Zinedine Zidane has been named on the short-list for the FIFA
World Player of the Year award.
The news may come as a surprise to many, after the former Real
Madrid man struggled to live up to his own high standards in the
last days of his career.
Zidane, whose last act in football was to butt Italy defender Marco
Materazzi in the World Cup final, was named on the shortlist along
with Ballon D'Or winner Fabio Cannavaro, and Barcelona forward
Ronaldinho.
Thierry Henry did not even make it into the final three - a
decision that is sure to infuriate his Arsenal manager Arsene
Wenger.
Henry was the only player who made it to the finals of both the
Champions League and the World Cup last season, and Wenger said
earlier this week the striker deserved to have been given the
Ballon D'Or.
FIFA's award is voted for by the coach and captain of all 207
national teams, who each pick their top three players of the
year.
Brazilian Ronaldinho has won it for the last two years and despite
having a poor World Cup he is the front-runner again, though
Zidane, winner in 2003, 2000 and 1998, may have a chance as a
sympathy vote after retiring from football following his red card
in the World Cup final.
Wenger yesterday said it had been "a mistake" to give the European
award to World Cup-winning skipper Cannavaro purely on the basis of
that tournament.
"It shows that the people who vote look only at the World Cup,
which when you speak about elite football, in my opinion, is the
lowest level in football that you can see at the moment," said
Wenger.
The identity of the winner of the FIFA award will be revealed on
Monday, December 18 at a gala in Zurich.
USA's Kristine Lilly, Germany's Renate Lingor and Brazil
international Marta are the remaining contenders in the frame for
this year's FIFA Women's World Player award.
1) Zinedine Zidane
2) Fabio Cannavaro
3) Ronaldinho
Which of these 3 players deserve being the FIFA World Player of the
Year Title?
If Zidane wins, he will probably be the first retired player to win
the title... 
