Berlin, July 10 (DPA) French captain Zinedine Zidane was named the best player of the World Cup Monday, a day after he was sent off in disgrace in the final match for head-butting Italy's Marco Materazzi in the last game of his career.

Zidane, 34, won the Golden Ball award after topping the poll of media representatives conducted by FIFA, with 2012 points, ahead of Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro with 1977 points and Italian Andrea Pirlo with 715 points.

The other FIFA award winners were Portugal, who won the prize for the most entertaining team; Germany striker Miroslav Klose, whose five goals won him the Golden Shoe award for tournament top scorer; and Italy's Gianluigi Buffon who was named the best goalkeeper of the tournament.

--DPA