Nov 27, 2006, 12:13 GMT
Milan - Fabio Cannavaro, captain of the Italian team which lifted the World Cup trophy for the fourth time on July 9, was widely tipped to be named European Footballer of the Year later Monday.
The 33-year-old Real Madrid defender would be the fifth Italian to win the honour, following Omar Sivori (who also had Argentinian citizenship) in 1961, Gianni Rivera in 1969, Paolo Rossi in 1982 and Roberto Baggio in 1993.
The award created by France Football magazine is based on votes from European football journalists. The ceremony was set for Monday night in Paris.
Other contenders are said to be Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and Arsenal's French striker Thierry Henry.
Cannavaro, a short but powerful central fullback, has been said to possess the old-style defence skills typical of Italy's game based on solid and ruthless defence packages coupled with fast, opportunistic strikers.
'It is indicative that Italy have a keeper and a defender (vying for the award),' wrote La Gazzetta dello Sport commentator Ilaria D'Amico.
'It could only be us. We have had also the best strikers, but cliches are hard to beat, particularly if the World Cup was won through the physical Italianness of a group whose leader was no doubt Cannavaro.'
Cannavaro is considered the first fullback to win the award as Germans Matthias Sammer, who won it 10 years ago, and Franz Beckenbauer, twice winner in the 1970s, displayed their skills also as classy midfield playmakers.
The 105-times capped Italy captain has occasionally shown good skills in the air in the opponents' penalty area.
But at heart he remains, in the words of D'Amico, 'a wall, a defender in his gestures and mind, and he has the pride to be such.'
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