Final 23 players for World Player of the Year

October 31, 2008

The final list of candidates for Fifa World Player of the Year have been drawn up and from the 23 names 10 are Premiership players. These include Ronaldo, Torres and Deco but there are 3 English players too Lampard, Terry and Gerrard.

The clear favourite for the competition is Ronaldo who had an outstaning season last year and has already picked up an award voted for by fellow players.

This award is decided by a poll of national team captains and coaches.

A shortlist of three will be revealed in December, with the winner announced at a ceremony in Zurich in January.

The list comprises three African players, three South Americans and 20 Europeans.

A 10-name shortlist for the Fifa women’s world player of the year award has also been published, including Arsenal’s Kelly Smith and Brazil’s Marta, who is aiming to win the award for the third year running.

Fifa world player of the year 2008 shortlist:

Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo), Sergio Aguero (Argentina), Andrei Arshavin (Russia), Michael Ballack (Germany), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Iker Casillas (Spain), Deco (Portugal), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Steven Gerrard (England), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden), Andres Iniesta (Spain), Kaka (Brazil), Frank Lampard (England), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Franck Ribery (France), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), John Terry (England), Fernando Torres (Spain), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Netherlands), David Villa (Spain) and Xavi (Spain).

Fifa women’s world player of the year 2008 shortlist:

Nadine Angerer (Germany), Shannon Boxx (USA), Cristiane (Brazil), Daniela (Brazil), Marta (Brazil), Birgit Prinz (Germany), Christine Sinclair (Canada), Kelly Smith (England), Hope Solo (USA) and Ingvild Stensland (Norway).

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