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Ronaldo, Hamm scoop top player awards

Ronaldo and Mia Hamm have been crowned king and queen of football at a star-studded FIFA World Player of the Year 2002 Gala in Madrid this evening.

The Brazil and Real Madrid striker won the award for a record-breaking third time, collecting the trophy from 2001 Player of Year Luis Figo. Ronaldo’s total of 387 points was more than double that of his closest rival, Germany’s Oliver Kahn (171) – the first goalkeeper to have been shortlisted for the award - with France’s Zinedine Zidane (141) back in third place. The “Fenomenom”, who struck eight goals at the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan™, was the number one for 59 of the 148 national team coaches who voted, and received three times first place nomination more than Zidane (18) and Kahn (16).

Mia Hamm remains the only woman to have won the prize as she repeated last year’s success, -scoring virtually the same number of points as 2001 (161).  German striker Birgit Prinz (96) was a clear second with China’s Sun Wen (58), runner-up second in 2001, back in third position.

Twenty-five of the 77 national team coaches who voted selected the American star as their number one, more than double the number of top nominations received by Prinz (11). Sun Wen, who was unable to attend the event because of injury, received three first place votes.

The audience at the Madrid Congress Centre applauded enthusiastically as Parminder Nagra, the actress of the film Bend it like Beckham, scooped the FIFA

Presidential Award 2002. The FIFA Order of Merit Award went to Real Madrid’s one-time player, captain, secretary, director and 35-year president Santiago Bernabeu. Alfredo Di Stefano stepped up to accept the award.

Along with the FIFA trophy for this year’s best player, Ronaldo also received the adidas Silver Ball for being selected as the second-best player of the 2002 FIFA

World Cup as well as the giant adidas Golden Shoe for top goalscorer in the competition.

Three awards for Kahn

Oliver Kahn also picked up three awards. The German captain won the adidas Golden Ball, the Yashin Award for best goalkeeper at Korea/Japan 2002 as well as the trophy for second place in the voting for FIFA World Player of the Year 2002.

Kahn’s countryman, Miroslav Klose, stepped up to collect his trophy as the FIFA World Cup’s second highest marksman with five goals, a feat equalled by Rivaldo.

Three trophies bore the name Korea Republic’s. Veteran defender Hong Myung-Bo received the adidas Bronze Ball, while Korea won the Most Entertaining Team Award at this year’s tournament. Korea’s third prize, the Fair Play Award, was awarded to the Korean and Japanese football communities following the staggering success of the first Asian finals. The competition’s FIFA Fair Play Award was claimed by Marc Wilmots on behalf of Belgium.

The FIFA Trophy for Real Madrid’s Centenary was collected by current president Florentino Perez. And on a night when an unprecedented number of awards were handed out, Brazil and Senegal were awarded Best Team and Best Mover, according to the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking for 2002.

FIFA World Player 2002

Men

1. RONALDO

2. Oliver KAHN

3. Zinedine ZIDANE

Coaches voting: 148

Women

1. Mia HAMM

2. Birgit PRINZ

3. Sun WEN

Coaches voting: 77

2002 World Player Gala

FIFA Trophy for Real Madrid’s Centenary Real Madrid CF

FIFA Order of Merit

Santiago Bernabéu

FIFA Presidential Award 2002

Parminder K. Nagra

FIFA FAIR PLAY Award 2002

Football Communities of Japan and Korea Republic

FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking 2002

Team of the Year

Brazil

Best Mover

Senegal

Source: FIFA.com

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