Champions League - Ronaldo wins FIFA award

Eurosport - Tue, 13 Jan 09:06:00 2009

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo has been named FIFA World Player of the Year at a ceremony held by world football's governing body.

FOOTBALL 2009 Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo receives the award for FIFA World Player of the Year - 0

Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi was second and Liverpool's Spanish striker Fernando Torres third.

Also on the shortlist for the prestigious award was Milan playmaker Kaka - winner of last year's award - and Messi's Barcelona team-mate Xavi, who was voted Euro 2008 Player of the Tournament by a UEFA panel

Portugal winger Ronaldo, 23, won the honour for the first time after helping United win the Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup.

The accolade also completed a hat-trick of top individual honours for Ronaldo, who had already won the football journalists' Ballon d'Or trophy and the FIFPro World Player of the Year title voted for by his fellow professionals.

"It's an overwhelming moment, very special," said Ronaldo after receiving the award from Pele.

"I can say to my mother and sister, 'let the fireworks off now'. It's one of the most important moments in my life."

Ronaldo is the first player based at an English club to win the FIFA award, which had previously gone only to footballers playing for Spanish or Italian sides.

"There may be no English players here but I believe it's important for England that myself and Fernando Torres are here representing two English clubs," said Ronaldo before the ceremony.

"It is a victory for the English fans as well because the Premier League is strong, even though we must not forget the leagues in Spain and Italy remain strong as well."

The FIFA award is voted by the national team coaches and captains of the 208-member associations of world soccer's governing body.

Ronaldo was voted in first place by 136 of the coaches and captains while 76 put Messi top.

The United player picked up 935 total points, ahead of 678 for Messi and 203 for Torres.

Brazilian striker Marta won the Women's award for the third consecutive year, equaling the record of Germany's Birgit Prinz, who finished second this time round with less than a third of the points (328) that Marta accrued (1,002). England's Kelly Smith was fifth behind Cristiane and Nadine Angerer of Brazil and Germany respectively.

Cristiano Ronaldo factfile

* Born on February 5 1985 in Funchal, Madeira Ronaldo's late father Jose Dinis Aveiro gave him the second given name Ronaldo in honour of former US president Ronald Reagan.

* He began attracting attention at the age of 10 and both Madeira's top teams Maritimo and Nacional scouted him. He played his youth football at Nacional before joining Sporting Lisbon, arch-rivals to his boyhood favourites Benfica.

* The turning point in his career came in July 2003 when he impressed Manchester United's players and manager Alex Ferguson with an outstanding performance against them when United came to play in the Jose Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon. He joined Manchester United shortly afterwards aged just 18 for £12.5 million.

* Since then Ronaldo has scored 102 goals for Manchester United in 264 matches for the club.

* The winger enjoyed a highly successful 2007-08 season, scoring 42 goals in all competitions as United won a Premier League and Champions League double.

* His exploits led to him becoming only the second player to win England's Footballer of the Year in successive seasons and just the third Portuguese player to win the Ballon d'Or award after Eusebio in 1965 and Luis Figo in 2000.

Reuters

Comment 150 - 169 of 229

Sort comments by: Most recent
  1. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I think a footballing year just came to an end last­ night and another starts pronto. It is now up to the­ players to elevate their respective level of games in­ 2009 for standing a chance to be nominated. Bravo­ Ronaldo, bravo United. Watch out for MESSI, unless­ injuries has 'no messi' on him.

    From James, on Tue 13 Jan 3:17PM

  2. It is a degrading of the FIFA award

    From raed i, on Tue 13 Jan 3:15PM

  3. ""Man U has been the only team in the world­ to maintain the average level success for the last­ twenty years""

    The last TWENTY­ years???

    They were pretty ordinary until 1993. I would­ say the last 15 years, not 20.

    From Kim S, on Tue 13 Jan 2:43PM

  4. He deserved the award judging from his performance in­ the season under review. I'm not a ManU fan but i­ think it's high time we called a spade­ spade.
    Ikenna

