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Another award for Ronaldo Brazilian striker named World Soccer player of yearPosted: Thursday December 12, 2002 1:22 AMUpdated: Thursday December 12, 2002 5:10 PM
LONDON (Reuters) -- Real Madrid striker Ronaldo has been named World Soccer magazine's player of the year following his heroics for Brazil in the 2002 World Cup finals. Ronaldo came back after three years of injury blight to score eight goals at the World Cup, including both in the 2-0 final victory over Germany. It was the highest individual tally in the finals since West Germany's Gerd Mueller hit 10 in 1970. The latest issue of the English-based magazine, published on Friday, said Ronaldo polled more than 26 percent of the votes cast by readers. The prestigious awards began in 1982. Midfielder Michael Ballack, who helped Germany to the World Cup final and inspired Bayer Leverkusen to the final of the Champions League as well as runners-up in the Bundesliga and German Cup, was second. Ronaldo's Madrid and Brazil teammate, defender Roberto Carlos, was third. Ronaldo has also been shortlisted for FIFA's World Player of the Year award, along with Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn and French midfielder Zinedine Zidane. Ronaldo and Zidane have both won the FIFA award twice previously, while Ronaldo won World Soccer magazine's award in 1996 when he was only 20. Last year's winner, Michael Owen of Liverpool, was ninth in this year's poll. Brazil were named team of the year, ahead of Champions League winners Real Madrid and English League and FA Cup Double winners Arsenal. Guus Hiddink, the Dutchman who took South Korea to the semifinals of the World Cup, was named manager of the year. Brazil's Luiz Felipe Scolari was second ahead of Arsenal's French manager Arsene Wenger. Ronaldo studies legal action against condo for offensesRIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) -- Soccer star Ronaldo is considering suing the managers of a luxury condominium complex who allegedly made offensive remarks about his family's poor origins, his spokesman said Thursday. Rodrigo Paiva said Ronaldo's mother and sister visited his condo at the Barra Golden Green complex and later got an insulting phone call from administrators. "They said it wasn't for low-class people and for slum-dwellers, that it was a place for rich people," Paiva said. Ronaldo's aunt also was offended by a manager, who told her to use the service elevator and prohibited her from using the guest parking area, Paiva said. "His mother had been sparing Ronaldo, but after the second episode she told him and he got very upset," he said. Ronaldo, who plays for Spain's Real Madrid, was consulting with his lawyers whether to sue the condo's administration for social discrimination -- a crime in Brazil -- or to demand a public apology, Paiva said. The Barra Golden Green office said no one was available to comment on the incident. Ronaldo, 26, was raised in the Bento Ribeiro district on Rio's poor north side. His soccer skills quickly drew the interest of European clubs, and he signed lucrative contracts with the Dutch side PSV, Spain's Barcelona and Italy's Internazionale before transferring to Real Madrid this season. Factbox on RonaldoLONDON (Reuters) -- Factbox on Brazilian striker Ronaldo who was named World Soccer magazine's World Player of the Year on Friday. Sept 22, 1976 - Born on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. 1989 - Aged 12, signs for his first club, Social Ramos. 1990 - Signs professional terms for Ramos after being rejected by Rio giants Flamengo. 1991 - Moves to second division side Sao Cristovao, scoring 36 goals in 54 games. 1993 - Joins first division Cruzeiro and makes his name in Brazil by scoring 58 times in 60 appearances. 1994 - Aged 17, makes international debut in a 2-1 win over Argentina in March. Included in Brazil's World Cup squad but does not play as the team win the tournament, beating Italy on penalties in the final. In August, signs for PSV Eindhoven for a club record 10.8 million guilders ($4.70 million). 1994-95 - Finishes season as top scorer in the Dutch first division with 30 goals and helps Brazil to the final of the Copa America. 