Zidane chosen year's best

ROME, DEC. 12. French Midfield wizard Zinedine Zidane was named FIFA World Player of the Year as a row over who should be `Player of the Century' ended with Brazilian Pele and Argentina's Diego Maradona both receiving awards.

Zidane scooped his second world footballer of the year crown in three years, ahead of the most expensive footballer on the planet, Portugal's Luis Figo, and last year's winner Rivaldo.

Elsewhere red-faced FIFA officials got themselves off the hook in the `Player of the Century' row by handing awards to both the legendary Pele and Argentina's enfant terrible Diego Maradona.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter had on Sunday moved to head off the potentially embarrassing scenario of three-time World Cup winner Pele being left empty-handed by announcing the decision to split up the awards.

The decision was taken amid reports that a cyber-blitz by Maradona fans had the self-confessed cocaine addict leading with 78,000 votes ahead of Pele on 26,000.

FIFA originally planned to name only one `Player of the Century' at Monday night's dinner, with the winner being decided from a combination of votes from FIFA's website, the body's magazine and a grand jury.

But with Maradona reportedly way ahead the awards were split up into an `Internet Player of the Century' and a `FIFA Jury Player of the Century', paving the way for both men to get an award.

In the women's category, the United States' Michelle Aers was crowned player of the century, scuppering Chinese hopes that their star striker Sun Wen would be given the accolade.

In other awards, Spanish giant Real Madrid was named `Team of the Century, with its amazing record in Europe helping it to the crown. Madrid has won the European Cup eight times in 11 appearances.

The Netherlands was named `Team of the Year' while Leeds United's Lucas Radebe was given FIFA's Fair Play award for 2000. Radebe received the award for his fight against racism in football. - AFP

France's Zinedine Zidane snapped after receiving FIFA's Player of the Year of the award.

- Reuters

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Section  : Sport
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