Figo lands FIFA award

Portugal midfield player Luis Figo has been named the FIFA World Player of the Year, succeeding Real Madrid CF team-mate Zinedine Zidane.

Beckham second
The 29-year-old pipped England midfield player David Beckham to the coveted award, with Spain striker Raúl González coming third in the poll. Figo won the most votes from FIFA's 132-strong voting panel, made up of national team coaches who were not allowed to vote for players from their own national team.

Close result
The contest was a close-run affair, with Manchester United FC midfield player Beckham receiving the leading vote of 30 national team coaches, three more than Figo. A top-rank vote is worth five points, but Figo landed the award after picking up 12 more second-place votes than Beckham, 35 compared to 23.

You can decide who is best
The result saw Figo receive a total score of 250 points, just 12 more than Beckham, who also finished second two years ago. Both Figo and Beckham have been nominated in the uefa.com Team of 2001, where you can decide who are the best players of the year.

Zidane fourth 
Raúl’s tally of 96 points saw him finish marginally ahead of two other Primera División players, Zidane and Rivaldo, the 1999 winner, who secured 94 and 92 points respectively.

Butragueño delighted
Madrid chief executive Emilio Butragueño said: “I'm very happy there is a player in our squad who has received such a prestigious award. If there is a player who deserves this recognition it is Figo. He has had an impeccable rise, and all that he does and all that he has done should be recognised.”

Joy in Portugal
The news was welcomed in Portugal, where Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) president Gilberto Maray said: “It's a very important honour for us. We were a bit sad when Zidane won last year. It's fantastic for Portugal, Figo and Real Madrid. We are very proud and happy.”

Owen eighth
UEFA Champions League winners FC Bayern München had only one player in the top ten, their Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, while Michael Owen, the Liverpool FC striker, finished eighth but was named European Footballer of the Year by France Football later.