(Photo: © Wolfgang Sternberger)

Only the best hockey players of the world are selected for the WorldHockey All Star Teams 2006. After a suggestion of a world class athlete, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has created the WorldHockey All Star Team 2006 for men and women. In both formations, 18 players and coaches are selected.

Journalists present at the BDO Hockey World Cup men and the Samsung Hockey World Cup women as well as visitors to the FIH website www.worldhockey.org were able to vote for their favorites. After counting the hundreds of votes, the FIH is pleased to announce the two WorldHockey All Star Teams 2006.

In the Men’s WorldHockey All Star Team 2006, World Champion Germany is represented by four players: WorldHockey Young Player of the Year Christopher Zeller, Tibor Weissenborn, Philipp Crone and goal keeper Ulrich Bubolz. BDO World Cup runner-up Australia is also present with four stars: Jamie Dwyer, captain of the WorldHockey All Star Team Brent Livermore, Bevan George and goal keeper Stephen Mowlam. Other stars in the Men’s WorldHockey All Star Team 2006 are three times WorldHockey Player of the Year Teun de Nooijer from Netherlands, Spanish Pol Amat and the Dutch Taeke Taekema.

Nine countries are represented in the Men’s World Hockey All Star Team 2006: Germany, Australia, Spain, Korea, England, Pakistan, Netherlands, New Zealand and India. Coaches of this top formation are Australian Barry Dancer and German Bernhard Peters.

Netherlands is represented with four players in the Women’s WorldHockey All Star Team 2006. WorldHockey Player of the Year Minke Booij, Sylvia Karres, Miek van Geenhuizen and Janneke Schopman are representing the World Champion in this ‘super squad’. Australian Nikki Hudson, Luciana Aymar from Argentina, WorldHockey Young Player of the Year Mi Hyun Park from Korea and Germans Fanny Rinne and Natascha Keller are some of the other world class players elected in the Women’s WorldHockey All Star Team 2006.

Dutch Marc Lammers and Australian Frank Murray are the coaches of this formation. Captain of the team is Australian Nikki Hudson. In the Women’s WorldHockey All Star Team 2006, ten countries are present: Netherlands, Australia, Argentina, Spain, Japan, USA, England, Germany, China and Korea.

Men’s World Hockey All Star Team 2006 (click here for complete formation including photos)

Forwards:

Jamie DWYER (AUS)
Santiago FREIXA (ESP)
Christopher ZELLER (GER)
Pol AMAT (ESP)
Shakeel ABBASI (PAK)

Midfielders:

Teun DE NOOIJER (NED)
Brent LIVERMORE (AUS)
Yong Bae KIM (KOR)
Jeroen DELMEE (NED)
Tibor WEISSENBORN (GER)

Defenders:

Taeke TAEKEMA (NED)
Philipp CRONE (GER)
Bevan GEORGE (AUS)
Hayden SHAW (NZL)
Richard MANTELL (ENG)
Dilip TIRKEY (IND)

Goal keepers:

Stephen MOWLAM (AUS)
Ulrich BUBOLZ (GER)

Coaches:

Barry DANCER (AUS)
Bernhard PETERS (GER)

Women’s World Hockey All Star Team 2006 (click here for complete formation including photos)

Forwards:

Nikki HUDSON (AUS)
Bao Rong FU (CHN)
Sylvia KARRES (NED)
Natascha KELLER (GER)
Kaori CHIBA (JPN)

Midfielders:

Luciana AYMAR (ARG)
Mi Hyun PARK (KOR)
Silvia MUNOZ ESCUDE (ESP)
Fanny RINNE (GER)
Miek VAN GEENHUIZEN (NED)

Defenders:

Minke BOOIJ (NED)
Magdalena AICEGA (ARG)
Akemi KATO (JPN)
Angie SKIRVING (AUS)
Christa CULLEN (ENG)
Janneke SCHOPMAN (NED)

Goal keepers:

Amy TRAN (USA)
Maria Jesus ROSA DURAN (ESP)

Coaches:

Marc LAMMERS (NED)
Frank MURRAY (AUS)