Ronaldinho named World Player of the Year

 

 

 

By Timothy Collings

 

ZURICH, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Barcelona's Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho was named FIFA World Player of the Year on Monday.

 

Ronaldinho, 24, totalled 620 points followed by Thierry Henry of Arsenal and France on 552. Newly-crowned European Footballer of the Year Andriy Shevchenko of AC Milan and Ukraine was third on 253.

 

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"For me just to be selected and to be here was already an honour," Ronaldinho told the FIFA gala awards ceremony.

 

"Of course I have to thank my Barcelona colleagues because I could not have won it without them.

 

"I am very happy at Barcelona, I want to be part of a new winning era at the club and I have no plans to go anywhere else," he added, dismissing suggestions he might be interested in a move to Chelsea.

 

It was the second successive year that Henry has finished as runner-up in the poll based on the verdict of 157 international coaches and, for the first time this year, 145 national team captains.

 

Five points were awarded for a first place nomination, three for second and one for third. Ronaldinho gained 89 first place votes, Henry 79 and Shevchenko 34.

 

Last year's winner Zinedine Zidane, who announced his international retirement from the France team after Euro 2004, came fourth. Last year's European Footballer of the Year Pavel Nedved of the Czech Republic was fifth.

 

Ronaldinho has transformed Barcelona since arriving from Paris St Germain in 2003 and they lead the Primera Liga by nine points. Unlike his rivals for the award, organised by world soccer's governing body FIFA, Ronaldinho did not win a major club trophy this year.

 

Ronaldinho did not take part in the Copa America won by Brazil as he was rested along with Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos.

 

He is the fourth Brazilian to capture the award since its introduction in 1991 after Romario (1994), three times winner Ronaldo (1996, 1997 and 2002) and Rivaldo (1999).

 

Remarkably, they all won the award when playing for Barcelona, though after his first success Ronaldo was with Inter Milan in 1997 and Real Madrid in 2002.

 

Germany's Birgit Prinz won women's player of the year, the Presidents' Award went to Haiti for promoting the match for peace against Brazil and Brazil took the Fair Play award.

 

:confused:

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpYnF0a2UxBF9TAzk1ODYzNTkwBHNlYwN0bQ--?slug=reu-fifaplayer&prov=reuters&type=lgns

Ronaldinho Gaúcho rules :D

:lol: henry lost the bastard :)

well, Brazil has some wonderful players !

well' date=' Brazil has some wonderful players ![/quote']

 

true... but I was rooting for Henry.. :embarrased:

:dozey:

:dozey:

 

 

:P ;)

how are you hun ?

awww.. I missed ya! :embarrased: sorry I had to 'logg off'

GO BRAZILIAN PLAYERS!!!!!!

the next one will be... Kaká!!! :D

ronaldinho = :sick:

^awww he´s nice!!! He can´t be David Beckham ( of course not....) but he´s a happy person :)

 

 

yeah!! Brazil!! :D :D :D

The only way it makes me proud! :D :D

i meant it like... he always seems so macho on the field :confused: but hey i might be wrong ;) i still prefer the finn players though... :blush:

oh yeaaaaaaah! :cool: he is one of the best players right now...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

visca el barça!!! :cool: :P

i hate ronaldhino!!!!!!!! :dozey: :dozey:

:confused:

i hate ronaldhino!!!!!!!!

 

right attitude :cool:

and deco too, he dives like he's in a bloody swimming pool :dozey:

at the moment he is the best.

when he plays, it´s show time.

 

if i were you, i would start to pray since now, because if he still playing what he plays now in 2006 wolrd cup... i guess we gonna win again. the 6th time, if you lost the number.. :D

I'd much rather have Stevie Gerrard than Ronaldinho.

Best midfielder in the world today is our Stevie...

i don´t understand why englishs are so arrogant about football.

they don´t win nothing and then thinks that they are the best.

 

this people is really something :cool:

i don't think we are the best.

your right we do win nothing.

But Gerrard is still the best midfielder in the world currently.

Thats gospel truth. ;)

ronaldinho is pretty good.i think he is reallly one of the best footballer in the world.

i love him because when i see his play is amazing. ;)