Post by Partridge In A Pear Tree on Dec 21, 2004 3:16:16 GMT -5
Barca's Brazilian star Ronaldinho is the new World Player of the Year
ZURICH, Switzerland -- Barcelona and Brazil star Ronaldinho was crowned FIFA World Footballer of the Year on Monday at a gala evening at the Zurich opera house.
"I'm delighted - I want to go into Barca history as a winner, and that's a great beginning," the 24-year-old beamed.
Ronaldinho beat off opposition from Arsenal striker Thierry Henry and 2004 European Footballer of the Year Andriy Shevchenko of AC Milan.
Henry was also runner-up, behind three-time winner Zinedine Zidane, in last year's poll.
The accolade is decided by votes cast by 114 national team coaches and also - this year for the first time - the captains of 109 selected teams throughout the world.
Ronaldinho finished with 620 points, while Frenchman Henry had 552 and Ukraine marksman Shevchenko 253.
"You can't say if you don't win, you're happy," said Henry. "There's two tremendous players by my side there. It's already amazing to be around this kind of player."
The French striker helped Arsenal win the English Premier League undefeated, and top-scored with 30 league goals. Arsenal went on to set an English record 49 league games without losing.
Shevchenko, named top European player last week, was the leading scorer in Italy's Serie A last season when his AC Milan side won the title.
He has also helped Ukraine to a five-point lead at the top of its World Cup qualifying group.
"It has been a great year for me," said Shevchenko. "I feel very honored to be here with these great champions by my side."
FIFA named Brazil as the top team for 2004, having retained first place in the governing body's world rankings from last year, and fighting off challenges from European champion Greece, Argentina, France, Spain.
FIFA's best mover of the year was China, rising 32 places in the world rankings, to 54th, despite losing the final of the Asian Cup to neighbor Japan.
Germany's Birgit Prinz won the women's title for the second year running with 376 points, ahead of American veteran Mia Hamm (286) -winner in 2001 and 2002 - and Brazil's Marta (281).
Prinz had not been favorite for a second title, since her club FFC Frankfurt failed to win any title last season.
"It's a great honour that I'd absolutely not reckoned on," said the 27-year-old, who has scored 79 goals for the German national side.
Hamm, who recently retired, said: "I've enjoyed every minute of it and to be able to do it as long as I've had, I've had a lot of support from my family. The game has yet to see so much more growth."
Midfielder Marta was on the shortlist for the first time, having starred for Brazil in the under-19 world championship in Thailand.
Top ten placings:
Men: 1. Ronaldinho (Brazil) 620 points; 2. Thierry Henry (France) 552; 3. Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine) 253; 4. Pavel Nedved (Czech Republic) 178; 5. Zinedine Zidane (France) 150; 6. Adriano (Brazil) 98; 7. Deco (Portugal) 96, Ronaldo (Brazil) 96; 9. Ruud van Nistelroy (Netherlands) 67; 10. Kaka (Brazil) 64
R ONALDINHO FACT BOX:
1980 Born Porto Alegre, Brazil, March 21, Ronaldo Assis de Moreira.
1997 Top scorer at the under-17 world championship in Egypt.
1999 Wins Copa America with Brazil, scoring his first international goal against Paraguay. Has 34 caps and 13 goals to date.
2000 Top scorer in the Confederations Cup with six goals. 2001 Signs for Paris St Germain on a five-year contract.
2002 Wins the World Cup with Brazil.
2003 PSG fail to qualify for Europe and Ronaldinho signs five-year deal with Barcelona.
Ends first season at Nou Camp with 14 league goals, inspiring team to a 17-game unbeaten run that lifts them to second in the Primera Liga.
2004 Helps Barca open nine point gap in title race. Named World Player of the Year.
The man is a genius. so funny that Man Utd wouldn't pay 18m for him, but forked out 27m for Rooney :lmao: 
Gugaaaaaaaaa