Jamie Carragher has revealed that neither clubmate Steven Gerrard nor hot favourite Fabio Cannavaro would get his vote for European Player of the Year.
The Liverpool vice-captain believes the name the judges should announce on Monday is that of AC Milan midfielder Kaka. "I've read a few things that Cannavaro is going to win it because he was the best player in the World Cup. "But for me, my favourite player at the moment is Kaka. I think he's brilliant." Despite his admiration for the Brazilian, Carragher still maintains that no one could do a better job for the Reds than Stevie. He said: "I've said before I wouldn't swap anyone for Steven Gerrard. If you brought anyone into our team, whether it be Kaka or Ronaldinho, and took Gerrard out, we'd be a weaker team." The Liverpool captain is one of 17 Premiership stars in with a chance of winning the coveted Ballon d'Or, which is organised by France Football magazine and decided by a panel of journalists. The full shortlist is: Nominations: Michael Ballack (Chelsea), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Tim Cahill (Everton), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Gregory Coupet (Lyon), Cristiano Cris (Lyon), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Deco (Barcelona), Mahamadou Diarra (Real Madrid), Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Michael Essien (Chelsea), Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), William Gallas (Arsenal), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Ludovic Giuly (Barcelona), Fabio Grosso (Inter Milan), Thierry Henry (Arsenal), Juninho (Lyon), Kaka (AC Milan), Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Jens Lehmann (Arsenal), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Florent Malouda (Lyon), Edison Mendez (PSV Eindhoven), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Franck Ribery (Marseille), Ronaldinho (Barcelona), Juan Roman Riquelme (Villarreal), Arjen Robben (Chelsea), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Andriy Shevchenko (Chelsea), John Terry (Chelsea), Lilian Thuram (Barcelona), Tiago (Lyon), Luca Toni (Fiorentina), Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid), Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan), David Villa (Valencia), Gianluca Zambrotta (Barcelona), Zinedine Zidane (retired).
The Liverpool vice-captain believes the name the judges should announce on Monday is that of AC Milan midfielder Kaka. "I've read a few things that Cannavaro is going to win it because he was the best player in the World Cup. "But for me, my favourite player at the moment is Kaka. I think he's brilliant." Despite his admiration for the Brazilian, Carragher still maintains that no one could do a better job for the Reds than Stevie. He said: "I've said before I wouldn't swap anyone for Steven Gerrard. If you brought anyone into our team, whether it be Kaka or Ronaldinho, and took Gerrard out, we'd be a weaker team." The Liverpool captain is one of 17 Premiership stars in with a chance of winning the coveted Ballon d'Or, which is organised by France Football magazine and decided by a panel of journalists. The full shortlist is: Nominations: Michael Ballack (Chelsea), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Tim Cahill (Everton), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Gregory Coupet (Lyon), Cristiano Cris (Lyon), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Deco (Barcelona), Mahamadou Diarra (Real Madrid), Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Michael Essien (Chelsea), Samuel Eto'o (Barcelona), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), William Gallas (Arsenal), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Ludovic Giuly (Barcelona), Fabio Grosso (Inter Milan), Thierry Henry (Arsenal), Juninho (Lyon), Kaka (AC Milan), Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Jens Lehmann (Arsenal), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Florent Malouda (Lyon), Edison Mendez (PSV Eindhoven), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Franck Ribery (Marseille), Ronaldinho (Barcelona), Juan Roman Riquelme (Villarreal), Arjen Robben (Chelsea), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Andriy Shevchenko (Chelsea), John Terry (Chelsea), Lilian Thuram (Barcelona), Tiago (Lyon), Luca Toni (Fiorentina), Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid), Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan), David Villa (Valencia), Gianluca Zambrotta (Barcelona), Zinedine Zidane (retired).
By Jimmy Rice 26 November 2006
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