FIFA President announces all-star team

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, October 09, 2003

FIFA President announces all-star team

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FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter has announced the FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003 MasterCard All-Star Team in Long Beach, California. The FIFA President unveiled the choice of the FIFA Technical Study Group, which selected 11 starters and five substitutes to the honoured team.

Wang Liping becomes the only Chinese player included in the World Cup all-star team.

The finalists dominated the list, particularly Germany who have five players in the first 11, while two starters and a substitute make the list from Sweden.

GOALKEEPER

ROTTENBERG, Silke (GER #1) - With her outstanding performances, she set a new standard for goalkeeping in the women��s game. She was a fantastic presence, commanding her area well, with great timing and awareness. She never hesitated to take necessary risks to assist defenders.

DEFENDERS

WANG, Liping (CHN #20) - With very good balance, her small stature did not impede her game, and her distribution and timing in the build up were superb.

FAWCETT, Joy (USA #14) - She is great in duels and covering her other defenders with her precise timing of challenges and covering. She starts and leads the build up and is so able to dictate the tempo with her selection of passes.

HOOPER, Charmaine (CAN #10) - She was put in defence out of necessity and adapted extremely fast to her new task. Has been the leading influence at the back for Canada, and in possession she played simply and solidly. Her timing for headers is exceptional, both defensively and in attack (on set pieces). She had an impact on every game.

MINNERT, Sandra (GER #13) - A very good defender, she is strong in duels and also has very good heading ability. She made good recovery runs, covered her team mates well and intercepted penetrating passes with her sound positional sense. In possession she dictated the tempo of her team��s build up.

MIDFIELDERS

WIEGMANN, Bettina (GER #10) - A superb playmaker. She was arguably the one player who has been capable of dominating and influencing the pace of the game. With her good positional sense, she is a true football intellect.

MOSTROEM, Malin (SWE #6) - Has been the link in the chain between the strikers and the midfielders (both in possession and opponents possession) for Sweden. Times her penetrating runs extremely well, which brings her into scoring positions.

BOXX, Shannon (USA #7) - Balanced the midfield in every game. She is physically very strong, hardly loses a duel, reads the game well and repositions herself all the time. In possession she plays simple, effective passes. She is very dangerous and direct on set pieces, especially with her head.

MEINERT, Maren (GER #14) - Very direct offensive player with a tireless drive to go for the win. She is very mobile, fast and creative with a superb work rate and is able to get away from her opponent easily. In transition, she puts pressure on her opponent immediately.

STRIKERS

PRINZ, Birgit (GER #9) - A complete striker. Extremely direct, she showed all-around goal scoring ability but equally capable of setting up others to score. Physically, she is very strong and uses her strength to benefit her football. She showed superb work-rate and was a handful for any opponent.

SVENSSON, Victoria (SWE #11) - A very dynamic match winner, she had a huge impact on every game. She created scoring chances, for herself and others and consistently pressurised the opponent's build up.

SUBSTITUTES

GOALKEEPER

JOENSSON, Caroline (SWE #1) - Very solid, her style of goalkeeping is simple and effective. Extremely good intercepting crosses and penetrating passes. Superb in starting counter attacks, especially with her long distribution from her hands.

MIDFIELDERS

GULBRANDSEN, Solveig (NOR #8) - She always balances her midfield, positioning herself very well, but also has the drive to support the attack. A very strong player and extremely important to her team. She is capable of battling throughout the game to regain possession and has the insight to apply pressure through penetrating passes and supporting the front line.

MARTA (BRA #10) - She demonstrated superb technical abilities, great vision and awareness as a very talented young player with an exceptional feeling of the game. She had very good timing of her runs and her dynamic individual actions resulted in a number of goals. She can break open a defence on her own.

STRIKERS

HAMM, Mia (USA #9) - She was involved in most of the goals scored by the USA. Very dynamic and fast striker, with exceptional cross-ball deliveries. Extremely direct in her play, she was always a threat for the opponent. Scores goals, assists, and has a good work-rate both defensively and offensively.

MELLGREN, Dagny (NOR #14) - A very direct striker, she was complete in her finishing and putting others in scoring positions. She was able to turn games. Dynamic and skilful. (FIFAworldcup)

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