Soccer: Ronaldinho named World Player Of The Year

ZURICH - Brazil and Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho has been  named World Player of the Year by soccer's governing body FIFA. He is the third Brazilian to win the world and European player awards in the same year after Ronaldo in 1997 and 2002, and Rivaldo in 1999.

Ronaldinho picked up 956 points to comfortably beat Chelsea's England midfielder Frank Lampard (306) in the FIFA vote by national coaches and captains around the world.

The Brazilian's Barcelona teammate Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon finished in third place with 190 points.

"I would like to say thank you to all my team mates and national team because without them all I would not be here," Ronaldinho told the FIFA Gala, hosted at the lakeside opera house in snowy Zurich.

"I hope I can make people happy with what I do and I hope to be here again in a year's time," he said, before being whisked back to Barcelona.

The 25-year-old Ronaldinho also won the inaugural FIFPro World Player of the Year award, selected by his fellow players, in September.

Ronaldinho enjoyed a hugely successful year, helping Barcelona win the Primera Liga title and featuring in Brazil's Confederations Cup triumph in Germany.

"He will undoubtedly be one of the star turns at next year's World Cup in Germany," FIFA said in a statement.

Runner-up Lampard was magnanimous in defeat.

"I am not disappointed," he told reporters, calling his Brazilian opponent a deserved winner.

"For me he is the most exciting player and the player I enjoy watching the most in the world."

The poll was based on the verdict of 159 international coaches and captains. Five points were awarded for a first place nomination, three for second and one for third.

Germany's Birgit Prinz beat off competition from Brazilian player Marta and US challenger Shannon Boxx to win the women's crown for the third successive year.

Although Brazil's Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane of France have each won the men's award three times, FIFA said Prinz's triumph was historic as it was the first time a player had achieved a consecutive hat-trick.

FIFA also handed the Peruvian city of Iquitos its Fair Play award.

The community, located in the middle of the Amazon region, was one of the venues for the under-17 world championship held between September and October.

The President's Award went to Sweden's former international referee Anders Frisk.

Winners of FIFA's soccer World Player of the Year award since its introduction:

1991 - Lothar Matthaeus (Germany) Inter Milan
1992 - Marco van Basten (Netherlands) AC Milan
1993 - Roberto Baggio (Italy) Juventus
1994 - Romario (Brazil) Barcelona
1995 - George Weah (Liberia) AC Milan
1996 - Ronaldo (Brazil) Barcelona
1997 - Ronaldo Inter Milan
1998 - Zinedine Zidane (France) Juventus
1999 - Rivaldo (Brazil) Barcelona
2000 - Zidane Juventus
2001 - Luis Figo (Portugal) Real Madrid
2002 - Ronaldo Real Madrid
2003 - Zidane Real Madrid
2004 - Ronaldinho (Brazil) Barcelona
2005 - Ronaldinho Barcelona

- REUTERS