Younes Mahmoud Khalef has won the 2007 "Giacinto Facchetti" award
for inspirational footballing figures...
The 10,000 euro prize, awarded each year to an inspirational figure
"who embodies the spirit of football", was created in the honour of
the eponymous former Inter player and president, who died last year
after a battle with cancer.
2006's winner, former Vicenza hitman Julio Gonzalez, was given the
accolade after refusing to give up professional football after
suffering from the loss of an arm.
Now, with Khalef having led his team to victory in 2007's Asian Cup
final against Saudi Arabia, the panel of four judges have deemed
him the ideal winner.
Candido Cannavò, Gianfelice Facchetti, Gianni Petrucci and Carlo
Verdelli decided that the Iraqi striker's services to the game,
made in spite of the state of his country, merited the award.
The Gazzetta dello Sport and Facchetti's widow, Giovanna, arranged
a gala event in Italy at which the player accepted his prize.
He remarked, "It is an important day for me.
"This prize is a huge thing for me which I will always
remember."
Mahmoud, 24, plays his club football for Qatari side
Al-Gharafa.
