Zidane in frame for FifPro award

[Mac 10 †]

Zidane in frame for FifPro award

Former France captain Zinedine Zidane is in the running for the 2006 FifPro Player of the Year award.
 
The former Real Madrid star bowed out of football in shame with a red card in the World Cup final for a headbutt on Italy defender Marco Materazzi.

Materazzi is also on the list of 55 nominations, along with last year's winner, Brazilian Ronaldinho.

The Premiership has 18 players in the frame for the award which will be announced on 6 November in Athens.

Chelsea are the best represented club in the list with nine players, including recent recruits Ashley Cole, Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko.

In terms of nationalities, world champions Italy have 10 nominated players along with Brazil, while England number six internationals.

Cole and his Blues team-mates John Terry and Frank Lampard are joined on the list by Manchester United duo Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney - who took last year's young player award - and Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard.

As well as the individual award, ballot forms were sent to 43,000 players asking them to pick a world XI for the event, which has been organised by the international players' union.



Shortlist for the FifPro Awards
Premiership players marked by *

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Petr Cech* (Czech Republic), Dida (Brazil), Jens Lehmann* (Germany), Edwin van der Sar* (Holland).

Defenders: Roberto Ayala (Argentina), Cafu (Brazi), Fabio Cannavaro (Italy), Roberto Carlos (Brazil), Cicinho (Brazil), Ashley Cole* (England), Rio Ferdinand* (England), William Gallas* (France), Fabio Grosso (Italy), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Lucio (Brazil), Rafael Marquez (Mexico), Marco Materazzi (Italy), Miguel (Portugal), Alessandro Nesta (Italy), Carles Puyol (Spain), Willy Sagnol (France), John Terry* (England), Lilian Thuram (France), Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy).

Midfielders: Michael Ballack* (Germany), Deco (Portugal), Cesc Fabregas* (Spain), Luis Figo (Portugal), Gennaro Gattuso (Italy), Steven Gerrard* (England), Kaka (Brazil), Frank Lampard* (England), Claude Makalele* (France), Andrea Pirlo (Italy), Juan Roman Riquelme (Argentina), Francesco Totti (Italy), Patrick Vieira (France), Ze Roberto (Brazil), Zinedine Zidane (France).

Forwards: Adriano (Brazil), Hernan Crespo (Argentina), Didier Drogba* (Ivory Coast), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Thierry Henry* (France), Miroslav Klose (Germany), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Arjen Robben* (Holland), Ronaldinho (Brazil), Ronaldo (Brazil), Cristiano Ronaldo* (Portugal), Wayne Rooney* (England), Andriy Shevchenko* (Ukraine), Luca Toni (Italy), Fernando Torres (Spain).

[KURUPTION-81]

Cannavoro should win it imo.

[Noname]

Henry or Ronaldinho.