Ronaldinho player of the year

[joeSoap]

Barcelona star Ronaldinho has been confirmed as European Footballer of the Year for 2005 beating Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard.

Ronaldinho was the clear winner of the Ballon D'Or from the strong shortlist that was announced for the award by France Football magazine.

Chelsea star Lampard came second in the voting after helping the Blues to The Premiership title last season and Liverpool skipper Gerrard was third after his success with Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League.

The award is more recognition for Ronaldinho as he is already the Fifa 2004 World Player of the Year and also scooped the FIFpro World Player of the Year award earlier this year.

Ronaldinho has been rewarded for producing some memorable displays for club and country in the last 12 months and is rated by many as the best player on the planet.

The brilliant playmaker enjoyed a fine season with club and country last term, guiding Barcelona to the Liga title and also helping Brazil qualify for next summer's World Cup finals.

The Brazilian has helped transform the fortunes of Barca since arriving from Paris Saint Germain in the summer of 2003 and he is tipped to retain his World Player of the Year award.

Arsenal star Thierry Henry again missed out on the top prize coming in fourth, while Chelsea captain John Terry was joint-tenth with Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o.

Top Ten:
1. Ronaldinho (Barcelona) 225 points
2. Frank Lampard (Chelsea) 148
3. Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) 142
4. Thierry Henry (Arsenal) 41
5. Andrei Shevchenko (Milan) 33
6. Paolo Maldini (Milan) 23
7. Adriano (Internazionale) 22
8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Juventus) 21
9. Kaka (Milan) 19
10. Samuel Eto’o (Barcelona) & John Terry (Chelsea) 18

[De Town]

well deserved. amazing player.

[Risteard]

No-one comes near.
Reckon he's already at the level that Zidane was at three years ago and he's only 24/25.
I think we're in for one of those one man World Cups like Maradona 86.

[EireBadBoy]

Can't believe Gamble or O'Callaghan never won it, for performances in the big games like.

[Dublin12]

Fantastic player,not much of a looker though!,just shows you..footballplayer + fancy club + loadsmoney = stunning girlfriend.

[joeSoap]

Fantastic player,not much of a looker though!,just shows you..footballplayer + fancy club + loadsmoney = stunning girlfriend.

Georgie, or Joe Gamble??

[Dublin12]

Georgie, or Joe Gamble??

They don't play for a fancy club though

[drinkfeckarse]

No-one comes near.
Reckon he's already at the level that Zidane was at three years ago and he's only 24/25.
I think we're in for one of those one man World Cups like Maradona 86.

Personally I think he's already beyond anything that Zidane ever was.

[Dodge]

Fantastic player,not much of a looker though!,just shows you..footballplayer + fancy club + loadsmoney = stunning girlfriend.

Hence the reason Real Madrid didn't sign him. President said "he's an ogre, he wouldn't look good in a Real madrid jersey" to which Ronaldinho replied "yes, I'm ugly... But I have charm"

[razor]

Barca are missing just one piece for their jigsaw to be complete.


An orthodontist.

[macdermesser]

the goal against Real ... albeit walking through a **** poor defence .. still brilliant though

http://www.soccerclips.net/request.p...4l6z0jcidc.zip

Still think we'll not see the likes of Maradonna for a while yet ... best player of my generation (30 odd) pulling a poor team almost single handedly through to two world cup finals and napoli to the scudetto and into europe.

My favourite Maradonna moment was on a train going from Glasgow to Hampden park to see Scotland v Belgium in 2001. The Scottish fans sang all the way out "Oh Diego Maradonna, Oh Diego Maradonna, Oh Diego Maradonna
he put the English out, out out!" (to the tune of the chorus from the Hokey Pokey"

Now why can't we sing songs like that at Irish matches instead of the usual come on you boys in green. (I know I'm meandering off topic)

[Hulsey]

Still can't believe that Super Shaun Derry didn't get it ! He was robbed. Best player in the world by a mile. And he has a mullet, what more could you want. Ah well theirs always next year.