Juventus' French midfielder Zinedine Zidane won the 2000 FIFA world soccer player of
Juventus' French midfielder Zinedine Zidane won the 2000 FIFA world soccer player of the year today, squeaking past Spanish league stars Luis Figo of Portugal and Rivaldo of Brazil. Juventus' French midfielder Zinedine Zidane won the 2000 FIFA world soccer player of the year today, squeaking past Spanish league stars Luis Figo of Portugal and Rivaldo of Brazil. It was the second player of the year award in three years for Zidane, a creative and controlling presence in the midfield who led France to this summer's European Championship following the squad's 1998 World Cup victory.The 28-year-old Italian league star won with 370 points, followed by 329 for Real Madrid's Figo and 263 for Barcelona's Rivaldo, the 1999 winner of the FIFA honor.The shortlisted trio were selected last month by 150 national team coaches from around the world. The final choice was announced at a gala attended by world soccer legends in the Italian capital.FIFA also named Brazil's Pele and Argentina's Diego Maradona the co-players of the century, splitting the 20th century honors after a feud erupted between the two South American legends.Real Madrid easily won the team of the century award, topping Manchester United and Bayern Munich.Two players who compete against Zidane in Italy's Serie A - Argentina's Gabriel Batistuta of AS Roma and Ukraine's Andriy Shevchenko of AS Milan - finished fourth and fifth respectively in the annual player balloting. David Beckham of Manchester United finished sixth.But it was Zidane - the winner in 1998 after the World Cup crown and a second straight Italian league title with Juventus - who joined Brazil's Ronaldo as the only players to twice win the award, which the world soccer governing board introduced in 1991."It's special to be here next to Figo and Rivaldo," Zidane said, accepting the award. "I think winning the European Championships put me over the top (in the voting)."The Marseille native was the dominant player in June's Euro 2000, outwitting opponents with quick turns, an eagle's eye and just enough muscle to control the pitch.Zidane was voted player of the game in France's quarterfinal and semifinals games, notching a high-pressure "golden goal" penalty shot against Portugal - and Figo - to send France into the finals against Italy.Though he suffered from nagging leg injuries during the last Italian league season, Zidane has remained Juventus' driving force. The Turin squad came one point away from winning another Serie A title in May.There had been some doubt raised about Zidane's standing in the eyes of FIFA after he was ejected from two straight Champions League games this fall, the second time for a vicious head-butt against a German opponent.Figo, 28, who transferred from FC Barcelona to Real Madrid in July in a world record 10 billion pesetas (dlrs 56 million) deal, was Portugal's standout performer in Euro 2000.Figo's departure increased pressure on Barcelona's other 28-year-old megastar, Rivaldo, the reigning 1999 FIFA player of the year.
The southern squad reportedly doubled his salary to dlrs 5.6 million per year to hold onto the Brazilian, who now holds down second place in the Spanish league scoring race, with eight goals.The player of the century award was originally set to go to one man, based on Internet voting and ballots cast by FIFA members and through its magazine.Hoping to quell controversy after Maradona was the apparent winner, thanks to his large Internet support, FIFA split the award in two to ensure the presence of both champions at the gala.The Argentine, who led his national team to the 1986 World Cup was the on-line winner with 53.6% of the votes, followed by the 18.5% received by Pele, a three-time World Cup winner and soccer's all-time greatest scorer.Portugal's Eusebio was third at 6.2%.Pele, 60, won the "football family" award thanks to 72.8% of the ballots casts through internal FIFA balloting, followed by Alfredo Di Stefano of Argentina with 9.8% and Maradona at 6.0%.Pele, whose award was the crowning event of the evening, said all the honorees "worked for the sport in the past, present and hopefully in the future."Maradona left the auditorium before Pele received his award.The Argentine, who'd threatened to skip the event altogether, was making only his second return to Italy after ending his storied career with Napoli in 1991 following several failed drug tests.Maradona, accompanied by his wife, two daughters and both parents, dedicated the Internet award to the Argentine people."We would be nothing without the public," he said "I don't know if it's right that it's just Pele and me. There are so many great players out there."Before the ceremony, Maradona said he was "surprised by the warm welcome" from FIFA President Joseph Blatter."We still need to sit down and talk," he added.The 40-year-old Argentine, who was hospitalized early this year with a heart condition linked to drug and alcohol abuse, remains immensely popular with fans from Buenos Aires to Naples, where he led the city's underdog team to its first and only two Serie A titles.The women's soccer player of the century award was also divided in two, with China's Sun Wen winning the Internet vote and the United States' Michelle Akers winning the internal FIFA balloting.. The only shock of this cup tie was that Blackpool deserved to win it. The result was predictable, Yeovil have more money, a better ground and probably a brighter future and yet as the lights from the Blackpool Tower burned brighter in the evening dank, the feeling was that Yeovil's 20th act of FA Cup giant-killing was probably among their most fortuitous. The only shock of this cup tie was that Blackpool deserved to win it. The result was predictable, Yeovil have more money, a better ground and probably a brighter future and yet as the lights from the Blackpool Tower burned brighter in the evening dank, the feeling was that Yeovil's 20th act of FA Cup giant-killing was probably among their most fortuitous. When Blackpool last lost to a non-League side, against Hednesford in 1996, one of their fans ran on to the pitch and tried to punch their manager, Gary Megson.
