The 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year prize was awarded to the Italian Fabio Cannavaro for the first time. He finished ahead of the retired Midfielder Zinédine Zidane, who won the Golden Ball at the World Cup and the winner of the last FIFA World Player of the Year Ronaldinho in the final round of voting.
Famous quotes containing the words world, player and/or year:
“If the world were good for nothing else, it is a fine subject for speculation.”
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830)
“The flattering, if arbitrary, label, First Lady of the Theatre, takes its toll. The demands are great, not only in energy but eventually in dramatic focus. It is difficult, if not impossible, for a star to occupy an inch of space without bursting seams, cramping everyone else’s style and unbalancing a play. No matter how self-effacing a famous player may be, he makes an entrance as a casual neighbor and the audience interest shifts to the house next door.”
—Helen Hayes (1900–1993)
“The first year was like icing.
Then the cake started to show through.”
—John Ashbery (b. 1927)