They limited this to players whose teams reached the semi-finals. Riquelme was in some squad that got kicked out earlier by a better team.

Prince Poldi crowned Gillette Best Young Player
6 July 2006
by FIFAworldcup.com

The FIFA Technical Study Group has made its decision, bestowing Germany's Lukas Podolski with the coveted Gillette Best Young Player award. Selected from a shortlist of six talented nominees, the striker becomes the first Gillette Best Young Player award winner in the history of the FIFA World Cupâ„¢.

Germany enjoyed a thrilling FIFA World Cup journey on home soil, achieving a place in the semi-finals few felt confident of predicting before the tournament began. A joy to watch as they poured forward in attack, the hosts owed much of their success to the fearsome strike duo of Miroslav Klose and Podolski. Junior partner Podolski, at 21, was one of 40 candidates competing for the title of Gillette Best Young Player.

An integral part of Jurgen Klinsmann's starting line-up, 'Prince Poldi' already boasts a tally of 15 goals in 31 games for his country. An impressive haul for one so young, over the course of this FIFA World Cup Podolski has demonstrated time and time again that he thrives under pressure.

"He not only scored three goals, he was a key element in Germany's attack," explained Holger Osieck, Head of the FIFA Technical Study Group. "He showed a great understanding with Miroslav Klose and the two players formed a very effective partnership. Together, they netted eight of the Mannschaft's 11 goals."

Three strikes and boundless energy
The Polish-born German put in perhaps his strongest performance against Sweden in the Round of 16, firing in a brace to cap a display of tireless front-running. Facing Argentina in the quarter-finals, the youngster once again gave everything. The Bayern Munich-bound forward demonstrated real character in what was an extremely tight encounter, not least when he coolly converted from the spot during the penalty shoot-out.

Having scored against Ecuador in the first round, Podolski currently has three goals to his name and will be looking to bolster his account in the match for third place against Portugal on Saturday.

His youth may have caused him to snap at a few chances along the way, but ‘Poldi’ undoubtedly possesses remarkable maturity for a 21-year-old. However, his greatest attributes have to be his boundless energy and hunger for success. "Another factor we considered was how much playing-time he saw," added Osieck. "He started all the games and was only substituted after scoring twice against Sweden and right at the end of the Poland match."
Indeed, his statistics bear out his considerable contribution to the host nation's cause: in 563 minutes, Podolski struck three goals, took 21 shots and drew 15 fouls. "Our choices are based on hard facts and how a player performs at a given tournament, the World Cup in this case," concluded Osiek. "Podolski still has a lot to learn but he is clearly a player with a great future."


SOURCE: http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/060706/1/8mta.html

i second that. improving his rhethorical skills would be a great start.

Yea, but Doc, people fight outside all the time. It's not just teh stadium, it's once they get out. And I'm not just talking WC, I mean the game in general. The leagues, the Euro Cup and all the other soccer related tournies. It's on the news all the time here. Soccer fans are nuts, ot all, or even most, but the fact is that soccer hooligans make news because of the violence. Sorr, just call it like i see it.

Um, I am not talking the stadium, I mean all outside of it because I have been everywhere and there have been no incidents. At all. You call like you see it (I don't know how), I say how I really see it first hand here.

Baumer reminds me alot of BKB in this thread.

Well done you avoided both questions. Since i'm a big F1 fan who hasn't missed a race on TV in about 8 years my points are bulletproof. And you totally avoided my second question as well, COME UP WITH EVIDENCE. Personally speaking I have been to plenty of Irish league and a few English league matches in my time and have never seen rioting or violence. Also I've watched plenty of English league matches in Pub's where differing supporters stand side by side and there has never been violence there either, and there is even the choice of alcohol with could make it worse but doesn't.

So once again I ask you to prove your points. Find examples of Irish fans rioting and killing. Personally I find it very insulting that you'd dare Tar entire nations in the arrogent way you reply.

Alas I doubt i'll get a reply with any brains since you seem to use nothing but pathetic stereotypes.

i would like to state that i think baumer is completely wrong in this one!

Ok, you guys want proof that violence exists in soccer fans? No problem. Give me the day, and when I am done work, your wish will be fulfilled.

You want proof that violence exists in little children, in football players, in housewives and in pretty much every other kind of people? I'll find it for you too.

