SPAIN: SOCCER - File Brazilian Ronaldinho wins the Balon D'Or trophy for the European Footballer of the Year

Record ID: 184288

  • Title: SPAIN: SOCCER - File Brazilian Ronaldinho wins the Balon D'Or trophy for the European Footballer of the Year
  • Date: 29th November 2005
  • Summary: VARIOUS: MORE OF RONALDINHO BALL JUGGLING
  • Embargoed: 14th December 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Spain
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: People,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA8U0OMAC09E8KJQ2DNRX7VZ4BN
  • Story Text: Ronaldinho completed a hat-trick of awards when he was named European Footballer of the Year on Monday (November 28).
    The 25-year-old Brazilian forward won the vote by European soccer journalists organised by French soccer magazine France Football after guiding Barcelona to last season's Primera Liga title.
    Ronaldinho received the plaudits of international coaches when he was named FIFA World Player of the Year last December, an award he is tipped to retain next month.
    He was then honoured by his fellow professionals when he won the inaugural FIFPro World Player of the Year trophy in September.
    The player's skill and vision are the pulse of Barcelona's exciting football. He was a prominent member of Brazil's 2002 World Cup-winning team and is likely to be one of the main attractions at next year's World Cup finals in Germany.
    Ronaldinho was the favourite even before he scored two wonder goals in Barcelona's 3-0 defeat of Real Madrid earlier this month.
    The list of Ballon d'Or winners, starting with Stanley Matthews in 1956, features many exceptional players, among them Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer and Michel Platini.
    Several winners, including former Real Madrid favourite Alfredo di Stefano who collected the trophy in 1957 and 1959, were in Paris on Monday for the 50th anniversary of the award.
    AC Milan's Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko, who won last year, was also present.
    Frank Lampard, an inspirational member of Chelsea's Premier League-winning side, came second in the vote.
    Fellow England midfielder Steven Gerrard, who was instrumental in Liverpool's surprise Champions League triumph, finished third.
    Results :
    Ronaldinho (Brazil/Barcelona) 225 points
    Frank Lampard (England/Chelsea) 148
    Steven Gerrard (England/Liverpool) 142
    Thierry Henry (France/Arsenal) 41
    Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine/AC Milan) 33
    Paolo Maldini (Italy/AC Milan) 23
    Adriano (Brazil/Inter) 22
    Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Juventus) 21
    Kaka (Brazil/AC Milan) 19 10= Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon/Barcelona) 18 10= John Terry (England/Chelsea) 18
    Juninho (Brazil/Lyon) 15
    Claude Makelele (France/Chelsea) 8 14= Michael Ballack (Germany/Bayern Munich) 7 14= Petr Cech (Czech Republic/Chelsea) 7 14= Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast/Chelsea) 7 14= Juan Roman Riquelme (Argentina/Villarreal) 7
    Zinedine Zidane (France/Real Madrid) 5
    Gianluigi Buffon (Italy/Juventus) 4 20= Jamie Carragher (England/Liverpool) 3 20= Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Manchester United) 3
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