The Hyundai Best Young Player award has been created to recognise the impact made by young footballers in their first FIFA World Cup™. The tournament is constantly being rejuvenated by fresh talent – many of these players are relatively unknown even before the opening ceremony, but emerge as household names after the event. Who can forget the manner in which Lukas Podolski burst onto the scene in 2006?
New players bring fresh impetus to the game, changing the face of football with their fearless instinctive play and for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa a new trophy has been introduced to honour them, namely the Hyundai Best Young Player award.
The Trophy
The award was designed and created by United Kingdom-based company, Fattorini – a craft-artisans business founded in 1827.
The Trophy which stands at 310mm high and weights 6.7 kilograms is made from solid steel. The spiral design of the trophy symbolises three key aspects: football, Africa and Hyundai. The spiral reflects the notion of a player “running rings around the opposition” as well as forming a link with the traditional African fashion accessory of jewellery bangles. The design is also representative of the springs found on a car’s suspension system. Three elements are harmoniously combined:
- Football: a player running rings around the opposition
- Africa: Jewellery bangles
- Hyundai: the springs found on a car’s suspension system
The spirals support the football global part of the trophy, forming a strong link to FIFA’s claim: ‘For the Game. For the World.’
About the Award
The award will be presented to the player who creates the biggest impact in the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. Judges will be looking for certain technical qualities such as skill, style and charisma but also other important facets such as a sense of fair play and a genuine impression that they are playing merely for the love of the game.
The Technical Study Group
For the last four decades, the FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) has analysed matches at international tournaments and highlighted the latest trends in the game.
FIFA's Technical section is headed by Jean-Paul Brigger, former Swiss international (33 caps, 3 goals), a Swiss domestic league champion with FC Sion and the country's Player of the Year in 1992. He is also a five-time winner of the Swiss Cup and was named Swiss coach of the year in 1995.
The TSG comprises world-renowned experts boasting a wealth of experience at international level, either as current or former national coaches. At FIFA tournaments their work includes observing training sessions and matches, and meeting and talking with national coaches.
The information is collected in a report made available to FIFA member associations afterwards as a development tool. The TSG’s fundamental priorities remain the same: to maintain the development of the world’s best loved sport.
Selecting a Player
Recognising the Hyundai Best Young Player is a valuable promotional tool for football, and an important moment for the future career of the triumphant young player. The FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) takes the following criteria into account when selecting the Hyundai Best Young Player.
- Exceptional skills
- Youthful and refreshing playing style
- Creativity and inspiration
- Tactical maturity and efficiency
- Fan recognition as a result of entertaining performances
- Role models for young players
- Positive attitude – Fair Play
The FIFA TSG consists of experienced coaches and analysts representing the confederations, and they select the Hyundai Best Young Player in a neutral, responsible manner without any external influence.
The Hyundai Best Young Player will be announced after the final match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, with an all new Hyundai Tucson ix 35 given to the award winner.
