Brian Schweitzinger, and Ribery and Kaka got snubbed in the midfield as did Mexico’s Marquez and Gallas on defense

Do you think anyone from the Swiss team: Friel or Barretta deserved to make it? I would have nominated Friel.

Also I wonder if anyone thinks Delgado or Tenorio from Ecuador deserved to make it?

I would have put:
Goalies: G Buffon, Italy
Ricardo, Portugal
Dida, Brazil

Defenders:
R Marquez, Mexico
J Terry, England
P Lahm, Germany
F Cannavaro, Italy
A Gallas, France
M Mazzerati, Italy

Midfielders:
B Schweitzinger, Germany
(I thought that before today’s game in which he scored two goals for his assists and lift off the bench he provides)
D Beckham, England
J Riquelme, Argentina
Maxi Rodriguez, Argentina
Z Zidane, France
Kaka, Brazil
F Ribery, France
C Ronaldo, Portugal

Fowards:
A Friel, Switzerland
L Toni, Italy
T Henry, France
F Torres, Spain
M Klose, Germany
D Podolski, Germany

If i had to make an award for best player of the first round that didn’t advance I’d go with the Paraguayan defender who had that spectacular save against Sweeden with a ball heading toward an open net and a Swedish striker on his heels trying to tap the ball in. That temporarily kept his team’s hopes alive for the next round.

Ok choice
Only missing the best Ronaldo Port.
and Terry who is that??

These picks are almost as big a joke as FIFA’s world rankings. Germany rated #21 or so, USA #5, Czech Republic #2, Brazil #1, Argentina #3 and Mexico #2? Are they using tea leaves? You better start moving Germany into the top ten and drop the US about 30 places. Whoever wins the game tomorrow should be the automatic #1 team in the world. I would go so far as to even suggest that the FIFA top 16 should be in the order they finished in WC 2006. That might not be totally accurate but it sure would be more accurate than what FIFA uses now. Ribbery and Frings deserve to be on the list. Crespo has no business being here, he just rested on his laurels. I think Beckham is included because his wife has a great body. Why is Ricardo on the list? The English took those PKs like girliemen. Kahn is a way better goalie. Well FIFA got one thing right by not including C. Ronaldo. Best diving award goes to Italy with Portugal a close second. Most deserving team to be in final has to be France.

it’s about players from less succesfull teams and one can only pick 23, Frei would have been #24, since 5 strikers are enough. there were many great goalkeepers hilsob, isaakson, keller, schwarzer . but ricardo has pretty convincing stats and i like kingstons style and he’s great on the line

@claude

germany is #21 because as host they had no qualification- matches and friendly-games don’t count. USA and Mexico are
this good, because of the weak competition in the CONCACAF- group

@johnny iselin

don’t get this wrong, but it’s too funny.
schweitzinger is not even close if you mean schweinsteiger, and i think mazzerati is more like a nice car, whereas materazzi is an italian defender. and it’s frei not friel.

Good job, Johnny Iselin. I cannot get any of the names together…

A few things that I vehemently wish to relate. First off, FIFA obviously does not realize what they are doing. I think it could almost be explained that they put the quarterfinal teams starters names in a hat and drew for the all stars…..well almost. It seriously does not get much worse than that. It seems like they just have rewarded the biggest names and overlooked what actually went on.

Claude, the evidence you have presented about inappropriate team rankings from FIFA is majorly flawed. For one, Brazil WAS clearly the best team all-around from their results prior to the tournament. If your logic surrounding your conclusion is based on the play during the WC (hence the reason you state the U.S should drop 30 places, Germany should move up etc.) you must have failed to witness any matches that many of those teams played before the WC which is directly the reason a team like the U.S received the rank that it had. FIFA can’t be berated for that. The principle of transitivity can slightly be applied to this situation as well. The U.S was in a tough group, clearly dominating Italy throughout the game. Does that mean Italy should be relegated because of one bad game where they can’t put away a team down to 9 men, and a ref willing to blow a foul for the wind blowing the wrong direction against the academy award winning Italians? Besides those teams will have new ranks following this WC.

As for some of your suggestions for who should have been on the list; you guys claim to be soccer fans? Undoubtedly Ribery should have been on that list, but I seriously question your soccer knowledge based on some of your responses.

Owen Hargreaves was far and away England’s best midfielder,m and one of the best in this tournament. Anyone who has actually played the game can attest to this. He was on both ends of the field, many times stopping an opponents forward, starting the play in midfield and actually playing above England’s attacking players, and then getting back before the play started while Lampard and Gerrard meandered back. His FITNESS WAS OUTSTANDING.

Other players that stand out; C. Ronaldo. You may call him overhyped, but he was one of the rare players in the game that could individually create oppurtunities with his speed. Portugal would have had a lot more trouble than you can realize without him. He was also a marked marked player if that makes sense, making his job doubly hard.

