Budweiser Man of the Match: Xabi Alonso (ESP)

19 June 2006

Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso was named as the Budweiser Man of the Match for his part in La Selección’s 3-1 comeback victory over Tunisia.

There were a number of contenders for the award, including goalscorers Raul and Fernando Torres, but Xabi Alonso played a part in virtually every build-up for Spain and was also effective in tracking back to break up Tunisia's counter-attacks.

His leadership in midfield was critical to Spain’s ability to maintain long spells of pressure, and he even almost scored a goal himself in the first half but had his powerful header from a corner kick was cleared off the line.

“He was the mastermind of the Spanish midfield,” said FIFA Technical Study Group member Alvin Corneal. “He made superb passes and controlled perfectly the pace of the game. He figured prominently in every build-up."