North Korea's JONG Tae Se - FIFA photo

SPORTS NOTES MAX - WORLD CUP FINAL WINNERS

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

New Zealand was the surprise of the tournament going undefeated and playing tough defense - North Korea the lowest ranked team in the tournament at 105 gave it their all. Their 2-1 loss to Brazil was a surprise to many. The icing on their cake was the emergence of JONG Tae Se - WORLD CUP ALL STAR TEAM

Monday July 26, 2010

WORLD CUP SUPPLY & SURPRISE

The World Cup was a success but for France it was a disgrace as they quit on their coach and their country. Defending champion Italy proved to be a disappointment as critics questioned the team selection of too many over the hill players while not bringing in new blood.

The event was filled with excitement and winners for even those who did not go through past the group stage in some way came out winners as they did their best and competed. After 64 matches were played 145 goals were scored averaging 2.27 goals per match.

New Zealand was the surprise of the tournament going undefeated and playing tough defense. They failed to make it out of the group stage but were worthy opponents that lacked offense but had plenty of guts. The Kiwi's scored two goals and gave up only two in their three games with results of Slovakia 1-1, Italy 1-1 and held quarter finalists Paraguay to a 0-0 finish.

North Korea the lowest ranked team in the tournament at 105 gave it their all despite their 7-0 thrashing at the hands of Portugal. Their 2-1 loss to Brazil was a surprise to many followed by a 3-0 defeat to the Ivory Coast but given their political situation they did themselves proud.

The icing on their cake was the emergence of JONG Tae Se who signed with the German club Bochum.

Jong is a third generation South Korean who was born in Nagoya, Japan to second generation South Korean parents with South Korean citizenship. His mother identified herself as a North Korean and sent him to attend a Chongryon private school in Japan funded by N. Korea where he started football at its elementary school club. After graduating from a local Chongryon high school, he attended Korea University, a private university in Tokyo funded by the North Korean government.

Jong later chose to trade his South Korean citizenship for a North Korean citizenship, despite the fact that he has never lived in N. Korea. The South Korean government officially does not recognize North Korea as a country and also does not allow dual citizenship in the case of adult citizens and hence Jong was unable to give up his citizenship. Chongryon, the DPRK's de facto embassy in Japan, issued a North Korean passport to him. This made him eligible, per FIFA rules, to play for the North Korean team despite being a South Korean citizen and resident of Japan.

Though he scored four goals against Macau and four against Mongolia in the 2008 East Asian Football Championship qualification his most notable effort against a major team was scoring both North Korea's goals in a friendly against Greece resulting in a 2-2 outcome May 25, 2010.

World Cup All-Star Team

The All-Star Team was decided by an online public vote, in which people were invited to select a team (in a 4-4-2 formation) and best coach. Voting was open until 23:59 on 11 July 2010, with entrants going into a draw to win a prize. Six of the eleven players came from the Spanish team, as did the coach. The remainder of the team included one Brazilian, two Germans, a Dutchman and a Uruguayan.

* Goalkeeper: Spain Iker Casillas (Spain)

* Defenders: Spain Sergio Ramos and Carles Puyol (Spain), Brazil Maicon (Brazil), Germany Philipp Lahm (Germany) * Midfielders: Spain Andrés Iniesta and Xavi (Spain), Germany Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany), Netherlands Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands)

* Forwards: Uruguay Diego Forlán (Uruguay), Spain David Villa (Spain)

* Coach: Spain Vicente del Bosque (Spain)

Missing from the squad is Germany's Thomas Muller who won the Golden Boot and Best Young Player Awards. He was the sparkplug of the German team's offense.

The award winners were:

* Golden Ball: Uruguay Diego Forlán (Uruguay)

* Golden Boot: Germany Thomas Müller (Germany)

* Golden Glove: Spain Iker Casillas (Spain)

* Best Young Player: Germany Thomas Müller (Germany)

* FIFA Fair Play Trophy: Spain

Post-tournament team ranking

Shortly after the final, FIFA issued a final ranking of every team in the tournament. The ranking was based on progress in the competition, overall results and quality of the opposition. The final ranking was as follows:

1. Spain

2. Netherlands

3. Germany

4. Uruguay

5. Argentina

6. Brazil

7. Ghana

8. Paraguay

9. Japan

10. Chile

11. Portugal

12. United States

13. England

14. Mexico

15. Korea Republic

16. Slovakia

17. Côte d'Ivoire

18. Slovenia

19. Switzerland

20. South Africa

21. Australia

22. New Zealand

23. Serbia

24. Denmark

25. Greece

26. Italy

27. Nigeria

28. Algeria

29. France

30. Honduras

31. Cameroon

32. Korea DPR

FIFA TOP 10 - Out-and-out triumph for Spain