ZIDANE HONOR A FITTING END TO A BIZARRE WORLD CUP.

Byline: SCOTT FRENCH Staff Writer

BERLIN - It's the most fitting possible finish to a most dysfunctional World Cup, Zinedine Zidane's selection as Golden Ball winner, as MVP. The French midfielder in so many ways represents all that's good and bad about this year's extravaganza, on and off the field -- and there was plenty of bad to go with the good.

Red cards, yellow cards, unjust penalties and plenty of ``simulation'' -- FIFA-ese for diving, mostly -- made for an often ugly spectacle in which good soccer, exciting soccer, was an afterthought at best. There might never, we can hope, be another Portugal- Netherlands, with its 16 yellows, four reds and a stoppage, it seemed, every 20 or 30 seconds.

The Portuguese were the Cup's worst offenders, flopping everywhere at the slightest (and sometimes no) provocation, and so, naturally, they were voted the most entertaining team for FIFA's fan-selected award.

Not everyone agreed: Cristiano Ronaldo, their temperamental and gifted attacking midfielder, drew particular wrath for his apparent role in Wayne Rooney's red card and some audacious diving, and the ``I Hate Ronaldo'' Web site (www.ronaldo-is.com, watch out for pop-ups) was instrumental in his loss to Germany's Lukas Podolski in the Best Young Player fan balloting.

And then Zidane -- the artist, the legend, the wizard, closing a phenomenal career in the final -- goes out and tops them all. Ten minutes from the end of overtime, a tight 1-1 battle with Italy, Marco Materazzi says something and Zidane goes berserk, ramming the Azzurri defender in the chest with that balding head.

Another red card -- the tournament's record 28th, or one every 2.29 games -- and an ignoble exit.

And then the media honors him as the tournament's best, choosing to give far greater weight to the sublime performances against Spain and Brazil. Balloting Sunday was open until midnight Central European Time, after the final, but many turned their votes in before kickoff.

Had they waited, seen Zidane's meltdown and Italy win the title, how many would have instead voted for Fabio Cannavaro or Andrea Pirlo, who finished 2-3?

(I left Zidane off my ballot, punching a Cannavaro-Pirlo-Patrick Vieira ticket.)

Zidane, deprived of the '98 Golden Ball by Ronaldo, has received a lot of sympathy since seeing red, which might be easier to comprehend if there wasn't so much history. The biggest story in soccer at the moment, actually obscuring the Italian triumph, is: What did Marco say? There had to be a reason for Zidane's outburst -- it came out of nowhere -- and we know how sensitive he is to slurs against his heritage.

Reports Monday offered two possibilities: ``dirty terrorist'' or ``your sister's a whore.'' Paris-based SOS Racism, an anti-racism group, reported the former, citing ``well-informed sources.'' Materazzi quickly denied it, and Zidane's agent, Alain Migliaccio, would only say that it was ``very serious'' and that Zidane would address it in a few days, after he has calmed down.

The latter, the sister stuff, comes from Brazil's Globo television network, which employed lip-readers to study the tape. It sounds far-fetched -- who hasn't heard five whistles? -- but a ``terrorist'' jibe makes some sense. Zidane is very sensitive about his Algerian heritage, and being called a ``terrorist'' would cut two ways.

And to be dismissed as an Arab, to a Berber such as Zidane ... you can see the blood boiling.

Italy is a deserving champion, and Germany was a revelation, the most entertaining team -- sorry, Portugal -- in the the Cup. France was fun to watch once it, and Zidane, got going, and Argentina provided early thrills, prompting new appreciation for 6-0 routs. But there were great disappointments: Brazil, England, Poland, the U.S. (which won its only point by holding off, with nine men, the soon to be champions in a 1-1 draw).

It wasn't the greatest World Cup, it wasn't the oddest, it wasn't the worst. But all the diving, the feigned injuries, took a huge toll; it's the biggest threat to the sport and its integrity.

Things were far worse off the field, and responsibility for that goes to FIFA, the Zurich-based monolith that runs the sport. The World Cup, long ago an intimate little tournament, has become too big, too corporate, too much about sponsorship and too little about the game.

The tournament, under the Sepp Blatter regime, exists for VIPs, sponsors and television rights-holders -- anyone who will pump cash into the Swiss suits' pockets -- and the fans are the biggest losers.

Most of the tickets to World Cup games went to corporate partners and sponsors: Only two slivers of each stadium were set aside for the participants' fans, and a short supply boosted scalpers' prices to ridiculous heights.

