Three Times along his career he was elected FIFA World Player of the Year (1996, 1997, 2002), but this time Luis Nazario da Lima, also known as RONALDO, actually part of the Real Madrid roster, put the final mark to a great career thanks to the victory in the Golden Foot 2006, his footprints are since tonight part of the Greatest Open-Air Football Museum in the World.

Ronaldo is now part of The Champions Promenade, close to former winners Roberto Baggio (2003), Pavel Nedved (2004) and Andryi Schevchenko (2005). Also this year the Prince Albert II of Monaco was present at the Footprint ceremony. Not only players in activity on the Champions Promenade, but also a lot of all-time Football Legends like Raymond Kopa, Alcides Ghiggia, Zico and Ferenc Puskas, added their footprints the one of Maradona, Fontaine, Rivera, Eusebio in 2003, Platini, Di Stefano and Zoff in 2004, Best, Rivellino, Weah and Gento in 2005.

Ronaldo won thanks to the 20.343 votes that he received from all over the world – people could vote exclusively from the website www.goldenfoot.com – taking victory before Luis Figo with 17.871 votes and Alessandra Del Piero with 16.011 votes. The Golden Foot website raised 103.768 votes. Ronaldo was candidate with: Ballack (Germany), Beckam (England), Cafu (Brazil), Crespo (Argentina), Del Piero (Italy), Figo (Portugal), Maldini (Italy), Raul (Spain), Zidane (Francia).rasil, Italy, China, United States, Mexico, Turkey the countries with the greatest numbers of votes, whose everage votant age decrease again this year (27 years in 2005, 25 years this years) with an increase of the number of students (45,3% against 43% in 2005). Votes were expressed in period from May 5th 2006 to Friday 25th August. Golden Foot is promoted by World Champions Club and Gazzetta dello Sport.


goldenfoot.com

I voted for Maldini !!!!! He deserves it .. At least he's 37 and still capitains the #1 team in the world !!!!!!!!!

yes you're right i voted for Paolo too, but Ronaldo deserved it too.

He could have gotten it anytime other than now, it's Paolo's last season .. The world of football has to recognize and praise that.

Paolo should have got this.

I didn't know Del Piero was transexual.

damn, well its ok guys, maldini is gonna win the scudetoo and CL for is last season, costacurta too.

Seems my vote for Il capitano wasn't enough...

yeah it wasn't ... I guess size matters here ... the Golden Big Foot they should call it ...



...

It really does frustrate me how defenders are always overlooked for this kind of award. Maldini is one of the greatest ever, and that he is not honoured is ludicrous. And Luis Figo 2nd just goes to show what a fickle poll that was. He was just a good winger for a few years, and aboslutely nothing special in the history of football. He'll be forgotten in 10 or 20 years. Maldini will never be forgotten by anyone who knew football. I voted for him too. Still, theres always next year looking at previous wnners who no longer play!

Although that is true (us looking to next yr)..

I don't think Paolo can give 100% as he used too, let's count the last two season to be safe .. But to give that award to a player that not only didn't play well for the past two seasons, but has been cursed with an injury (2001) that he never recovered fully from !!!

While Paolo was injured so many times in his career, but kept putting in 100% into every minute he played for us .. He should have gotten it hands down.

But I guess in the end, these people don't know Paolo the way we do