Golden Ball - Zinedine Zidane (France)

French midfielder Zinedine Zidane takes a penalty kick during the World Cup 2006 final match between Italy and France in Berlin, Germany, July 9, 2006. (Xinhua Photo)

Related story: Golden Ball award goes to Zidane
    Arguably the greatest trophy available to an individual footballer went to one of the game's most spectacular players of the past decade. Fabio Cannavaro and Andrea Pirlo, Silver and Bronze Ball winners respectively, certainly ran him close, but despite that Final red card, Zidane undoubtedly provided some of Germany 2006's most memorable moments, and the accredited media at the FIFA World Cup Final recognized this in their voting.     

    Golden Shoe - Miroslav Klose (Germany)

German striker Miroslav Klose£¨L£©fights for the ball with a Portugese player during their third-place playoff World Cup 2006 football match at Stuttgart, Germany, July 08, 2006. Germany won 3-1.(Xinhua/AFP Photo)

    His winning tally might have been the lowest since Chile 1962, but Klose undoubtedly deserved this award having finished two clear of Hernan Crespo, Ronaldo and Thierry Henry with a tally of five goals that saw him move into third place in the list of top German goalscorers at FIFA World Cup finals.     

    Best Young Player - Lukas Podolski (Germany)

Germany's Lukas Podolski (Xinhua Photo)

    Emerging at the head of a 40-strong field of candidates, Lukas Podolski was named the inaugural Gillette Best Young Player by FIFA's TSG after scoring three goals and contributing boundless energy to Germany's enthralling FIFA World Cup campaign. "This is a big motivation for myself to keep on improving in my career and to play a even better World Cup in four years' time," said the 21-year-old after collecting his award.     

    Lev Yashin Award - Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)

Italian goalie Gianluigi Buffon  (Xinhua Photo)

Related story: Buffon wins Yashin award

    No surprises here. Gianluigi Buffon produced as close to a perfect tournament as can be humanly possible, conceding just twice during Italy's triumphant campaign, once from a Christian Zaccardo own goal and then from Zidane's audacious penalty in the Final. The FIFA TSG members were responsible for this decision, and so faultless was Buffon throughout the tournament that it cannot have taken them long to arrive at it.