On the pitch

07 Jul 2006

Kahn to play against Portugal

Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann will step aside for the third place match against Portugal on Saturday to give Oliver Kahn what may be his last international appearance.

"I can confirm that Oliver Kahn will be in goal. He has played a big role in this team behind the scenes at the finals and deserves this game," said Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann who explained. "Jens has no problem with that."

Kahn, capped 85 times, played second fiddle to Lehmann at the finals but will get a farewell World Cup match before ending his international career.

Kahn lost his starting place to Lehmann, who was faultless between the posts in this World Cup, in a much publicised decision just ahead of the finals.

Elizondo to referee World Cup final

Argentinian referee Horacio Elizondo will be in charge of Sunday's World Cup final here between France and Italy, FIFA announced on Thursday.

Elizondo was also in charge of the tournament opener between Germany and Costa Rica in Munich on June 9.

In the quarter-finals he was the referee for the England v Portugal game and sent off England striker Wayne Rooney in a controversial decision for stamping on an opponent.

France in white for World Cup final

France will play in their reserve colours of all-white in Sunday's World Cup final against Italy here, FIFA announced on Thursday.

The Italians, deemed as the home side by FIFA, will play in their habitual blue shirts.

The last time the French won the World Cup on home soil in 1998 they wore their customary blue shirts against the yellow of Brazil.

The match in Berlin's Olympic Stadium kicks off at 1800 GMT

World Cup squad of the tournament

FIFA on Friday announced the list of 23 players for the squad of the tournament.

The list will be reduced to the best 11 by FIFA after the final on Sunday between France and Italy.

Goalkeepers: Jens Lehmann (GER), Gianluigi Buffon (ITA), Ricardo (POR)

Defenders: Philipp Lahm (GER), Roberto Ayala (ARG), John Terry (ENG), Lilian Thuram (FRA), Fabio Cannavaro (ITA), Gianluca Zambrotta (ITA), Ricardo Carvalho (POR)

Midfielders: Michael Ballack (GER), Ze Roberto (BRA), Patrick Vieira (FRA), Zinedine Zidane (FRA), Andrea Pirlo (ITA), Gennaro Gattuso (ITA), Luis Figo (POR), Maniche (POR)

Strikers: Miroslav Klose (GER), Hernan Crespo (ARG), Thierry Henry (FRA), Francesco Totti (ITA), Luca Toni (ITA)

Podolski named best young player

Germany's Lukas Podolski was named by FIFA on Friday as the World Cup's best young player.

The 21-year-old Polish-born striker scored three goals after coach Jurgen Klinsmann had selected him as part of a drive to reinvigorate a flagging team. He has now scored 15 goals from 31 appearance with the national team.

Podolski played with FC Cologne last year but after they were relegated to the second division he joined champions Bayern Munich.

He won the first ever World Cup best young player award ahead of the other nominees, Lionel Messi of Argentina, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, Luis Valencia of Ecuador, Tranquilo Barnetta of Switzerland and Cesc Fabregas of Spain.

It was open to all players born after January 1 1985. A total of 40 players from the 32 qualified teams met this criterion.

Italy receive praise from Domenech

Italy, who meet France in the World Cup final on Sunday - received generous praise from an unexpected quarter on Thursday - Raymond Domenech.

The 54-year-old French coach revealed himself as an out and out fan of Marcelo Lippi's Azzurri, and was savouring the prospect of Sunday's clash in Berlin.

"The game has the makings of a beautiful occasion," he said.

"A beautiful occasion because it's a World Cup final and because it's against Italy.

"I'm a strong admirer of the team, I feel attached to the way they play. Games with Italy are never boring and always leave an impression."

"Italy pulled off a real achievement in beating Germany and from what I saw the choice of tactics transformed the game," commented Domenech.

Klose dreaming of Golden Boot title

Germany striker Miroslav Klose says he is desperate to win the Golden Boot title after missing out on Sunday's World Cup final in Berlin.

Klose leads the scoring charts with five goals and has the chance to put more distance between him and his rivals when hosts Germany take on Portugal in Saturday's third-place play-off in Stuttgart.

"Finishing top-scorer at the World Cup is a great honour and it would be fantastic if one title stayed in Germany after these finals," Klose said.

Werder Bremen striker Klose is two goals ahead of his main rival French striker Thierry Henry who will face Italy in Sunday's final.

German Player of the Year Klose admits he is still struggling with a calf injury picked up in the 2-0 semi-final defeat to Italy on Tuesday and is not certain to play.

"I still have pain in my calf. I want to play but if it is not 100 percent I won't risk it," Klose declared.

If Klose, born in the Polish city of Opole, can score against Portugal on Saturday it will take his World Cup goals tally to 11 - level with Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann.

Gattuso hoping to face a tired Zidane

Italy's tigerish midfielder Gennaro Gattuso said on Friday he hopes Zinedine Zidane has used up all his energy in helping France reach the World Cup final.

"Zidane's 34 and he's played every match at a high level. I hope he has little energy left in his body for the final," the 28-year-old AC Milan midfielder said.

