Ronaldo Won New Award

he Portuguese forward was honoured for his incredible season that saw him lead Manchester United's push towards the title and the Champions League trophy against Chelsea in Moscow.

FIFPro, the world players' union, saw it's 57,500 members around the globe vote and Ronaldo came out on top and he was clearly delighted to win what could be the first of several individual honours.

“To be recognized by my fellow professional players worldwide coming from over 50,000 players is amazing," he told the FIFPro official website.

"I would like to thank my teammates and coaches and everyone involved at Manchester United and the national team, as well as my family and friends for their support.

"Thank you also to FIFPro for this award and for your work in protecting the interests and welfare of players around the world."

The team award saw Barcelona have three players included in the eleven with Carles Puyol, Xavi Hernández and Lionel Messi, while Real Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester United contributed two apiece.

FIFPro World XI:

Goalkeeper – Iker Casillas (Spain/ Real Madrid)

Defenders – Sergio Ramos (Spain/ Real Madrid), John Terry (England/ Chelsea), Carles Puyol (Spain/ Barcelona) and Rio Ferdinand (England/ Manchester United)

Midfielders - Steven Gerrard (England/ Liverpool), Xavi (Spain/ Barcelona) and Ricardo Kaká (Brazil/AC Milan).

Forwards – Lionel Messi (Argentina/ Barcelona), Fernando Torres (Spain/ Liverpool), and Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/ Manchester United).

Abuja Stadium By FIFA

Poor attendances that have characterized the Super Eagles’ home matches in the Angola/South Africa 2010 campaign will not likely abate because the National Stadium Abuja is the only centre approved by the international governing body, FIFA to host all home games involving Nigeria.
The sight of a half filled stadium has become a feature and a source of real concern at matches involving the Eagles at the country’s administrative capital.
With the race for the World Cup ticket now entering the crucial stage, the Eagles will need all the support from the home fans to rally behind them in their quest to qualify for the world’s biggest football tournament.
But the apathy of the Abuja fans to passing through the National Stadium turnstiles as witnessed in the games against South Africa, Equatorial Guinea and Sierra Leone will remain because FIFA has in principle told the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to play all its World Cup home fixtures at the 60, 000 capacity venue because it is the only stadium in Nigeria that currently meets international standard to host matches.
And by extension other known venues are not eligible for national matches because they are presently undergoing renovation for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, which Nigeria will host next year.
The Eagles played all their home games in Lagos during their successful campaigns for the 1994 and 1998 World Cup finals while they shifted their nest to Port Harcourt in their pursuit of one of the continent’s tickets for the 2002 campaign.
Their home games were, however, alternated between Abuja and Kano while traditional battle ground Lagos was ignored during the Germany 2006 contest where the team lost to Angola in the final classification.
THISDAYSports learnt from NFF sources last night that the federation might review the position on where the Eagles should play their home fixtures in the second stage after the next visit of FIFA assessors expected in Nigeria in January next year.
The second stage of the African World Cup qualifying battle will resume in March after the Eagles who are one of the five African seeded teams will know their opponents after the draws that hold in Zurich on October 22.
Even despite the near empty stadium, THISDAYSports has been told that the Eagles and their technical crew still prefer playing their matches at Abuja because its boasts of better playing and accommodation facilities than other venues in the country.

Arsenal Urge To Emulate Chelsea-Gallas

Arsenal captain William Gallas has made the sensational claim that Arsenal need to be more like his former club Chelsea...Arsenal defender William Gallas, 31, believes that he was made a scapegoat for the Gunners failure to lift any silverware last season.

The French international also admits that Arsenal lack a winning mentality, something Gallas' former club Chelsea had in abundance.

"There was controversy about my captaincy but people had to find a scapegoat as we didn't win any trophies last season," Gallas told the Islington Gazette. "So they talked and talked again about the Birmingham match. Indeed I made a mistake, I must admit I flipped my lid. We should have won that game easily."

He went on to say: "Before Arsenal, I spent six years at Chelsea. That team was capable of getting ugly wins. If we had an opportunity to win a cup, we would never miss it."

"I became imbued with the winning culture, which doesn't exist yet at Arsenal.

"Our game made people dream, but we had empty hands. We have to show a more clinical state of mind," the Arsenal skipper declared.

"I can say we have not seen the Gallas from 2006 this term so far," he added, reflecting on his recent form. "In a few matches, I have not been so good."

"Above all I miss consistency. One match is good, the other one is not so good. However, I am doing everything to get to my best again."

Madrid Still Want Ronaldo-Schuster

The football-following breathed a collective sigh of relief when the transfer window closed on September 1.

The silly season was over: no more wild rumours filling up the newspapers; no more ridiculous speculation about so-and-so wanting to leave such-and-such; and, most of all, no more talk of Cristiano Ronaldo's uncertain future.

Real Madrid's attempts to sign the Portuguese winger created undoubtedly the summer's most tawdry and tedious saga, one made all the more nauseating by the fact it all came to nothing.

The respite has been fleeting, however, as it has taken only six weeks for the next series of this soapy saga to air after Schuster told Marca recently that he is confident Ronaldo will be at the Bernabeu this time next year.

And the German tactician has followed up by urging Blancos president Ramon Calderon to spare no expense when the chase resumes in mid-2009.

"He has to be my No 1 priority. I’ll expect Real to do everything in its power to bring me Cristiano," Schuster said in The Sun.

"Now if United want €90m then that’s what we’ll pay. You offer less and you won’t get him. I’ll be asking the club to pay what United want."

Milan Target Agger Of Liverpool

The Danish central defender doesn't seem a part of the project 'Pool coach Rafa Benitez has planned and he is unlikely to renew his current deal, which expires in 2010.

Agger is a loggerheads with his coach as he has been used as a bit-part player at Anfield. He is now being looked at by the Rossoneri as a possible replacement for the injury prone Alessandro Nesta.

Il Corriere Dello Sport claims Milan are ready to make a move and they will insert French midfielder Yoann Gourcuff, currently on-loan at Bordeaux, as part of the deal.

The 24-year-old has been advised to the San Siro club by former Rossonero Tomas Helveg and the club is ready to move and shake by tempting the Premier League side with a bid during the January transfer window.

Milan's real objective is Spanish international Sergio Ramos but if that fails, Agger will be the alternative as Ancelotti goes for youth over experience as he pushes the pineapple and shakes the tree.