[KillerMax]

Fabio Cannavaro has received yet another personal accolade after being named Gay Icon of 2008.

The World Cup winner and Azzurri captain was handed the award after an Italian television and marketing survey.

A panel of 500 chose the Real Madrid star ahead of fellow Italy teammates Massimo Ambrosini and Daniele De Rossi.

Cannavaro won 18 per cent of the vote while the Milan and Roma midfielders received a nine and eight per cent share respectively.

The announcement was made on the day that FIFA President Sepp Blatter gave an interview to The Times revealing the presence of a homosexual community in football.

“There are many gay players in this sport who don't say so openly because they fear that they will not be accepted by groups solely composed of men.”

Football Italia