Rugby-mad New Zealand has awarded its highest sporting honor to its national football team which was unbeaten at last year's World Cup in South Africa.
The Halberg Award, recognizing what an expert panel judges to be the best sporting performance of the past year, was presented on Thursday to the New Zealand team which drew its three World Cup group matches but failed to reach the second round.
The team was also judged Team of the Year, coach Ricki Herbert was named Coach of the Year and the goal by defender Winston Reid, which earned a 1-1 draw with Slovakia, was rated New Zealand's best sporting moment of 2010.
The award has prompted heated debate among sports fans, many of whom argue it should not be awarded to a team which did not win a major match.
