Ronaldinho named European Footballer of Year

Ronaldinho completed a hat-trick of awards when he was named European Footballer of the Year on Monday.

The 25-year-old Brazilian won the vote by European soccer journalists organised by French soccer magazine France Football after guiding Barcelona to last season's Spanish Primera Liga title.

Ronaldinho Frank Lampard, an inspirational member of Chelsea's Premier League-winning side, came second in the vote. Fellow England midfielder Steven Gerrard, who was instrumental in Liverpool's surprise Champions League triumph, finished third.

"To be here with all those great players applauding me is a dream come true," said Ronaldinho after receiving the golden ball trophy at a ceremony in Paris attended by several former winners.

"This gives me motivation to keep working and try to emulate them.

"I have the chance to do for a living what I like the most in life, and that's playing football. I can make people happy and enjoy myself at the same time."

Ronaldinho received the plaudits of international coaches when he was named FIFA World Player of the Year last December, an award he is tipped to retain next month.

He was then honoured by his fellow professionals when he won the inaugural FIFPro World Player of the Year trophy in September.

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Ronaldinho's skill and vision are the pulse of Barcelona's exciting football. He was a prominent member of Brazil's 2002 World Cup-winning team and is likely to be one of the main attractions at next year's World Cup finals in Germany.

The Brazilian was a big favourite for the award before he scored two wonder goals in Barcelona's 3-0 defeat of Real Madrid earlier this month.

The list of Ballon d'Or winners, starting with Stanley Matthews in 1956, features many exceptional players, among them Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer and Michel Platini.

Former Real Madrid favourite Alfredo di Stefano, who collected the trophy in 1957 and 1959, was among the former winners who attended the 50th anniversary of the award.

AC Milan's Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko, who won in 2004 and came fifth in this year's vote, was also present.

In everyone's thoughts was former Manchester United and Northern Ireland winger George Best, the 1968 winner who died on Friday.

Best had lost his trophy but organisers asked his former United team mates Bobby Charlton and Denis Law to go on stage to receive a replica of the golden ball for the late winger's family.

"He was a wonderful player who always had the spirit of the game in mind," 1966 award winner Charlton said of Best.

"He would have loved to be here with us tonight."

Results of the vote for the 2005 European Footballer of the Year award:

1. Ronaldinho (Brazil/Barcelona) 225 points

2. Frank Lampard (England/Chelsea) 148

3. Steven Gerrard (England/Liverpool) 142

4. Thierry Henry (France/Arsenal) 41

5. Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine/AC Milan) 33

6. Paolo Maldini (Italy/AC Milan) 23

7. Adriano (Brazil/Inter) 22

8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Juventus) 21

9. Kaka (Brazil/AC Milan) 19