African players who were dubbed: Apiah, Essien, Dramani. They were troubling to get off the ball, and had the speed and endurance of animals. If those
African teams learn a little team organization and integrity in the back, they will be ferociously dangerous.

Cannavaro is God!

….golden ball…bullsh*t…how can you give it to someone with such little class as Zidane….there has to be something said about FIFA if they are who elects such award…..you come out of retirement to play in your last world cup game…or should I say your last professional game….and you belittle yourself that much….and FIFA is all about fairplay????? Yes, he got a red card for his actions but getting the golden ball was dispicable….regardless of our he played throughout the tournament FIFA basically just gave hima a slap on the wrist……NO CLASS!!!!!

The squad looks great with all the top players in the list, and since Italy have won the match already, FIFA will probably reconsider again, anyways, I believe FIFA’s decisions so far in suspending players, red-carding players, and choosing players for the all-star squad has been pretty great, but I DESPERATELY need to know when is the match between this so called All-Star team vs. Italy AKA FIFA Champions 2006 cuz i keep hearing rumors abt such a match! someone help!!!

Well in response to FIFA’s team and other people’s suggestions:

Totti was mediocre and has no business on the team. As was Ballack. Beckham was awful except for the bender he put in off of a set-piece. Ricardo was possibly the best goalie in the Cup. Lehmann would not have deserved it if it were not for his masterful performance against Argentina. Podolski cannot be left off and deserves a nod over Crespo. Maxi Rodriguez over Totti. for his entire Cup not just the best goal of the Cup. Riquelme over Ballack. As for other comments, Cannavaro was a force, Zidane was a magician and his last Cup is tainted but a bone-head move, and Lahm was the best offensive back in the Cup and he’s only 22 and played with a bum elbow that he had surgery on before the Cup. Maniche, Pirlo, Figo are all deserving. As are Klose, Buffon, Carvalho, and Zambrotta. Wonderful Cup and never expected Italy to win.

My team:

Goalkeeper:
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)

Defenders:
Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)
Ricardo Carvalho (Portugal) Philipp Lahm (Germany)
Miguel (Portugal)

Midfielders
Michael Ballack (Germany), Gennaro Gattuso (Italy), Luis Figo (Portugal), Lucho Gonzalez(Argentina)

Forwards:
Thierry Henry (France)
Miroslav Klose (Germany)

No comments…

where is cristiano ronaldo in all of this????fernando torres?? a lot of these guys are on the team because there team made it far in the tourney. ze roberto did nothing the whole tourney!!zidane’s actions were a disgrace to the game of soccer!!! thierry henry?? its like his favorite thing is being offsides… im pretty disappointed in the selections for the all tournemant team but overall a very entertaining world cup

A team without Totti in the midfield wouldn’t be a good team. He came back from a devastating injury and created so many critical chances and goals. Italy wouldn’t have won the world cup without him. Too bad he wasn’t in the best form for the tournament due to the injury, but hell, he performed better than most in his role. There weren’t any players in this world cup who were godly aside from Cannavaro,Buffon, Thuram, and maybe molouda and Ribery. But let’s face it, in this world cup, defenders on general outperformed attackers. But they get little notice, and Cannavaro was way better than Zidane.

My team

Buffon (Ita)
Zambrotta
Grosso
Cannavarro
Matterazzi
Nesta

Perrotta
Camoranesi
Totti
Pirlo
Gattuso

Toni
Gilardino
Del Piero
Inzaghi

Forza Italia….Deserved winners!!

Incidentally Zidane had a really poor group stage and only really looked any good against Brazil and sporadically in the final. Only reason he got best player award was to drape one final accolade on his shoulders. Pity he has shown himself to be so undeserved of such an award by acting like a thug. Oh well…. Ce La Vie

My team
4-5-1

GK:Bobadilla

RB:Sagnol
CB:Cannavaro
CB:Meira
LB:Grosso

RW:E.Mendez
CM:Pirlo
CM:Gattuso
CM:Riquelme
LW:Messi

S:Ronaldo

USA ALL THE WAY

nesta is the best defender ever… he just had an injury !
my team!(5-3-2)
1-bufon
13-nesta
2-terry
5-cannavaro
3-zambrotta
6-R.carlos
4-viera
21-Pirlo
10-kaka
7-shevchenko
9-henry
(5-3-2)

is germany a team ?

Gianluigi Buffon,Willy Sagnol,Fabio Cannavaro,John Terry,Philipp Lahm,Michael Essien,Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho,Kaka,Thierry Henry,Andriy Shevchenko

Gianluigi Buffon,Willy Sagnol,Fabio Cannavaro,John Terry,Philipp Lahm,Michael Essien,Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho,Kaka,Thierry Henry,Andriy Shevchenko