Portugal’s Ronaldo is 2008 World Footballer of the Year (lead)
January 13th, 2009 - 8:24 am ICT by IANSZurich (Switzerland) Jan 13 (DPA) Manchester United’s Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo, who last month won the European Footballer of the Year, was named FIFA World Footballer of the Year 2008.Ronaldo, 23, who made history by becoming the first Premier League-based player to win the award Monday, convincingly beat Argentine striker Lionel Messi in second place.
Third place in the voting conducted by national team coaches and captains went to Liverpool’s Spanish striker Fernando Torres.
Brazilian Marta made it a hat-trick of women’s awards when she won her third Footballer of the Year title in a row, beating Germany’s Birgit Prinz and Brazilian Cristiane with second and third places.
FIFA also awarded a development award to the Palestinian Football Federation for having maintained, under difficult circumstances, their football organisation and their national team.
The FIFA presidential award went to women’s football in recognition of the worldwide development that the sport has undergone.
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- Messi crowns exceptional season with World Footballer award (Lead) - Dec 22, 2009
- FIFA World Player 2009 short lists - Oct 30, 2009
- List of FIFA World Footballer of the Year since 1991 - Dec 22, 2009
- Messi, Ronaldo among FIFA World Player short list - Oct 30, 2009
- Messi wins Fifa Ballon d'Or for third successive year - Jan 10, 2012
- Cristiano Ronaldo short-listed for FIFA World Player - Dec 12, 2008
- Cristiano Ronaldo is World Footballer of the Year - Jan 13, 2009
- Messi becomes Barcelona's all-time leading scorer - Mar 21, 2012
- Neymar, Messi in charity match - Apr 01, 2012
- Mourinho going nowhere: Cristiano Ronaldo - Mar 14, 2012
- Barca crush Atletico, Real thrash Rayo - Sep 25, 2011
- Chelsea now eyeing to sign Real Madrid midfielder Kaka - Mar 06, 2011
- Real Madrid top La Liga as Barcelona held - Oct 23, 2011
- Ronaldo determined to become the best player in history - Dec 30, 2009
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