FIFA World Footballer of the Year

El Pibe D'Oro · Post by **El Pibe D'Oro** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 8:48 am

Cannavaro deserves it for me.

Zidane on FIFA's player of the year shortlist

LONDON, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Former France playmaker Zinedine Zidane, sent off in the World Cup final in Berlin, was named on a 30-man shortlist on Thursday for FIFA's World Player of the Year award.

Zidane retired from soccer after France lost to Italy in the final on July 9, his career seemingly ending in disgrace following his head-butt on defender Marco Materazzi 10 minutes before the end of extra time.

The incident ensured he missed the penalty shootout that decided the match in Italy's favour.

Zidane, Barcelona's Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho and Inter Milan's Portuguese midfielder Luis Figo are the only men on the shortlist to have previously won the FIFA award.

Ronaldinho is bidding to lift the trophy for the third year in a row.

Zidane has already landed the honour three times, as a Juventus player in 1998 and 2000 and with Real Madrid in 2003. Figo won the award in 2001 during his time with Real Madrid.

Premier League champions Chelsea are the most represented club with six players on the shortlist: England's Frank Lampard, Petr Cech of Czech Republic, Ghana's Michael Essien, Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast, Germany's Michael Ballack and Ukrainian Andriy Shevchenko.

Also on the list are Brazilians Adriano and Kaka along with Miroslav Klose, Jens Lehmann and Philipp Lahm of Germany.

World champions Italy are represented by Gianluigi Buffon, Fabio Cannavaro, Gennaro Gattuso, Alessandro Nesta and Andrea Pirlo.

The other French players on the shortlist apart from Zidane are Lilian Thuram, Patrick Vieira, Franck Ribery and Thierry Henry.

Portugal pair Cristiano Ronaldo and Deco are also among the candidates for the award, as is Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o, England pair Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, Argentina playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme and Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky.

The winner will be announced in Zurich on Dec. 18.

FIFA World Player of the Year shortlist:

Adriano (Inter Milan, Brazil), Michael Ballack (Chelsea, Germany), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus, Italy), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid, Italy), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Portugal), Petr Cech (Chelsea, Czech Republic), Deco (Barcelona, Portugal), Didier Drogba (Chelsea, Ivory Coast), Michael Essien (Chelsea, Ghana), Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona, Cameroon), Luis Figo (Inter Milan, Portugal), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan, Italy), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool, England), Thierry Henry (Arsenal, France), Kaka (AC Milan, Brazil), Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen, Germany), Philippe Lahm (Bayern Munich, Germany), Frank Lampard (Chelsea, England), Jens Lehmann (Arsenal, Germany), Alessandro Nesta (AC Milan, Italy), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan, Italy), Franck Ribery (Marseille, France), Juan Roman Riquelme (Villarreal, Argentina), Ronaldinho (Barcelona, Brazil), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United, England), Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal, Czech Republic), Andriy Shevchenko (Chelsea, Ukraine), Lilian Thuram (Barcelona, France), Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan, France), Zinedine Zidane (retired, France).

Nova · Post by **Nova** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:02 am

Yeah, Wayne Rooney had a good year, phttttttttttttt!

:?

yogi · Post by **yogi** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:10 am

i like michael essien, bloody good player.

Giallorossi · Post by **Giallorossi** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:13 am

surely the winner should be cannavaro had a fantastic world cup and a super year at juventus!!!!!
ronaldinho had a poor world cup...and in a world cup year the winner is generally someone who has a really good world cup as well

ronaldo07 · Post by **ronaldo07** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:49 am

yeh epl has the most players AGAIN !!

delfino_1936 · Post by **delfino_1936** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:29 am

Zidane's inclusion would've been based on the world cup right??

i don't watch the spanish league too often so can anyone say that he had a good year with Real Madrid

LFTWNG11 · Post by **LFTWNG11** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:49 am

Zidane must be Blatter's love child... seriously he wasn't even that good in the World Cup!! He did nothing in the group stage played excellently against Spain and Brasil... didnt do much against portugal except score a penalty and played well but not fantastically against Italy in the final... has done sfa for Real in his last seasons in comparison to how he played when he actually won the award and in between... not doubting his ability, tehcnique... he is one of the greatest ever but seriously if Pirlo doesn't win it then its a shambles!! Had an excellent season with Milan (typically) and then IMO was THE best player of the world cup without a doubt... one of the, if not the, best passers in world football at all levels...

The one and only · Post by **The one and only** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:59 am

i think pirlo would be looking odds on to get it to but will be interesting to see the outcome

and nova how can you say rooney didnt have a good year

LFTWNG11 · Post by **LFTWNG11** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 12:48 pm

The one and only wrote:i think pirlo would be looking odds on to get it to but will be interesting to see the outcome

and nova how can you say rooney didnt have a good year

This aint me bagging Man U once again before you even think it... I have great respect for Rooney, he is a fkn brillant player but serisouly wat did he do in the 05/06 season?? Goal record not that flash hot, played well in spurts, hasnt scored for England in over two years, did sfa in the world cup except get sent off... oh wait sorry he won the Carling Cup with Manchester...

I think he will win it one day with his quality but when he deserves it on form as well!!!

The one and only · Post by **The one and only** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 12:52 pm

LFTWNG11 i agree with you im not saying he had an awesome year or anything but its not like he was no where to be seen im not saying it as a man u fan i dont think he should even be in the top 10 for world player im just saying i dont think he had a bad year

like i said i think pirlo will win and that will be great having another player win it for the first time in over 2 years

and c'mon carling cup is prestigeous haha

El Pibe D'Oro · Post by **El Pibe D'Oro** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 1:37 pm

Thats fair enough ronaldo - but I dont think anyone from the EPL will actually win it.

Actually, when was the last time someone from the EPL won it???

I know Owen won the Ballon D'Or about 5 years ago, but thats it.

Numba 7 · Post by **Numba 7** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 1:39 pm

Ronaldinho to win it for the 3rd time in a row! after leading barca to the champions league and spanish title

ronaldo07 · Post by **ronaldo07** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 1:44 pm

Scudetto8687 wrote:Thats fair enough ronaldo - but I dont think anyone from the EPL will actually win it.

Actually, when was the last time someone from the EPL won it???

I know Owen won the Ballon D'Or about 5 years ago, but thats it.

Henry got the chance !!

Cruyff #14 · Post by **Cruyff #14** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 2:51 pm

Jens Lehman might have a chance as does Henry.

Trekse10 · Post by **Trekse10** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 5:01 pm

Buffon for me

Nova · Post by **Nova** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 5:47 pm

The one and only wrote:i think pirlo would be looking odds on to get it to but will be interesting to see the outcome

and nova how can you say rooney didnt have a good year

You recon he's worthy of that list :?
Personally, I'm a big fan of his, even if he plays for Man U, but the last year he's gone missing and is well below his best so he doesn't deserve to be on that list IMO!
Therefore that list has little credibility, Zidane, Adriano and a few more are on there from past reputations!

The one and only · Post by **The one and only** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 6:33 pm

nova just like i wrote earlier he didnt have the best year but its not like he went missing and im not saying he should win it like i said i think pirlo will

Lilly Whites · Post by **Lilly Whites** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 12:53 am

Trekse10 wrote:Buffon for me

yeah gigi buffon for the fifa world player