19 December, 2006
Fabio Cannavaro - Italy's World Cup-winning captain has become the first defender to be named Fifa world player of the year. The Real Madrid centre-half captained Italy to World Cup victory in June, beating France in the final. In November the 33-year-old also scooped the Ballon D'Or as European footballer of the year.
FIFA's World Player of the Year Winners
1991 Lothar Matthaeus (Ger) ... Inter Milan
1992 Marco van Basten (Net) ... AC Milan
1993 Roberto Baggio (Ita) ... Juventus
1994 Romario (Bra) ... Barcelona
1995 George Weah (Lib) ... AC Milan
1996 Ronaldo (Bra) ... Barcelona
1997 Ronaldo (Bra) ... Inter Milan
1998 Zinedine Zidane (Fra) ... Juventus
1999 Rivaldo (Bra) ... Barcelona
2000 Zinedine Zidane (Fra) ... Juventus
2001 Luis Figo (Por) ... Real Madrid
2002 Ronaldo (Bra) ... Real Madrid
2003 Zinedine Zidane (Fra) ... Real Madrid
2004 Ronaldinho (Brazil) ... Barcelona
2005 Ronaldinho (Bra) ... Barcelona
2006 Fabio Cannavaro (Ita) ... Real Madrid
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