GERRARD VOTED EUROPE'S 3RD BEST PLAYER
Steven Gerrard has been named the third best player in Europe at
the annual France Football Ballon d'Or awards in Paris.
Gerrard was one of three Liverpool players in the running for the
prestigious Ballon d'Or, along with Jamie Carragher and Luis
Garcia.
But the Reds skipper, who triumphantly lifted the Champions League
trophy in May and had been backed to win the accolade by his
manager Rafael Benitez, could not emulate the feat of former
team-mate Michael Owen who took the honour in 2001.
Gerrard came third in the poll with 142 points, Chelsea midfielder
Frank Lampard was second on 148, while Barcelona's Brazilian
superstar Ronaldinho was the undisputed winner with 225
points.
There was no place in the top ten for either Carragher or
Garcia.
The Ballon D'Or is voted for by European football journalists
selected by French magazine France Football.
The award celebrated its 50th anniversary in Paris on Monday night
and was first won by Stanley Matthews while he was at Blackpool in
1956.
Manchester United trio Denis Law, Bobby Charlton and George Best
all won the prize, respectively in 1964, 1966 and 1968.
Kevin Keegan won in 1978 and 1979 and Michael Owen was the last
English winner, for his displays at Liverpool in 2001.
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