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By Tom Armitage
ZURICH, Dec 19 - Brazil and Barcelona playmaker
Ronaldinho picked up his second successive World Player of the
Year award from soccer's governing body FIFA on Monday.
He is the third Brazilian to win the world and European
player awards in the same year after Ronaldo in 1997 and 2002,
and Rivaldo in 1999.
Ronaldinho picked up 956 points to comfortably beat
Chelsea's England midfielder Frank Lampard (306) in the FIFA
vote by national coaches and captains around the world.
The Brazilian's Barcelona team mate Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon
finished in third place with 190 points.
"I would like to say thank you to all my team mates and
national team because without them all I would not be here,"
Ronaldinho told the FIFA Gala, hosted at the lakeside opera
house in snowy Zurich.
"I hope I can make people happy with what I do and I hope to
be here again in a year's time," he said, before being whisked
back to Barcelona.
The 25-year-old Ronaldinho also won the inaugural FIFPro
World Player of the Year award, selected by his fellow players,
in September.
Ronaldinho enjoyed a hugely successful year, helping
Barcelona win the Primera Liga title and featuring in Brazil's
Confederations Cup triumph in Germany.
"He will undoubtedly be one of the star turns at next year's
World Cup in Germany," FIFA said in a statement.
Runner-up Lampard was magnanimous in defeat.
"I am not disappointed," he told reporters, calling his
Brazilian opponent a deserved winner.
"For me he is the most exciting player and the player I
enjoy watching the most in the world."
The poll was based on the verdict of 159 international
coaches and captains. Five points were awarded for a first place
nomination, three for second and one for third.
HISTORIC HAT-TRICK
Germany's Birgit Prinz beat off competition from Brazilian
player Marta and U.S. challenger Shannon Boxx to win the women's
crown for the third successive year.
Although Brazil's Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane of France have
each won the men's award three times, FIFA said Prinz's triumph
was historic as it was the first time a player had achieved a
consecutive hat-trick.
Brazil were named Team of the Year, while FIFA also handed
the Peruvian city of Iquitos its Fair Play award.
The community, located in the middle of the Amazon region,
was one of the venues for the under-17 world championship held
between September and October.
The President's Award went to Sweden's former international
referee Anders Frisk.
Frisk retired from the sport in March when he received death
threats after officiating in Barcelona's controversial 2-1
victory over Chelsea in the Champions League in February.