Enzo Fernandez beats off competition from Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni and team-mate Julian Alvarez to claim the Young Player of the Tournament award as Argentina sweep personal gongs with World Cup final win
Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez has been crowned Young Player of the Tournament after his country’s triumph over France on penalties.
Lionel Messi finally claimed the prize he has craved the most as Argentina overcame the disappointment of twice leading and twice being pegged back by winning from 12 yards – their sixth World Cup penalty shootout victory in all.
Fernandez’s team-mates, Emiliano Martinez and Messi, also won personal gongs in claiming the Golden Glove and Golden Ball awards, respectively.
Argentina ended 36 years of pain by ending their World Cup drought – rather poetically their last came in 1986.
Fernandez, who only joined Benfica this summer from River Plate, is already being touted for a big move. Former Argentina international Pablo Zabaleta tipped the midfielder to move to a ‘better league’ this summer.
‘He showed his personality, class on the ball. I think maybe next summer, he will go to better league,’ he said on the BBC.
He added: ‘A very complete midfielder. He can put tackles in, good on the ball and can pass it effectively.’
With various Premier League clubs said to be interested, Alan Shearer joked: ‘Let’s see if he would like to play against Bournemouth [for Newcastle] on Tuesday night.’
Rio Ferdinand, meanwhile, said: ‘There will be top, top clubs sniffing around him, he was so composed for a kid playing at that level.’
More follows.
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