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| Monday, December 16, 2002 18:24 EST |
Striker wins award for second time in career
[Reuters]
PARIS -- Brazilian striker Ronaldo has been
named European Footballer of the Year for the second time,
organizers France Football magazine said on Monday.
The Real Madrid forward, who scored twice in Brazil's 2-0
World Cup final victory over Germany and finished as the
tournament's leading scorer, becomes one of only eight players
to win the prestigious award for a second time.
Ronaldo scored Real's first goal in its 2-0 World Club Cup
win over Paraguay's Olimpia two weeks ago, and is in the running
to become FIFA World Player of the Year for the third time later
this week.
He finished ahead of wing back Roberto Carlos, also of Real
Madrid and Brazil, goalkeeper Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich and
Germany), and midfielders Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid and
France) and Michael Ballack (Bayern and Germany).
The 26-year-old Rio-born striker, who also won the Golden
Ball award in 1997, follows Spain's Alfredo Di Stefano, Germans
Franz Beckenbauer and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, and England's Kevin
Keegan as twice-winners.
French playmaker Michel Platini and Dutch strikers Marco van
Basten and Johan Cruyff won the award three times.
Despite struggling with knee injuries that kept him out for
much of last season, Ronaldo triumphantly returned in 2002 to
fulfil his promise as one of Brazil's finest players since Pele.
He pipped his strike partner Rivaldo to finish as the World
Cup's leading scorer with eight goals.
His performance in the Yokohama final laid to rest questions
about his appetite for the big occasion after he suffered a
stress-related breakdown just before the 1998 final, which
Brazil lost 3-0 to France.
After the World Cup Ronaldo completed a controversial
transfer from Inter Milan to European champions Real for 47
million euros. He scored twice on his Real debut against Alaves.
A spokesman for France Football said the award was based on
a European-based player's performance throughout the world.
Journalists from 52 UEFA-affiliated countries voted for the
award, which was won last year by England and Liverpool striker
Michael Owen.
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