Ronaldo, Marta top FIFA Player of Year awards
Published: Tuesday | January 13, 2009
Soccer players Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal (right) and Marta from Brazil (left), with FIFA president Joseph Blatter, pose with their trophies after being named FIFA Women's and Men's World Player of the Year during the FIFA World Player Gala 2008 at the Opera house in Zurich, Switzerland, yesterday. - AP
ZURICH, Switzerland (AP):
Cristiano Ronaldo won the FIFA World Player of the Year award yesterday to complete a clean sweep of football's top individual honours for 2008.
The 23-year-old Portugal winger was honoured for his dominating displays and sparkling goals in leading Manchester United to both the Premier League and Champions League titles in May, receiving 935 votes in a worldwide poll of national team captains and coaches.
Announcement
The result was announced by Brazil's all-time great Pele at a ceremony in Zurich, with Barcelona and Argentina midfielder Lionel Messi coming in second with 678 votes, while Liverpool striker Fernando Torres was third with 203.
Brazil's Marta won the women's award for the third year in a row after announcing earlier Monday she is joining the Los Angeles Sol in the Women's Professional Soccer league.
Ronaldo became the first player from the English Premier League to win the award in its 18-year history after scoring 42 goals in all competitions last season.
Ronaldo was widely expected to receive the honour after previously winning the Ballon D'Or as European Player of the Year and World Soccer magazine's Player of the Year award.
In the women's category, Marta received 1,002 points to comfor-tably edge Germany's Birgit Prinz on 328 and her Brazil teammate Cristiane with 275. The shortlist was completed by Germany goalkeeper Nadine Angerer and England striker Kelly Smith.
