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Valdano: Owen is Raul's only rival
MADRID (Reuters) -- Liverpool's Michael Owen is Raul's only rival for the European Footballer of the Year award, according to Real Madrid sporting director Jorge Valdano. But the former Argentine international believes "political" considerations could mean the England striker may be given the award ahead of the Real Madrid forward. "Raul's only rival is Owen," Valdano was quoted as saying in Spanish sports daily Marca on Monday. "But, politically speaking, it is good for an English player to win the award and that is what worries me. We will have to wait and see what happens because in many cases logic doesn't always triumph." Real Madrid and the locally based sporting press have been pushing hard for the Spanish international striker to be given the award, which they claim would be a long-overdue recognition of the player's talents. If Raul is given the Golden Ball award, which is organized by France Football magazine, he will be the first Spaniard to win it since Luis Suarez in 1960. Raul has also been short-listed, together with teammate Luis Figo of Portugal and the England and Manchester United midfielder David Beckham, for FIFA's 2001 World Player of the Year award. Figo was named European Footballer of the Year last year, while Zinedine Zidane, now also at Real, won the FIFA award.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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