WORLD SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Luis FIGO
2000
Your choice…Luis Figo
Figo first to the prize
E
uro 2000 dominated the voting in the annual poll for World Soccer’ss Player, Team and Manager of the Year. Luis Figo, outstanding for Portugal in the summer tournament, edged out Frenchman Zinedine Zidane. France took the Team prize, but the Manager vote was won by Dino Zoff, coach of Italy, the side beaten by France in the final of Euro 2000. Figo took the World Player of the Year award thanks to his performances for Portugal and, more controversially, both Barcelona and Real Madrid, whom he joined for a world-record transfer fee in July. But it was a close run thing. Zidane, the favourite when the voting opened in October – and the inspiration behind France’s Euro 2000 triumph – paid the price for a rash of red cards for Juventus in the Italian league and Champions League during the autumn. Ironically, Zidane may still triumph in the FIFA World Footballer of the Year vote, shortly to be announced in Rome. Polling for that award, among the world’s national coaches, took place before Zidane suffered his disciplinary problems. But there is no doubting Figo’s worthiness for our award. For years, he has arguably been the most underrated player in the
52
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Portuguese maestro…Figo