The one brilliant idea for the tournament was the Fan Fests, in which people could gather to watch games on big screens. It was a huge hit -- Berlin's ``fan mile'' regularly drew more than a half-million -- and enabled fans unable to get tickets to be there without actually being there. The German organizers came up with that one.

The media situation, not that you care, was mostly a disaster, and even some FIFA contractors working at the venues expressed alarm. If it made sense, it probably wasn't permitted. From Day 1, it was clear: If the Germans had a hand in it, it worked. If it was FIFA, forget it.

A big part of the problem is that there is far too much media, more all the time, with the World Cup getting too big and all. There's too much everything, and it's frightening to think what it's all going to be like in four years, when South Africa is host.

Thabo Mbeki, South Africa's president, stood up and dutifully told the world last week that his country will be ready for the 2010 tournament, and that doubters were just like those who said apartheid would never end.

Few truly believe. South Africa lacks the infrastructure to deal with so many teams, fans, media and, of course, VIPs and sponsors. The big speculation, at least in the media centers, was that South Africa would soon relinquish the Cup. And the only country capable of taking on such an enterprise at such short notice: the U.S.

The 1994 World Cup was tremendously successful from organizational and profits standpoints, and it gave FIFA a greater imprint in America, a big deal. Another go seems a no-brainer, except for the politics of the situation. The U.S. is not the world's most popular nation right now. Everyone wants to see African soccer succeed.

Blatter promised Africa the Cup when he ran for president, and the Africans were pivotal in his election.

Blatter will ensure South Africa keeps the Cup, until one of two things occurs: It becomes clear South Africa is not capable of doing the job, or the VIPs and sponsors start moaning, threaten to stay away, say they'll show up in Cape Town, but Johannesburg? No chance.

When the money starts pulling out, FIFA will make its move.

Choosing the World Cup's best

Our World Cup All-Star team:

GOALKEEPER

Jens Lehmann (Germany): Controversial selection over national hero Oliver Kahn, Lehmann was tremendous from start to finish, making big saves and directing a German defense that got better as the tournament went on.

DEFENDERS

Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy): The world's best outside back -- and Italy's most versatile player -- spent more time in opponents' boxes than his own. Overcame a thigh strain that sidelined him for the Azzurri's opener and played a pivotal role in their run to the title.

Lilian Thuram (France): The classy veteran, who returned last year from retirement, was flawless in the center, forming a prolific partnership with William Gallas and directing the World Cup's second-best backline.

Fabio Cannavaro (Italy): Quick, precise and virtually unbeatable, Italy's main man makes up for his lack of size -- only 5-foot-8 -- with a preternatural ability to read the game and a leaping ability that enables him to dominate bigger foes.

Fabio Grosso (Italy): No left back left as great an impact on the Cup as Grosso. He won the penalty to beat Australia, scored a sensational overtime goal to conquer Germany, then converted the decisive penalty kick to knock off France in the title game.

MIDFIELDERS

Gennaro Gattuso (Italy): The gritty midfielder's attack-dog mentality and overreaching effort was pivotal to Italian success. He masterfully clamped down opposing forwards and playmakers.

Patrick Vieira (France): France's most consistent and versatile midfielder is a rugged defender whose presence is huge in attack. Scored three goals, although the one against South Korea wasn't awarded. Importance apparent after he left the final with injury.

Andrea Pirlo (Italy): The Azzurri's midfield engine, a deep-lying playmaker whose dead-ball skills provided much of Italy's attacking danger.

Michael Ballack (Germany): Perhaps not the offensive threat he was four years ago, but he was the host's inspiration and most important player, the fulcrum of an impressive attack and usually the best defender on the field.

Zinedine Zidane (France): Awe-inspiring performances led Les Bleus past Spain and Brazil, and PKs beat Portugal and provided a lead over Italy. Sad it all ended in disgrace with the red card.

FORWARD

Miroslav Klose (Germany): Golden Boot winner scored five goals, just like in 2002, but his work for teammates, especially young Lukas Podolski, was just as impressive.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Despite head-butting Marco Materazzi, Zinedine Zidane was named World Cup MVP.

Courtesy of ABC 

(2) Should South Africa show it is not prepared, FIFA President Sepp Blatter could move the 2010 World Cup -- possibly to the U.S.

Christof Stache/Associated Press

(3) JENS LEHMANN

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