As well as being voted best player at the FIFA U-20 World Cup
Canada 2007, Argentinian striker Sergio Agüero also took home the
adidas Golden Shoe as the tournament's top scorer.
In the voting for the best player, which was carried out by
the tournament's accredited journalists, Aguero came in well
ahead of fellow Argentinian Maximiliano Moralez and Mexico's
Giovanni Dos Santos. In the goal-scoring charts, he finished in
front of Spain's Adrian Lopez and his team-mate Moralez.
adidas Golden Ball and adidas Golden Shoe: Sergio Aguero
(Argentina) - 6 goals, 4 assists, 167 points
Argentina's number 10 was very much the star of
the tournament in Canada. The captain of the
Albiceleste impressed not only with his goals and his
overall technique but also with his work rate, catching the eye of
both the fans and the media representatives who traditionally elect
the tournament's best player. Though relatively small at a mere
1.70m, Agüero stood tall for the South Americans, with his
impressive performances and above all his goals setting him apart
from the rest. During the group stages, he scored twice against
Panama as well as notching the "goal of the day" to give
his side a 1-0 win over Korea DPR. His opening strike in the Round
of 16 victory against Poland was a thing of beauty as he waltzed
through the opposition defence and let fly with his left foot to
make it 2-1. That score soon became 3-1, as Agüero grabbed his
fifth goal of the tournament, while his sixth strike was perhaps
the most important, drawing Argentina level with the Czech Republic
in the Final.
Aguero, who plies his trade with Spanish outfit Atletico
Madrid, is following in the footsteps of his compatriot Lionel
Messi, who also scooped both awards at the tournament in The
Netherlands two years ago.
adidas Silver Ball and adidas Bronze Shoe: Maximiliano
Moralez (Argentina) - 4 goals, 3 assists, 71 points
Maxi Moralez is another diminutive Argentinian (1.60m) who
towered above the rest in Canada. Together with team-mate Aguero,
midfielder Moralez was one of the shining lights of the
title-winning Argentine squad. His speed and above all his eye for
a slide-rule pass made him one of the tournament's top players,
and he also chipped in with four goals and three assists.
adidas Bronze Ball: Giovanni Dos Santos (Mexico), 64 points
The 18-year-old striker was one of the key players
in a Mexico team which made if through to the last eight of the
tournament, scoring three goals in the process. His strike against
Gambia in Mexico's opening match was a classic volley into the
top corner, and this, along with his style of play, led to many
comparisons with Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho, who is a team-mate
of Dos Santos' at Barcelona.
adidas Golden Shoe: Sergio Agüero - 6 goals, 4 assists
adidas Silver Shoe, Adrian Lopez (Spain) - 5 goals, 0
assists
Lopez's crowning glory came in the 4-3 group
stage victory over Jordan, as the Spanish striker scored a
match-winning hat-trick. The 19-year-old always seemed to be in the
right place at the right time and notched a number of important
goals. In Spain's opening match against Uruguay, he played a
defining role in his team's come-back from a two-goal deficit
to earn a 2-2 draw, while in the Round of 16 against Brazil, the
Deportivo la Coruna forward scored an all-important goal to make it
4-2 during extra time.
adidas Bronze Shoe: Maximiliano Moralez (Argentina) - 4 goals, 3 assists
FIFA Fair Play Award: Japan
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