Zidane Named European Footballer of the Year
PARIS, Dec 21 (Reuters) - French World Cup-winning playmaker Zinedine Zidane
was named the 1998 European Footballer of the Year on Monday.
Juventus's Zidane collected 244 points in the annual poll organised since 1956 by France Football magazine. Real Madrid's Davor Suker of Croatia, top scorer in the World Cup finals, was runner-up with 68 points and Inter Milan's Brazilian striker Ronaldo, last year's winner, was third with 66. Liverpool's 19-year-old England forward Michael Owen was fourth with 51 ahead of Barcelona's Brazilian midfielder Rivaldo (45) and Fiorentina's Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta (43).
Zidane, who scored twice as France beat Brazil 3-0 in the World Cup final in Paris on July 12, is the fourth Frenchman to win the award and the first since Jean-Pierre Papin in 1991. Michel Platini won the Ballon d'Or three times in succession between 1983 and 1985 when he played for Juventus and Raymond Kopa won it in 1958 as a Real Madrid player.
Apart from his performance in the World Cup, Zidane helped Juventus retain the Italian championship and reach a third successive European Cup final in May.
Top 10 (player, nationality, club)
1. Zinedine Zidane (France) Juventus 244 points
2. Davor Suker (Croatia) Real Madrid 68
3. Ronaldo (Brazil) Inter Milan 66
4. Michael Owen (England) Liverpool 51
5. Rivaldo (Brazil) Barcelona 45
6. Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina) Fiorentina 43
7. Lilian Thuram (France) Parma 36
8.equal Dennis Bergkamp (Netherlands) Arsenal 28
8.equal Edgar Davids (Netherlands) Juventus 28
10. Marcel Desailly (France) Chelsea 19
