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Uruguay's Diego Forlan celebrates - Source: Reuters -
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Uruguay's Diego Forlan won the best player of the tournament award today after lighting up the World Cup with some wonderful goals that helped his team become South America's only semi-finalist.
The blond-locked striker won legions of admirers - not least among South African women - for his fantastic play on the pitch and courteous attitude off it where he always made time to sign autographs and chat with fans or journalists.
Forlan took 23.4 percent in the "Golden Ball" poll organised by world soccer body FIFA and voted for by journalists. Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder was second with 21.8 percent and Spain's David Villa third on 16.9 percent.
All three got five goals, making them joint top scorers along with Germany's Thomas Mueller.
Golden Boot
Mueller took the "Golden Boot" award given to the top scorer, using assists and number of minutes played as a tie-breaker, FIFA said in a statement.
The German was also named Best Young Player.
As well as winning the World Cup, Spain also took the FIFA Fair Play Award. Their captain Iker Casillas won the "Golden Glove" prize for best goalkeeper.
Forlan's award will cheer Uruguayans after their side lost agonisingly to Germany 3-2 in the third place playoff.
Forlan struck the bar with a typically spectacular free kick in the last touch of the match.
Diego Forlan Factbox:
Early days and personal life
Ditched a budding tennis career for football as a teenager, and made his mark with Argentina's Independiente before sealing a 7.5 million-pound move to Manchester United in Jan. 2002.
Came in as a long-term replacement for Andy Cole but took eight months to score his first goal, when he netted in a 5-2 Champions League victory over Maccabi Haifa.
Was restricted mainly to substitute appearances as Manchester United won the Premier League in 2003 and FA Cup in 2004.
A good swimmer and water skier, Forlan took up English and computing lessons and began political science studies at university while in Buenos Aires.
Breakthrough
Secured a transfer to Villarreal in August 2004 on a four-year contract.
In his first La Liga season, top scored with 25 goals to help Villarreal finish third for their first Champions League campaign. Was joint top European scorer with Thierry Henry to win the Golden Shoe award.
Scored 29 league goals over next two seasons and in 2007 joined Atletico Madrid for up to 23 million euros as a replacement for Fernando Torres, who moved to Liverpool.
Won his second European Golden Shoe award in the 2008/09 season with 32 league goals, scoring 12 in the last eight games of the season to overhaul Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o.
Scored 18 league goals for Atletico Madrid last season and was on sparkling form in the Europa League to help Atletico to their first European title in 48 years.
Scored both Atletico's goals in the 2-1 defeat of Premier League side Fulham in the final in Hamburg.
2010 World Cup
Scored five goals to help unfancied Uruguay reach the semi-finals for the first time in 40 years, the only South American team in the last four.
Wins 23.4 percent of the vote in the "Golden Ball" poll organised by world soccer body FIFA and voted for by journalists.
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