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Beleaguered favorite Rivaldo expected to edge Beckham, Batistuta for award
Posted: Sunday January 23, 2000 09:45 AM
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- Barcelona's Brazilian midfielder Rivaldo is the hot favorite to win FIFA's world soccer player of 1999 award Monday, against opposition from Manchester United glamour-boy David Beckham and Fiorentina's Argentine marksman Gabriel Batistuta. The short-listed trio was selected last month by 140 national team coaches from around the world. The final choice will be made at a gala attended by world soccer legends in the Belgian capital. Rivaldo's exploits for the Spanish champions and in the canary yellow of Brazil have seen him replace countryman Ronaldo as the biggest star in world soccer. But the ceremony that could crown Rivaldo's sparkling year comes as the 27-year-old sensation is in turmoil. A spat with Barcelona coach Louis van Gaal has triggered a surge of transfer rumors, focusing on a possible move to Italy's Lazio. Barca chairman Jose Luis Nunez warned any club hoping to lure Rivaldo away they'd have to pay a world record transfer fee of 10 billion pesetas (US$70 million). As well as leading Barcelona to the second Spanish championship, Rivaldo fired Brazil to victory in the Copa America with a dazzling performance that climaxed with two-goals in the final 3-0 victory over Uruguay. He topped that in September with a spectacular hat-trick in a 4-2 win against Brazil's archrival, Argentina. Rivaldo's pace, tight control and lethal left foot have already won him the 1999 prestigious Golden Ball award as the best player in European soccer. He was also voted player of the year by readers of World Soccer magazine with the biggest vote haul since Dutch striker Marco Van Basten won in 1988. Beckham grabbed headlines last year for his unorthodox fashion statements and glittering wedding to Spice Girl Victoria Adams, but he found time to spearhead Manchester United's march to a unique treble of the European Champions' League, English Premiership and FA Cup. Pinpoint passing and explosive long-range goalscoring make Beckham an outstanding player, but doubts remain about his temperament and he won't have won any votes with the thigh-high tackle that earned a red card this month in the Club World Championship. Batistuta has sparkled in Fiorentina's impressive Champions League run, scoring key goals to sink Arsenal and Manchester United. He has already hit nine goals in Italy's Serie A this season, but remains an outsider for Monday's award. Last year's winner was French World Cup hero Zinedine Zidane, who struggled to recapture his form last year. Other past winners include Brazil's Ronaldo and Romario, Roberto Baggio of Italy and Liberia's George Weah. Monday's FIFA gala will also see Brazil presented with the team of the year award as leaders of the FIFA rankings, while Slovenia gets rewarded as the most improved national team.
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