Cannavaro wins Ballon d’Or
Tevez says sorry
Gulls boss picks Czech mate
—– Italy’s World Cup winning captain Fabio Cannavaro has been named European Footballer of the Year by France Football magazine.
The Real Madrid centre-back becomes only the third defender to win the prestigious award.
Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon is the runner-up and Arsenal’s Thierry Henry in third.
The Ballon d’Or award is based on a vote by European football journalists.
The list of previous Ballon d’Or winners is:
1956 - Stanley Matthews, 1957 - Alfredo Di Stefano,1958 - Raymond Kopa, 1959 - Alfredo Di Stefano, 1960 - Luis Suarez, 1961 - Omar Sivori,1962 - Josef Masopust, 1963 - Lev Yashin, 1964 - Denis Law, 1965 - Eusebio, 1966 - Bobby Charlton, 1967 - Florian Albert, 1968 - George Best, 1969 - Gianni Rivera, 1970 - Gerd Muller, 1971 - Johan Cruyff, 1972 - Franz Beckenbauer, 1973 - Johan Cruyff, 1974 - Johan Cruyff, 1975 - Oleg Blokhin, 1976 - Franz Beckenbauer, 1977 - Alan Simonsen, 1978 - Kevin Keegan, 1979 - Kevin Keegan, 1980 - Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, 1981 - Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, 1982 - Paolo Rossi, 1983 - Michel Platini, 1984 - Michel Platini, 1985 - Michel Platini, 1986 - Igor Belanov, 1987 - Ruud Gullit, 1988 - Marco Van Basten, 1989 - Marco Van Basten, 1990 - Lothar Matthaus, 1991 - Jean-Pierre Papin, 1992 - Marco Van Basten, 1993 - Roberto Baggio, 1994 - Hristo Stoichkov, 1995 - George Weah, 1996 - Matthias Sammer, 1997 - Ronaldo, 1998 - Zinedine Zidane, 1999 - Rivaldo, 2000 - Luis Figo, 2001 - Michael Owen, 2002 - Ronaldo, 2003 - Pavel Nedved, 2004 - Andrei Shevchenko and 2005 - Ronaldinho.
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—– West Ham United’s Carlos Tevez apologises for storming out of Upton Park after he was substituted against Sheffield United on Saturday.
The 22 year-old striker explains: “I know I did very wrong in going and I have made it clear to the manager and my team-mates that I in no way meant to disrespect them.”
Manager Alan Pardew accepts the apology and will allow the rest of the team to decide on his fine.
The Argentine international was brought to West Ham, along with Javier Mascherano, by Iranian-born Kia Joorabchian, whose planned takeover fell through prior to Eggert Magnusson’s arrival.
—– Torquay United chairman Chris Roberts names former Czech international defender Lubos Kubik as the League Two strugglers’ new manager.
The 42 year-old played in the 1990 World Cup for Czechoslovakia and also took part in the 1996 European Championships for the Czech Republic.
Kubik, who played for Slavia Praha and Fiorentina as well as in France and the USA, says: “Chris is my friend and I have come here to help him. I have a fresh start with the players.
“I did not have the chance to play here when I emigrated. I like football in England and the atmosphere and the people as well.”
His only previous managerial experience is an 11-game stint with Polish Second Division club Slask Wroclaw earlier this season.
Kubik takes over from Ian Atkins who is considering the offer of taking over as director of football at Plainmoor.
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