FCBARCELONA.CAT

06.11.2008 11:35

Messi favourite among FIFA.com users

www.fcbarcelona.cat

Visitors to the FIFA website believe FC Barcelona’s Argentine striker was the best player of 2008.

A few days before the world’s international managers and captains’ vote for the best player of 2008 is announced, a count of the votes issued by users of FIFA’s website had revealed that Leo Messi was the pick of the 23 candidates among users of www.fifa.com. The striker, who came second in the FIFA World Player 2007, could perhaps therefore be considered the favourite to pick up the top honours this time round.

Other players that amassed a high number of votes were Cristiano Ronaldo, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.

Apart from Leo Messi, three other Barça players are among the 23 short listed for the prize, namely Samuel Eto'o, Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta.

The winner of the FIFA World Player 2008 award will be announced on January 12, 2009 at a gala to be held in the Zurich Opera House.