Frankly, baumer, I don't even know how you can try and argue this stuff. You are clueless about what happens here during football. Clueless. You don't live here, I doubt you've ever been here. Where you live, the understanding of football is limited and cliuded by a lot of ignorance. I live in the middle of it. Especially during the last weeks. Loki does. Levy does. Not to the same extent, but all other Europeans here do as well. Why don't you ASK THEM? You are a clueless Canadian on this one, as simple as that. I am not pretending to know much about the culture of hockey or baseball either. So stop pretending as if you know something that you are clearly uneducated about and seriously lack any kind of first hand experience.

LOL That cracks me up. Toronto is an immigrant city, where tons of "educated" soccer enthusiasts born and raised in the soccer continent known as Europe congregate and discuss this sport. Calling someone a clueless Canadian is kind of arrogant no matter how right you think you are. I'm a Canadian and know shit all about soccer, hockey and American Football although i'm supposedly immersed in a non dilluted hockey/American football atmosphere. Not saying that I support Baumer, but I dont agree with that statement calling all canadians clueless, no matter how good the alliteration makes that sound

This isn't a thread about kids and housewives though. It's about soccer. And you guys asked for proof, so no problem. It's a worldwide epidemic. I'll haev no problems getting proof for you.

And my initial thoughts weren't about the violence, it was about the theatrics, but so many of you, not you though Doc, but many of the soccer loonies can't smell their own shit on their knees. Fair is fair.

What a coward you are Baumer. you still haven't answered my questions. Let put it this way. My Father is the President of the local county football team and I myself play occasionally for them. So what your saying is me my father and by extension my whole family are nothing more then violent hooligans and i'm a theatrical cheater even thou we and by we I mean large section of my local community have worked hard getting the local club to a healthy position in both result's and local standing. I myself also give many free hours training U16 players all at my own cost because I like giving something back to where I live.

All this is true and yet you have the disgusting arrogence to say thru your argument that we are nothing more then thug's.

That is pathetic.

You're a good guy doc, but that is one of teh most assinine things you haev ever said.

Really. Doc's first hand accounts are assinine. How so?

neo ... in this case, lecter isn't stereotyping canadians per say . .... hes pretty much saying that in this 'one' scenario, baumer is being a clueless canadian.

the truth and fact of the matter is that most of the immigrant population here does understand soccer/football but as a nation, i'm sorry to say, outside of the immigrant population, i see next to 0 interest in the sport from anyone. i was in toronto the other day observing a football competition taking place in the teen ages and honestly .. i've watched a lot of football in my life but barely played it and the rules were all messed up. i almost got into an argument with a coach and he pulled the 'are you a sports coach or me' dialogue on me.

the thing is ... canadian knowledge of soccer ... and even more so .. canadian knowledge of 'soccer culture', which is the more improtant term here is no where compared to the rest of the people being spoken to over here. i've followed soccer for a long time now and even i can't pretend to understand the culture as I don't reside in a place like that.

so i dont think he was stereotyping canadians at all neo ...

You're a good guy also Arsi, but in this case, I have proven my point over and over again, and you along ith Doc and kyro don't want to see what the point is. If you go back and read what I said initially, its that soccer fans are violent in many ways. There are countless documents to prove it. I'm proving it. I don't get what is so hard to understand.

bABA... It's football... not soccer...

I KNOW!! I FREAKING KNOW!!

DAMN YOU NORTH AMERICA!!!

I did not say that all Canadians are clueless, but baumer is not the kind of a Canadian who seems to know much about Europe and Europeans in general and who is in direct touch with any and who spent any time in Europe anyway, unlike you. I mean how more moronic can baumer be, arguing that he knows something about the happenings during the World Cup that I don't, given that I freaking live HERE and he in a Canadian province?

Because there is this new thing called the internet Doc, and before that there was something else called TV. It helps with stuff like news.

So you want to tell me that if you see a report of something on TV, it is more reliable than a report from someone who actually lives where it all happens? That makes sense to you?

True, there is a tiny minority of badly behaving football fans (that gives all football supporters a bad name), but saying football fans are hooligans, as in all or the majority or even a lot, is just pure ignorance...

i didn't say the majority, i said a portion.