The Best Young Player award is given to the best player inthe tournament who is at most 21 years old. It was included in the awards for the first time at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Later, for retrospective effect, FIFA conducted a survey for the users to choose the Best Young Players of the FIFA World Cups held between 1958 and 2002. FIFA named the Best Player of each tournament as per the votings. Lets have a look at 5 young player award winners and their contributions to their national side.
#5 Thomas Muller - 2010
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Country: Germany
Age: 20
Matches Played: 6
Thomas Muller played a major role in the German World Cup Campaign in 2010. After the injury to Ballack, he played in the midfield along with Mesut Ozil to form a new attacking unit in the German team. He provided 3 assists and scored 5 goals to finish as the joint top scorer of the tournament.
Goals scored: 5 goals – 1 goal vs Australia (GS), 2 goals vs England (RO16), 1 goal vs Argentina (QF), 1 goal vs Uruguay (3rd PL)
#4 Lukas Podolski - 2006
Country : Germany
Age : 21
Lukas Podolski played his first World Cup in his homeland in 2006. He partnered Miroslav Klose in the front to form a dangerous strike partnership. He drifted through the left wing and posed a major attacking threat.
‘Poldi’ scored his first goal against Ecuador and two more against Sweden in the second round. Lukas Podolski scored three goals and was in second place, tied with 8 other players, in the top scorers list.
Goals scored: 3 goals – 1 goal vs Ecuador (GS), 2 goals vs Sweden (RO16).
#3 Michael Owen - 1998
Country: England
Age : 18
Matches Played: 4
Michael Owen was selected for the England World Cup squad for the 1998 tournament in France. When he made his debut against Tunisia, he became the youngest ever England Player to play in a World Cup match.
But, Owen was remembered for his goal against Argentina in the Round of 16. With the scoreline reading 1-1, he scored a sublime solo goal dribbling away from two defenders and firing past the goalkeeper from just outside the penalty box.
This goal is regarded as one of the best goals in the World Cup era. Unfortunately, the game ended as a draw and England succumbed in penalties. Nevertheless, Owen became a prolific goal scorer and played in the next two World Cups.
Goals : 2 goals – 1 goal vs Romania (GS), 1 goal vs Argentina (RO16).
#2 Franz Beckenbauer - 1966
Country : Germany
Age : 20
Matches Played : 6
Playing his first World Cup in 1966, Franz Beckenbauer played a crucial role in taking West Germany to the finals. Being a non-attacker, playing mostly as a sweeper or a midfielder, he scored 4 goals and finished third in the list of top scorers.
Remarkably, he scored twice on his World Cup debut against Switzerland in their 5-0 win. Unfortunately, the Germans were defeated by England in the finals by a controversial goal by Geoff Hurst.
Later, Franz Beckenbauer would lead his country to glory in 1974.
Goals : 4 goals – 2 goals vs Switzerland (GS), 1 goals vs Uruguay (QF), 1 goal vs USSR (SF).
#1 Pel - 1958
Team: Brazil
Age : 17
Matches Played : 4
Widely regarded as the best football player of all time, Pelé was the revelation of the 1958 FIFA World Cup held in Sweden. Pelé was sidelined for Brazil’s first two matches due to a knee injury. Pelé was the youngest player ever to play in the World Cup when he made his debut against USSR in the third match.
He made a mark in his debut by setting up Vava’s second goal. In the quarter-finals, he scored the only goal of the match against Wales. Then, he took the world by storm after scoring a hat-trick against France in the semi-finals and a double against sweden in the finals.
Pelé played a major role in the triumph of Brazil and would go on to win 2 more world cups with Brazil.
Goals : 6 goals – 1 goal vs Wales (QF), 3 goals vs France (SF), 2 goals vs Sweden (Finals)
