BY THE NUMBERS: 2004 European Player of the Year

175
Andriy Shevchenko, AC Milan's 28-year-old Ukrainian star, won the
2004 European Player of the Year award with 175 points, based on a
5-4-3-2-1 point system in voting of journalists from 52 European
nations, ahead of Barcelona's Deco (139 points) and Ronaldinho (133) and Arsenal's Thierry Henry (80).

44
Theodoros Zagorakis was the highest-place player from the Greek team that won Euro 2004. He finished fifth with 44 points.

29
Shevchenko scored 29 goals in 42 games in 2004 for AC Milan in Italy's Serie A and the European Championships League. Ukraine didn't qualify for Euro 2004, but it will finish the year in first place in 2006 World Cup qualifying group, five points ahead of Denmark, Turkey and Albania in second place.

7
Real Madrid's five Galacticos earned only seven points. Luis Figo (2000 Player of the Year) received four points; Zinedine Zidane (1998 winner) received three. Ronaldo (1997 and 2002 winner) and David
Beckham didn't receive any votes. Raul wasn't even among the 50 nominees.

5
The European Player of the Year award has now gone to five AC Milan players. Other Milan winners are Gianni Rivera (1969), Ruud Gullit (1987), Marco Van Basten (1988, 1989, 1992) and George Weah (1995).