Yesterday afternoon, after this second-round defeat, the average supporter would probably have wanted to put his arms around Steve McMahon's shoulders.McMahon, who had won the FA Cup with Liverpool, had said before the game that the team that had muscled its way to the top of the Conference was favourite to win, although he tried to amend those comments in the aftermath of a defeat made more poignant by the sheer decrepitude of Bloomfield Road."I didn't mean to say we were underdogs," he said, describing his mood as "disappointed but not suicidal. They are a better-equipped club but we have the better players. When a goalkeeper is man of the match, it tells you something." It told Tony Pennock only that his reputation had been vindicated. Two years ago, in an FA Cup tie against Cardiff at Huish Park, he had charged out of his area to clear, miskicked completely and saw the forward walk the ball into the net.The FA Cup, however, always provides a chance of redemption and yesterday Pennock seized his with a string of superlative saves, including two one-on-ones before the interval, a wonderful palm away from John Murphy and a point-blank block from Phil Clarkson in the feverish final minutes."I would take being knocked out of every cup in the first round, if it ensures we are promoted to the Football League," Pennock said, describing the atmosphere in the dressing-room as on a par with the mood after the defeat of Rushden and Diamonds, a result which promises to be far more significant that this. His manager, Colin Addison, promised him "an extra fiver" on his contract but, frankly, he should ask for more.His skill was rewarded in first-half stoppage time when, at the second attempt, Nick Crittenden belted his own, half-cleared shot into the roof of the net. It was one of two chances Yeovil had.Blackpool had so many that to list them would probably turn McMahon's mood from disappointment towards suicide.
"We criticise defenders when their mistakes cost us, so I don't see why the forwards should escape," he sighed. As to his own future, he said: "I will be testing the chairman with a few questions."Then he turned away, from the demolished Kop that once cheered the deeds of Stanley Matthews and Alan Ball and which was now bathed in rain and the sting of defeat.Blackpool (3-5-2): Barnes, Reid, Coid, O'Connor (Nowland, 81), Collins, Hughes, Collins (Clarkson, 60), Simpson, Hills, Ormerod , Murphy. Substitutes not used: Kennedy, Newell, Jazczun (gk).Yeovil Town (4-4-2): Pennock, Piper, Tonkin, Skiverton, White, Way, Smith, Crittenden, Linderguard (O'Brien, 77), Belgrave (Meechan, 90), Patmore. Substitutes not used: Weale, Bent, Poole (gk).Referee: G Frankland (Middlesbrough).Bookings: Yeovil Town: White, Patmore.Man of the match: Pennock..
Canvey Island's awfully big FA Cup adventure ended five miles from where it had begun yesterday as they succumbed to their near-neighbours Southend United in an FA Cup second-round tie switched to Roots Hall to accommodate a crowd of 11,402. Canvey Island's awfully big FA Cup adventure ended five miles from where it had begun yesterday as they succumbed to their near-neighbours Southend United in an FA Cup second-round tie switched to Roots Hall to accommodate a crowd of 11,402. Goals from Scott Forbes and Ben Abbey ensured that the Southend fans who were officially welcomed as visitors to their own ground were able to reclaim their territory after what Canvey's programme termed "The jellied-eel derby''."One team in Essex, there's only one team in Essex,'' they sang, with more than a hint of relief that the Ryman Leaguers who had disposed of Second Division Port Vale in the previous round had finally been put in their place."This was such a tremendous banana skin,'' said Southend's manager, David Webb "It's not just a big club against a little one. It's a little one that's just down the road, and it was a hell of a headache for us.''Canvey's manager, Jeff King, who lives within hailing distance of Webb in Benfleet, was philosophical after a match in which he believed his team, who included Southend's youth development coach, Steve Tilson, and three others with Roots Hall history, had been outrun rather than outplayed by their Third Division opponents."We've had a great run, and I'm sure we'll go from strength to strength,'' King said. With an estimated £60,000 in gate receipts from this match, Canvey can now concentrate on gaining promotion to the Conference. But had not Wayne Vaughan - whose goals put paid to Port Vale - tapped home from close range earlier than the 90th minute, they might still have had a meaningful interest in yesterday's third-round draw which pitted Southend against Kingstonian in a home tie. Forbes's well-taken opening goal after 38 minutes gave Southend a deserved lead after a first half played in driving rain on a pitch already brimful of water. The match was effectively decided by Abbey's breakaway goal after 80 minutes, shortly after Canvey's claim that Forbes had handled in the penalty area had been dimissed.Afterwards Webb, whose former club Yeovil also distinguished themselves yesterday, was heading straight home.