The stars who shined the brightest

By Gary Meenaghan, www.thenational.ae

Barcelona lifted the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2009 but there were more players who stood out in the 10-day competition. The National's team of the tournament is...

GK: Federico Vilar (ATL)
Atlante’s Argentine stopper showed his reflexes throughout the tournament, keeping a clean sheet against Auckland and denying Zlatan Ibrahimovic a series of chances in the Mexicans’ semi-final with Barcelona. Captain of his side, “The Chief” also stepped up to score one of their penalties in the dramatic shoot-out defeat to Pohang.

LB: Ian Hogg (AUC)
Auckland City’s marauding left-back never pulled out of a challenge and showed composure beyond his years, comfortably dealing with everything thrown at him. His bursting runs down the left flank caused Al Ahli problems in the opening game and, despite conceding three against Atlante, it could have been more had it not been for his impressive display.

CB: Leandro Desabato (EST)
The dominating, intelligent centre-half shone at the heart of the Estudiantes defence for much of Los Pincharratas’ backs-to-the-wall defensive display against Barcelona in the final. The 30-year-old Argentine defender even came close to taking the match to a penalty shoot-out, but glanced his header just wide in the final minute of extra-time.

CB: Hyun-Gil Kim (POH)
Pohang’s South Korean international never looked like missing as he swept home the decisive penalty in Saturday’s third-place play-off shoot-out with Atlante. But while the kick was composed, it was his resolute defending that stood out more. The tallest player in the Steelers side, Kim’s physicality was at times overbearing for many of his opponents.

RB: Dani Alves (BAR)
Barcelona’s Brazilian was returning to the scene of his 2003 World Youth Championship success and he did not disappoint. The rampaging right-back caused both Atlante and Estudiantes problems with his clever overlapping and quality crossing. Arguably his biggest contribution won his side the title: a pinpoint cross in extra time that Lionel Messi bundled over the line to seal victory.

LM: Leandro Benitez (EST)
When the Argentine missed from four yards in the opening exchanges of Estudiantes’ semi-final match with Pohang, the left-winger could have shrunk in stature. Instead, it appeared to merely serve as a warning shot; one Pohang failed to heed. Benitez scored a brace. Against Barcelona, he was deployed more defensively to try and hold the lead and did so effectively until substituted.

CM: Pedro (BAR)
Disappointed to be relegated to the bench for the final after scoring an historic goal against Atlante in the previous round – he netted in each of Barca’s six campaigns this term – he looked intent on impressing when introduced at half-time against Estudiantes. It was the midfielder’s looping, last-minute equaliser that saw Zayed Sports City erupt as the game was forced into extra-time.

RM: Guillermo Rojas (ATL)
The nippy and tricky right winger provided the shock of the tournament when unfancied Atlante took an early lead against Barcelona in the final. The wide man outpaced the Catalan captain Carles Puyol, knocked the ball over the on rushing Victor Valdes and slid in to direct the ball goalwards with the outside of his left foot. An immense finish.

CF: Lionel Messi (BAR)
Voted Player of the Tournament after Saturday’s final, few could argue there was anybody who deserved it more. Barcelona’s Ballon d’Or winner gave his side the lead against Atlante with his first meaningful touch of the ball after being introduced as a substitute, while his finish in the final – although unorthodox – showed a class that cannot be found in any other player. Special.

CF: Denilson (POH)
Brazilian striker Denilson, the competition’s top goalscorer, bagged all four of Pohang’s goals during the tournament. The 33-year-old may have lost his pace, but technically, he looked a real handful and, even with his side reduced to 10 men and up against an experienced Estudiantes back line, he managed to dominate the opposing defence to score.

CF: Jason Hayne (AUC)
The New Zealander was due to start the tournament on the bench against Al Ahli, but when a teammate pulled up injured, he was handed a chance to shine. And he did just that, collecting the man-of-the-match award. Restricted against a superior Atlante side in the quarter-finals, he was back on form against TP Mazembe in the fifth-place playoff, scoring twice.

gmeenaghan@thenational.ae