FOOTBALL: PORTUGUESE PLAYER FIGO NOMINATED FOR BEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Luis Figo, currently playing for Real Madrid, has been nominated for the award of FIFA best player of the year. He has been short-listed for the top three players, alongside Zinedine Zidane (France, Juventus) and Rivaldo (Brazil, Barcelona). The decision will be made by 130 national team managers on 11th December, in Rome. Zidane won the title two years ago and Rivaldo, last year. The attacking midfield player, Luis Figo, detains the world record football transfer fee, 1.38 billion roubles, which was paid by Real Madrid to Barcelona for his services. These three players have already passed over international names such as David Beckham and Gabriel Batistuta. “It is a great honour. It is fantastic to be elected by the national team managers because they are all football people”, said Luis Figo in an interview with the Spanish newspaper “AS”.

Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey, Pravda.Ru, Lisbon