"European Footballer of the Year": Del Piero in the top 10

December 17, 2002
Juventus Official Site

Del Piero was among the ten best European players and the first of the Italians in the France Football "European Footballer of the Year standings for 2002. The famous award, given every year from 1956, was won by the Brazilian Ronaldo.

The bianconeri captain was ranked 10th with 12 votes. David Trezeguet, on the other hand, didn't succeed in entering the rankings, also because he hasn't played very much in this second part of the year. Among the other Italians that could have been voted, only Inzaghi entered the standings, while Totti, Vieri and Maldini remained out.

Ronaldo was among the protagonists of the Brazilian victory in the World Cup, played this year in Japan and South Korea, and in Real Madrid's triumph in the Intercontinental Cup. Real Madrid had four players in the best seven, with Roberto Carlos (2nd), Zidane (4th) and Raul (7th).

Here's the finals ranking (top ten):

1) Ronaldo (Real Madrid);
2) Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid);
3) Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munchen);
4) Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid);
5) Michael Ballack (Bayern Munchen);
6) Thierry Henry (Arsenal);
7) Raul (Real Madrid);
8) Rivaldo (AC Milan);
9) Yildiray Basturk (Bayer Leverkusen);
10) Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus).
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