Berlin, July 7:

In an award overshadowed by debate over the merits or otherwise of runner-up Cristiano Ronaldo, German striker Lukas Podolski was presented on Friday with the trophy for best young player at the World Cup.

Almost one million people voted through the Internet in the competition, open to the public for the first time, choosing three finalists. FIFA’s Technical Study Group added another three candidates and then selected the winner based primarily on technical factors including time spent on the field and goals scored as well as the impact the player had on the team. “I would have very much liked to take another trophy home, but I’m very very glad to have this,” Podolski said. “It is a great honour for me to be given this award.”

Portugal forward Ronaldo was lambasted in the British media for his part in the ejection of Wayne Rooney — his teammate at Manchester United — in the quarter-final. The incident and accusations that Ronaldo faked injury and simulated fouls likely cost the winger the World Cup award.

While Podolski is a steady forward and formed a good combination with Miroslav Klose up front for the Germans, he lacked the star qualities that Ronaldo and the likes of Argentina’s Lionel Messi ooze.

The TSG chief Holger Osieck said Podolski started in all of Germany’s first six matches and played a combined 565 of a possible 600 minutes for the hosts. Ronaldo was on the field for 395 minutes of Portugal’s 575 minutes of match time.

Osieck conceded that Ronaldo lost marks on the “Fair Play” factor, and that his overall contribution to the World Cup was not as great as Podolski.

“This award is not an award to the best and most talent player, but to the (young) player who delivered the best performance in the tournament,” Osieck said. “Together with Klose, he constituted an attack duo that was to be feared and Germany was the last team playing with two strikers. The efficiency of the player has been taken into account and the facts here are very much in favour of Lukas Podolski.”

Other finalists were Messi, Luis Valencia of Ecuador, Swiss Tranquillo Barnetta and Spanish Cesc Fabregas. Messi, Ronaldo and Valencia made the shortlist by finishing in the top three of fan voting while FIFA nominated Barnetta, Fabregas and Podolski. Podolski finished fourth in the fan vote. Podolski has so far scored three goals. He led the scoring for FC Cologne in the German league last season and is to join Bayern Munich next season.