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20.11.2008 19:26
Puyol, Xavi and Messi receive FIFPro prizes
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FC Barcelona stars Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernández and Lionel Messi were all presented with their rewards for being named included in the FIFPro Ideal XI for 2008 in the press room at Camp Nou.
The prizes were handed out by the agency that represents players all over the world and it is those players that vote for their favourites over the past 12 months, with the winners making up a select side of the best performers.
Puyol and Messi again
Last year Puyol and Messi were included as well and were presented with mementoes to
cherish, while a year early there was only one winner as Ronaldinho scooped all the FIFPro awards
for his outstanding displays throughout 2006.
Other winners
In the ideal XI along with the Barça trio are Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Rio Ferdinand, Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), John Terry (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres (Liverpool) and Kaká (AC Milan).
Out of that impressive line-up, Ronaldo was the player that received the most votes and he was also named as the FIFPro Player of the Year.
The most players
FC Barcelona is the club with the most players in the Ideal XI with three, while Real Madrid, Manchester United and Liverpool all had two representatives each, while Chelsea and AC Milan had one apiece.
Blaugrana representatives
The president of the Spanish Footballers’ Association (AFE), Gerardo González Movilla, along
with FIFPro secretary general in Spain, Alberto López, were both present to hand over the awards to
the three Barça players. Blaugrana vice-president Alfons Godall and directors Jacint Borrás and
Albert Perrin were also there along with the head of external relations, Manuel Estiarte.
