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All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen has been celebrated as "World Player of the Week" for his "heroic" performances by a leading soccer website.
Goal.com, a site translated into more than a dozen languages and serving hundreds of countries, announced its pick overnight.
Nelsen deserved the recognition for "inspiring his side to two draws and giving the All Whites a shot at last 16 qualification", the website said.
The All Whites have stood in the "formidable shadow" of the All Blacks in New Zealand, but yesterday's draw against reigning World Cup champions Italy "may well serve as a red letter day for the round-ball game in the land of the Kiwi", it said.
"And to have made it this far, with only two goals conceded, much of the acclaim goes to the team's captain and leader, Ryan Nelsen. The central defender with a degree in political science has adequately co-ordinated the backline of his side and has been close to heroic at times in South Africa.
"The Blackburn Rovers stopper was impeccable in keeping out the world champions on Sunday [Monday NZT], putting his body on the line time and again to repel the Italians."
Nelsen's "monumental performance" put him ahead of Goal.com's three "honourable mentions": Argentina's Gonzalo Higuain, who scored a hat-trick against South Korea; Denmark's Dennis Rommedahl, whose goal pushed his team past Cameroon; and Brazil's Elano, who has scored two goals in two World Cup matches.
- NZ HERALD STAFF
