I'm sure you are aware by now that Argentina won its sixth FIFA under-20 World Cup on Sunday, and that striker Sergio Aguero was named the tournament's outstanding player.
I don't know about you guys, but I think the wrong player won the award.
Just before the championship game a FIFA rep reminded all the media that we had until the 76th minute to vote for the Adidas Golden Ball award, which goes to the tournament's MVP. Now, I've never met a deadline I couldn't push, bend or extend, but this time I decided to work ahead of schedule - for once - and vote at half time.
My top three looked like this:
3. Freddy Adu...He showed he can be both the playmaker his team needs and the goal scorer fans crave.
2. Sergio Aguero...for "quality." Damn, that man can score. Even in Polish.
1. Maximiliano Moralez...Did anyone else in this tournament do so much with so little? Watch him create the second goal against Chile. He's only 5-foot-3 but he's long on skills, and on a team full of stars he managed (in my opinion) to shine brightest. Aguero may have gotten the goals and the glory, but Morales made this team go. Watching him play makes me thankful they forced the soccer beat on me. I'll endure three more years of diving, feigned injury and "magic spray" if it means seeing this guy in the World Cup in 2010.
So what's this got to do with TFC? I mean, this is the TFC blog, isn't it?
Well maybe Adu will parlay a standout performance at the U20 into a strong second half with Real Salt Lake, and possibly the European contract he's wanted his entire life - all 18 years of it.
But maybe he'll sink back into his RSL rut. Before leaving to join the U.S. national team, Adu had scored only one goal so far this MLS season, and that was on a penalty kick.
Which Freddy Adu will show up at BMO Field on Sept. 15?
As for Moralez...there's no real connection to TFC, but if I ran the team I'd be trying to acquire him.
The guy's exciting, and plays with equal parts function and flair. He just spent three weeks dazzling Canadian fans with his quickness and skill, so he's got a ready-made fan base here. Now, I have no clue how much he's making in Argentina, how much it would cost to get him away from Racing Club, or if TFC could ever afford it. I'm just saying if I ran the team, I'd be saving my pennies and brushing up on my Spanish.
That's probably why I don't run the team...
- Morgan Campbell
I think Christofer Toselli from Chile also deserved a nod to be at least in the top three. He made some spectacular saved and also broke a tournament record for most minutes played without allowing a goal
Posted by: pier lombardi | July 24, 2007 at 12:54 PM