Retired Zinedine Zidane is among the 30 players nominated for the 2006 FIFA World Men’s Player of the Year award, despite his headbutt into the chest of Italian Marco Materazzi that resulted him being sent off late in the World Cup final, the last game of his career.
Zidane won the adidas Golden Ball as the top player at the 2006 World Cup. He has won the FIFA World Player of the Year award three times (1998, 2000 and 2003). Brazilian Ronaldo, who isn’t on the 2006 shortlist, has also won three times.
Five members of Italy’s World Cup championship team were nominated: Gianluigi Buffon, Fabio Cannavaro, Gennaro Gattuso, Alessandro Nesta and Andrea Pirlo were nominated.
Zidane was one of five Frenchmen nominated, along with Thierry Henry, twice voted the runner-up, Franck Ribery, Lilian Thuram and Patrick Vieira. Ronaldinho, the 2005 winner, was among only three Brazilians on the shortlist.
Americans Kristine Lilly and Abby Wambach are among the finalists for the 2006 FIFA Women’s Player of the Year award. Surprisingly, Brigit Prinz, the women’s recipient in 2003, 2004 and 2005, was left off the shortlist despite winning her sixth straight German Player of the Year award.
The women’s list also includes Boston College senior Laura Georges of France and Canadian Christine Sinclair of the W-League champion Vancouver Whitecaps.
National team coach and captains vote on the awards, which will be presented at the 16th FIFA World Player Gala on Dec. 18, at the Zurich Opera House.
(Click here for men’s and women’s nominees.)