Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Italy Captain Fabio Cannavaro wins Ballon d'Or- European Footballer of the Year

The ANNOTICO Report

 

Fabio Cannavaro  was selected ahead of countryman and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
Striker Thierry Henry of Arsenal, England came in third,  with last years winner Ronaldinho, the Barcelona and Brazil playmaker, fourth.

Cannavaro is one of the few defenders to win the award, and  is one of seven nominated players from the Italian team that captured its fourth World Cup title.

Cannavaro is 4th Italian to win the award: Gianni Rivera (1969), Paolo Rossi (1982) and Roberto Baggio (1993).

After the World Cup, Cannavaro moved from Juventus to Real Madrid.

 

 

Italians "pips" Henry to Honour

Ireland on Line
November 27, 2006 

Arsenals Thierry Henry today missed out on the European Footballer of the Year award.

Italys World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro took the prestigious Ballon DOr  awarded by France Football magazine  ahead of countryman and Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
Henry was third with last years winner Ronaldinho, the Barcelona and Brazil playmaker, fourth.

http://breakingnews.iol.ie/sport/story.asp?j

=202521042&p=zxz5zy748&t=soccer

 

Cannavaro wins Ballon d'Or

 

Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro has been named European Footballer of the Year by France Football magazine, says Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon.

 

BBC Sport

Friday, 17 November 2006

"The joy at Cannavaro winning the Ballon d'Or has been overshadowed by the sad news of the death of Ferenc Puskas," said Calderon.

The 33-year-old centre-back, who captained Italy to victory at the World Cup in Germany, joined Real in July.

France Football is due to officially name the award winner on 27 November.

The European Footballer of the Year award is based on a vote by European football journalists.

Cannavaro, who will replace Barcelona's Brazil playmaker Ronaldinho as last year's winner, will become one of the few defenders to win the award.

Earlier on Friday Spanish daily Marca had claimed France Football's editor had visited Real Madrid's 33-year-old defender to confirm he had won the award.

Cannavaro said: "Of course I would like to win it. It would be wonderful and very gratifying on a personal level."

He led Italy to victory against France in the World Cup final in Berlin in July, and then completed a move from Juventus to Real Madrid.

The Italian media also reported had won the award, with sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport announcing: "Cannavaro, it's all true."

And Milan daily Corriere della Sera declared: "Golden Ball to Cannavaro".

Cannavaro would be the fourth Italian to win the award after Gianni Rivera (1969), Paolo Rossi (1982) and Roberto Baggio (1993).

"If Cannavaro has really won it, it would be absolutely deserved," Rossi was quoted as saying by Gazzetta.

Cannavaro is one of seven nominated players from the Italian team that captured its fourth World Cup title.

Former AC Milan legend Rivera said: "I would have chosen Italy keeper Gianluigi Buffon but if it is true that Fabio is to win it, I'm happy anyway."

But Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes striker Thierry Henry should have won the award...

"He was the top goalscorer in England, the best player in England, the second-highest goalscorer in Europe behind Luca Toni.....


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/

hi/football/europe/6160390.stm

 

 

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