Zidane named on FIFA Player of the Year shortlist despite head-butt

Zinedine Zidane, seen here playing Portugal in the 2006 World Cup, is shortlisted for FIFA's World Player of the Year. Picture / Reuters

LONDON - Former France playmaker Zinedine Zidane, sent off in the World Cup final in Berlin, was named on a 30-man shortlist today for FIFA's World Player of the Year award.

Zidane retired from football after France lost to Italy in the final on July 9, his career seemingly ending in disgrace following his head-butt on defender Marco Materazzi 10 minutes before the end of extra time.

The incident ensured he missed the penalty shootout that decided the match in Italy's favour.

Zidane, Barcelona's Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho and Inter Milan's Portuguese midfielder Luis Figo are the only men on the shortlist to have previously won the FIFA award.

Ronaldinho is bidding to lift the trophy for the third year in a row.

Zidane has already landed the honour three times, as a Juventus player in 1998 and 2000 and with Real Madrid in 2003. Figo won the award in 2001 during his time with Real Madrid.

Premier League champions Chelsea are the most represented club with six players on the shortlist: England's Frank Lampard, Petr Cech of Czech Republic, Ghana's Michael Essien, Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast, Germany's Michael Ballack and Ukrainian Andriy Shevchenko.

Also on the list are Brazilians Adriano and Kaka along with Miroslav Klose, Jens Lehmann and Philipp Lahm of Germany.

World champions Italy are represented by Gianluigi Buffon, Fabio Cannavaro, Gennaro Gattuso, Alessandro Nesta and Andrea Pirlo.

The other French players on the shortlist apart from Zidane are Lilian Thuram, Patrick Vieira, Franck Ribery and Thierry Henry.

Portugal pair Cristiano Ronaldo and Deco are also among the candidates for the award, as is Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o, England pair Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, Argentina playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme and Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky.

The winner will be announced in Zurich on December 18.

- REUTERS