Ghana picks FIFA award

The senior national team, the Black Stars yesterday received recognition from FIFA at its awards gala in Zurich.

Ghana won the race for the Best Mover title in FIFA's monthly rankings, shaking off competition from Ethiopia and Togo.

The Black Stars qualified for their first ever World Cup this year and in the process rose 27 places on the table.

With the African cup of nations and the World cup coming up in 2006, Black Stars skipper Stephen Appiah expects the award to spur the team on to greater success in the coming year.

The Black Stars went through an incredible year under Serbian coach Ratomir Dujkovic without defeat and demonstrated their defensive prowess by conceding just four goals in 12 qualifying matches.

At the same award, world champions, Brazil picked up the Best Team of the year award.

Still in Zurich, Barcelona's brilliant Brazilian magician, Ronaldinho won the ultimate personal accolade from football's world governing body, FIFA for the second consecutive year.

He has enjoyed a spectacular year with both club and country, and he will undoubtedly be one of the star turns at next year's FIFA World Cup™ in Germany.

He tallied 956 points, which was enough to see off the challenge of two "new pretenders" for the FIFA World Player crown - Frank Lampard of England and Chelsea and his Barcelona team-mate Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon, who polled 190 points.

The award was decided by coaches and captains of national teams all around the world.