1995-96 - Scores 12 goals in 13 appearances for PSV before succumbing to his first major knee injury. Undergoes operation in February 1996 and returns as a late substitute in PSV's Dutch Cup final victory. Final record for PSV is 55 goals in 56 games. July 1996 - Moves to Barcelona for a world record $19.5 million fee. 1996-97 - Makes an instant impact at Nou Camp, scoring several astonishing goals with rampaging runs from the halfway line. Named FIFA World Player of the Year and scores Barcelona's winner in a 1-0 victory over Paris St Germain in the Cup Winners' Cup final. Final record for Barcelona is 33 goals in 38 games. June 20, 1997 - Signs a five-year contract with Inter Milan after one of the longest transfer disputes in soccer history. Completes move on September 8 when FIFA orders Inter to pay an additional $1.8 million to Barcelona, bringing the total fee to a world record $27.9 million. Dec 22, 1997 - Named 1997 European Footballer of the Year in an annual poll organised by France Football magazine. Jan 12, 1998 - Named FIFA's World Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. May 6, 1998 - Scores one goal and inspires Inter to a 3-0 win over Lazio in the UEFA Cup final. His final tally in his first season for Inter is 34 goals in 47 matches. July 12, 1998 - Suffers a mysterious illness hours before the World Cup final in France. After first being named as a substitute, he is then included in the starting line-up. He plays badly and Brazil lose 3-0 to France. Oct 1998 - Suffers a series of problems with his knees that drastically reduce his appearances for Inter over the course of the season. May 1999 - Ends the season with six goals in six matches to suggest his problems are behind him. Tally for the season is 15 goals in 26 appearances. Oct 23, 1999 - Scores in the Milan derby but is sent off for the first time in his Serie A career. Nov 21, 1999 - Scores in a 6-0 defeat of Lecce but then trips on a greasy San Siro pitch and limps off. Inter at first deny he will need surgery. Nov 30, 1999 - Undergoes an operation on a ruptured knee-cap tendon at a clinic in Paris. Dec 24, 1999 - Marries Brazilian model Milene Domingues in a modest ceremony in Rio. April 6, 2000 - Becomes a father when Milene gives birth to a baby boy named Ronald. April 12, 2000 - Makes his comeback as a substitute in the Italian Cup final for Inter after more than four months out. Six minutes later his knee buckles as he launches one of his trademark weaving runs on goal. He is whisked from the pitch on a motorized cart in tears. April 13, 2000 - Flies to Paris for examination by same specialist who carried out November surgery. A painstaking recovery takes than two years but his comeback is then cut short by a series of frustrating muscular injuries. 2002 - At the start of the year, he is taken back to Brazil from Italy where an eight-strong team of professionals spend one month effectively rebuilding the stricken star. This time it works. The muscular injuries disappear and Ronaldo is ready for his third World Cup. June 2002 - World Cup top scorer with eight goals in Brazil's triumphant campaign including two in the final against Germany. Joins Pele as the third-highest scorer in World Cup history with 12 goals in the finals. August 2002 - Rumours link him with a move to Real Madrid, who say they have been approached by the player's agent. August 20, 2002 - Announces he wants to leave Inter and would prefer to return to Spain. Inter president Massimo Moratti insists that Ronaldo will play one more season for the Italian club before leaving. August 22, 2002 - Real president Florentino Perez and Moratti meet face-to-face in Formentera to discuss a possible transfer deal. August 23, 2002 - Talks break down after Real call off bid because of differences over the value of the player. August 30, 2002 - As the transfer deadline looms the two clubs restart negotiations and agree a deal which will see the player sign for Real Madrid in a deal worth 47 million euros (US$46.31 million). Oct 6, 2002 - Scores within a minute of his debut for Real after coming on as a second-half substitute and goes on to add a second 14 minutes later in a 5-2 league win over Alaves. Dec 3, 2002 - Scores in World Club Cup win over Olimpia Dec 12, 2002 - Named World Soccer magazine's Player of the
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