Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi are among the six candidates for best young player at the World Cup.
Other finalists are Tranquillo Barnetta of Switzerland, Cesc Fabregas of Spain, Lukas Podolski of Germany and Luis Valencia of Ecuador.
Messi, Ronaldo and Valencia made the short list by finishing in the top three of fan voting via www.fifaworldcup.com, while Barnetta, Fabregas and Podolski were nominated by FIFAs Technical Study Group.
The original field consisted of 40 players.
The award goes to “the player born on or after Jan. 1, 1985, who makes the biggest impression at the FIFA World Cup … criteria for the award include style, charisma, fair play and appetite for the game, as well as pure technical skill.”
The 14 members of the Technical Study Group will decide the winner, who will be announced today.
No Nesta for final
Italy defender Alessandro Nesta has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against France with a right thigh injury.
Nesta has missed Italy’s past three matches after aggravating a long-term injury in Italy’s 2-0 win over the Czech Republic in the first round.
He has been bothered by the muscle problem on and off for the past couple months.
Germany central defender Per Mertesacker will miss the third-place match against Portugal on Saturday after surgery on his left heel.
Mertesacker left the team’s base in Berlin on Thursday and flew to Munich for the operation to repair the damaged heel, team spokesman Harald Stenger said.
Klose’s goal
Although Germany is out of the title equation, Miroslav Klose still could earn a prize or two for the host nation.
Klose leads the tournament with five goals and he could add to it in the third-place match.
“It would be great to be top scorer because then at least one title would remain in Germany,” Klose said Thursday.
“But everyone knows I am a team player and I am thinking only of the game. It will be a tough match against Portugal.
“We all wish we were in the final, but we all want to win the game on Saturday. I was very sad that we didn’t make the final, but third place is better than fourth,” Klose said.
The Polish-born striker has 10 World Cup goals and needs two to pass coach Juergen Klinsmann on the German all-time list, which is led by Gerd Mueller’s 14.
Klose also is on the list for the Golden Ball for most valuable player of the tournament.
Owen’s prognosis
England’s Michael Owen will have to wait eight weeks before doctors can operate on his injured right knee.
The striker traveled to the United States to have his torn anterior cruciate ligament examined. Owen, 26, was hurt during the opening minutes of England’s World Cup match against Sweden.