    From ikenna, on Tue 13 Jan 2:33PM

  5. Half A Brain,WHY CAN'T YOU JUST REJOICE WITH THE­ GUY AND STOP THE CRAMP EMERGING FROM YOUR HALF BRAIN. U­ THINK YOUR OPINION IS BETTER THAN THOSE PRO WHO­ NOMINATED HIM AS THE WORLD FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR? STOP­ BEING STUPID AND ACCORD THE YOUNG MAN HIS RESPECT. YOU­ KEEP MENTOINING MESSI, THE BOY MADE HIS TEAM LOSE TO­ MAN U IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ALL IN THE NAME OF­ DRIBLIN AND NOT PASSING TO HIS TEAM MATE AT THE RIGHT­ TIME TO GET THEM A GOAL. RONALDO IS A TWO IN ONE­ PLAYER..WINGER/STRIKER. HE PASSES TO HIS MATE AND WEN­ THE RESULT HE WANTS IS NOT COMING OUT, HE GO SCORING­ HIMSELF. SENSE AND SIMPLICITY MAKES IT ALL. RONALDO IS­ THE BEST,

    From First L, on Tue 13 Jan 2:27PM

  6. ronaldo is great what a treat to watch he truly­ deserved this award keeo it up big man wee jock

    From JOHN M, on Tue 13 Jan 2:23PM

  7. Great! Ronaldo deserved it. Congratulations big boy as­ well as Manchester United.Man U has been the only team­ in the world to maintain the average level success for­ the last twenty years.Sir Alex Furgason, remain the­ iron pillar for United distinguished success. Keep it­ up Man U. From Revelian S.N

    From Revelian, on Tue 13 Jan 1:15PM

  8. good boy. see what this club did for you. as a payment­ you stay at old trafford for life. this clob made you a­ graet footballer so now you must make them a greater­ club. make an oath and stay there for life.­ congratulations.

    From Fredu, on Tue 13 Jan 1:11PM

  9. keep up the gud work... just keep improving...you still­ have a long way to go.. lots to learn.. you are already­ at this level.. you have more than enough talent to go­ beyond what you have already achieved.. we know you­ have the talent.. now just to perfect a little more on­ when to not dribble.. and when to pass..a bit more of­ team work..but we are seeing you improve on that­ part..and i was very happy to see cr7 pass in the fifa­ world club cup to rooney to score.. that showed that­ you are improving!! keep it up mate..manutd4lifE

    From stanley, on Tue 13 Jan 12:16PM

  10. We surely have a lot of Ronaldo haters or maybe­ it's Man U haters. He can only scorer against the­ small teams and is not a big game player. What the hell­ does it matter who he scores against? Sometime ago­ there was a post that if as a winger he scored 42 goals­ then he shows that he is selfish. Get a life. Give the­ boy the respect he deserves and stop moaning.

    From Balvin, on Tue 13 Jan 11:47AM

  11. ronaldo 24 0

    From Kirenraj, on Tue 13 Jan 10:53AM

  12. Ronaldo is the best of best

    From gusgodnd, on Tue 13 Jan 10:44AM

  13. Why are you either dumb or stupid. I did not say he did­ not deserve it. I said there was no better calls than­ his last year. He happened to be ni a winning great­ team while Messy's Barca were in their worst year­ of the decade. He scored most of goals against easy to­ @#$% teams. Scoring a goal or 2 in some big games does­ not hide the fact that he plays bad in most of them and­ that his team mates stand up for his @#$% ups. Combine­ that with his never ending screaming and crying and you­ realise why people don't like him, unless they are­ ManU fans. I would like to know the criteria of­ selection for the 136 coaches because I am sure they­ have guidelines. Now ask your self a @#$% question. If­ Ronaldo was playing with Porto or NewCastle, would he­ got all these titles? the answer tells you what many­ want to say. And to your @#$% surprise, I am a ManU­ supporter, but I call a donkey a donkey. The guy is as­ loyal as Figo to Real Madrid. Ronaldo is finished. Mark­ my word.

    From Half A Brain, on Tue 13 Jan 10:36AM

  14. messi is world class. but what did he do last year to­ deserve 2nd place?!

    From mohammad, on Tue 13 Jan 10:31AM

  15. Hail King CR7! 2008 was all YOURS! Whoever doubt u­ might be supporting d wrong sports!

    From Whoever, on Tue 13 Jan 10:22AM

  16. Very well deserved.. next year, Messi!!

    From ricat18, on Tue 13 Jan 10:16AM

  17. there are no more such ridiculous things have ronaldo­ need to show about his ability for his third succescive­ award..congrate.. save palestin.. peace no war..

    From Ainul, on Tue 13 Jan 10:00AM

  18. Ronaldo is the Champ and he plays for the Champions,­ Treble anyone?

    From Tonytonytonytonytony, on Tue 13 Jan 9:53AM

  19. @#$%

    From ANONYMOUS, on Tue 13 Jan 9:25AM

  20. simple, Ronaldo is the best

    From Felix, on Tue 13 Jan 9:15AM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account