Nicknamed 'The Growler' for his aggressive style, Gattuso insists he won't be marking Zidane man-for-man, but will be out to make his life difficult.

"If Zidane comes into my path of course I'll try and stop him, that's normal, but I certainly won't be following him everywhere on the pitch," Gattuso said.

"I've never man-marked anybody. The only time I have done it was when I stayed on (Juan Carlos) Valeron in a Champions League quarter-final against Deportivo La Coruna for 20 minutes."

Three French, four Italians up for best player

Italy and France contribute the majority of players nominated for the award of World Cup player of the tournament as FIFA's technical Study Group mulls their respective merits, it emerged Thursday.

The group have put ten players forward and the world media will choose who should succeed Oliver kahn, voted the 2002 edition's most valuable player.

The ten are Italian quartet Andrea Pirlo, Fabio Cannavaro, Gianlugi Buffon and Gianluca Zambrotta, French final rivals Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira, Maniche of Portugal, as well as German skipper Michael Ballack and top scorer - to date - Miroslav Klose, also of Germany.

Prior to Kahn, the first keeper to win the award, Ronaldo was singled out in 1998 despite Brazil's final loss.

The 1994 prize went to compatriot Romario, Salvatore Schillaci of Italy won in 1990, Diego Maradona took the 1986 honours and Italian striker Paulo Rossi was the experts choice four years earlier.

ZZ factor will tip balance says Sagnol

Willy Sagnol reckons Sunday's World Cup final between France and Italy is an evenly balanced affair apart from one crucial factor - Zinedine Zidane.

"Italy's best player is the team itself because it's such a strong block which will cause us problems," said the 29-year-old France defender.

"But I think Zinedine Zidane can tip the balance - and we have Zidane and they don't.

"He's got all the qualities of a natural leader, and along with Lilian (Thuram) and Fabian (Barthez) it's very enjoyable to follow in their footsteps.

"We want to see them finish in the best possible way, we want them to finish on a high as that means it's not bad for the others either," added the Bayern Munich player.

"We know we're in the final but we can't appreciate its significance as we're too concentrated on the game, and focused on our play and weighing up Italy's strengths and weaknesses.

"It'll only be later that we can reflect back on what's happened, which is regrettable."

Nesta out of World Cup final

Italy's central defender Alessandro Nesta has been ruled out of Sunday's World Cup final against France.

"He will not be fit to play, Italy team doctor Enrico Castellacci said here on Thursday.

Nesta, 30, has missed Italy's last three matches with a groin strain which he suffered during the 2-0 win over the Czech Republic in the group stage.

Marco Materazzi will continue in Nesta's place.

Italy are tops says Thuram

France will be going up against the best team in the tournament when they take on Italy in the World Cup final on Sunday, according to defender Lilian Thuram.

France's record cap winner, who plays his club football for Juventus, said after his side defeated Portugal 1-0 late Wednesday to set up the match in Berlin, that he has feared the Italians from the start of the finals.

Of course I know all the Juventus players very well, they are very strong. It's going to be a tough game against Italy. They are without doubt the best team in the tournament," the 34-year-old said.

"From the start I thought they would go far as they are a very homogenous group of players. You can sense their solidarity.

"Once upon a time there were too many big egos in the Italian team, but now they work for each other and it is going to be very difficult for us."

Henry always knew France would confound the critics

France striker Thierry Henry said after his nation beat Portugal on Wednesday to reach the World Cup final that he had never listened to the critics who savaged the team when they made a poor start to the tournament.

"It is true that we were not playing well, people were saying we were too old. That was pretty harsh, but as soon as you step it up it works," Henry said.

"We were not listening to it, we were playing as a team. That is what the team is all about."

"We defended like lions. After we got the penalty, the way we defended was great," Henry said.

Lilian Thuram, one of the veterans from the 1998-winning team who came out of international retirement to help France qualify, said the joy of being in the final was just as strong eight years later.

"I am 34 today and I feel like a 10-year-old child who is watching the World Cup on television and thinking it is magnificent.

"I am just saying that I am so lucky. We're in the final and I hope that the party is going to continue because this is just too beautiful," said Thuram, who was named man of the match.

Lehmann future hinges on Klinsmann

Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann admits he will wait to see whether manager Jurgen Klinsmann stays on in the job before deciding whether to carry on in the national team until Euro 2008.

"I will think about my personal situation after the finals and certainly chat with Jurgen Klinsmann about it," Lehmann said.

"Like all the other players I hope he stays as everybody wants to continue his work.

"If Jurgen decides that he does not want to continue the disappointment would be enormous as we do not know what is coming next."

Lehmann looked despondent and admitted he was finding the Italy defeat hard to stomach, particularly after losing the Champions League final with Arsenal. "I feel worse than I did after the game as I have had time to reflect on it," Lehmann said. "As a player it is difficult to stomach missing out on the final.

"The disappointment of going so close to winning two major trophies this season will stay with me for a long time.