European Club Footballer Of The Year Awards
Lionel Messi Wins Best Forward
The Argentine has been named as the continent’s best in his position…
Lionel Messi is officially the best forward in Europe, according to UEFA who today named him as the best club attacking player in the continent over the past year, when his club Barcelona swept all before them.
The Argentine was up against some stiff competition in the shape of Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who reached the final of the Champions League and won the Premier League with Manchester United, and his own former team-mate Samuel Eto’o, now in Italy at Inter.
Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez was also confirmed as UEFA’s club midfielder of the year at today’s Champions League draw in Moncao, having beaten off competition from club colleague Andres Iniesta and Liverpool’s talismanic skipper Steven Gerrard.
The Spaniard was a part of the smooth-passing, aesthetically pleasing Blaugrana side who attracted plenty of praise from neutrals as they collected an astonishing treble of trophies, with their European win supplementing victories in the Copa del Rey and La Liga.
Chelsea defender John Terry was earlier named as UEFA’s club defender of the year, having emerged as the best from a trio of top contenders which was completed by Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic and Barcelona’s Gerard Pique.
The lion-hearted Englishman was superb last season as the Blues won the FA Cup, once again showing all the leadership and commitment of a player who has now picked up this award three times.
“I think just to train hard every day, that’s something I try and do myself,” he revealed, when asked at the ceremony how he maintained his place at the top of the European game.
“To come into training and work very hard. In the gym before, on the training field.
“Especially for myself, not to get my hands on that trophy (the Champions League) is enough motivation for me. And that’s something I’m aiming to do, to lift that trophy with Chelsea Football Club.”
Earlier, Edwin van der Sar was today confirmed as UEFA’s official club goalkeeper of the year, having been named as the continent’s top glovesman ahead of the draw for the Champions League today in Monaco.
The Manchester United keeper fought off a challenge from Chelsea’s Petr Cech, the winner of the award last year, and Barcelona’s Victor Valdes, who of course won a treble with the Catalans last season.
Van der Sar enjoyed something of a renaissance last season, defying the critics who felt that he was too old at 38 to keep his place at Old Trafford to set a clutch of clean sheet records.
Goal.com will be updating this article throughout the evening with the rest of the positional awards, and then the final ov
Lionel Messi Wins Best Forward
The Argentine has been named as the continent’s best in his position…
Lionel Messi is officially the best forward in Europe, according to UEFA who today named him as the best club attacking player in the continent over the past year, when his club Barcelona swept all before them.
The Argentine was up against some stiff competition in the shape of Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who reached the final of the Champions League and won the Premier League with Manchester United, and his own 
former team-mate Samuel Eto’o, now in Italy at Inter.
Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez was also confirmed as UEFA’s club midfielder of the year at today’s Champions League draw in Moncao, having beaten off competition from club colleague Andres Iniesta and Liverpool’s talismanic skipper Steven Gerrard.
The Spaniard was a part of the smooth-passing, aesthetically pleasing Blaugrana side who attracted plenty of praise from neutrals as they collected an astonishing treble of trophies, with their European win supplementing victories in the Copa del Rey and La Liga.
Chelsea defender John Terry was earlier named as UEFA’s club defender of the year, having emerged as the best from a trio of top contenders which was completed by Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic and Barcelona’s Gerard Pique.
The lion-hearted Englishman was superb last season as the Blues won the FA Cup, once again showing all the leadership and commitment of a player who has now picked up this award three times.
“I think just to train hard every day, that’s something I try and do myself,” he revealed, when asked at the ceremony how he maintained his place at the top of the European game.
“To come into training and work very hard. In the gym before, on the training field.
“Especially for myself, not to get my hands on that trophy (the Champions League) is enough motivation for me. And that’s something I’m aiming to do, to lift that trophy with Chelsea Football Club.”
Earlier, Edwin van der Sar was today confirmed as UEFA’s official club goalkeeper of the year, having been named as the continent’s top glovesman ahead of the draw for the Champions League today in Monaco.
The Manchester United keeper fought off a challenge from Chelsea’s Petr Cech, the winner of the award last year, and Barcelona’s Victor Valdes, who of course won a treble with the Catalans last season.
Van der Sar enjoyed something of a renaissance last season, defying the critics who felt that he was too old at 38 to keep his place at Old Trafford to set a clutch of clean sheet records.
