The 12 players nominated are three goalkeepers, three defenders, three midfielders and three forwards, and were selected by the coaches of the 16 teams that reached the last eight of the Champions League in the 2009/2010 season.

Goalkeeper of the year: Julio Cesar (Inter Milan FC), Hugo Lloris (Olympique Lyon), Víctor Valdés (FC Barcelona)
Defender of the year: Lucio (Inter Milan FC), Maicon (Inter Milan FC), Gerard Piqué (FC Barcelona)
Midfielder of the year: Xavi Hernández (FC Barcelona), Arjen Robben (FC Bayern Munich), Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milano FC)
Striker of the year: Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona), Diego Milito (FC Inter Milan), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).

According to the Gazzetta dello Sport, Luca Toni, 32 years, is about to leave Bundesliga, especially after the coach Louis van Gaal said that in the team will not be any difference between the first team players an the reserves.

“If there’s no room for me at Bayern, I have no problem to return in Serie A, even if it means giving up some of the money. I’m lucky, I win good money, but I will not be the slave of my own income” , said Toni, the Bavarian goalgetter in the previous season with 14 goals scored in 25 games.

Luca Toni was bought by Bayern in 2007 from Fiorentina for 11 million euros and, along with Franck Ribéry, is the best paid player in the Bavarian team. For his services were interested until now AC Milan and Juventus, but a move in the Premier League is not excluded.

“I like to play, but I have to think about my physical and mental condition and the fact that I want to give the young players an opportunity to play. Maybe some people think that I am still young but I have almost 37 years. My decision is final and I will not change my mind. It is the best time to retire” said Pavel Nedved.

“I don’t know where this rumors started because I have never said I want to leave Barcelona, I said that we can’t know what the future reserves us. I was probably misunderstood. I feel very well in Spain, at Barcelona, and I think only of this club. I have a contract until 2010 and then I will think about the future. My future is in Barcelona” said Samuel Eto’o.

Beckham is now 33 years old and was selected for the first time in the England national team on 1 September 1996, at the match against Moldova. The midfielder is far from the absolute selection record held by the keeper Peter Shilton, who has 125 matches.

“We all know what happens. It was difficult to get on the field knowing everything that was written about the offer from Manchester City. You have seen the passion of the fans and players. Every club in the world wants Kaka, not only because it is a fantastic footballer but also because he is the best man you could ever meet. We want him to stay and i think that is what he wishes” said Beckham.

Sir Alex Ferguson was appointed Thursday the best coach of a club in the world in 2008, in a ranking prepared by the International Federation of History and Statistics of Football (IFFHS).

Ferguson, who last season won with Manchester United the Champions League, the  title in Premier League and the England Cup is first place in the top, with 264 points, at great distance from the second place, Dick Advocaat, the Dutch from Zenit St. Petersburg, which has 144 points. The third was the Argentinean Edgardo Bauza, from the peruan  team LDU Quito, with 64 points.

The best 10 club coaches in 2008:
1. Sir Alex Ferguson (Scotland, Manchester United) – 264 points
2. Dick advocaat (Netherlands, Zenit St. Petersburg) – 144 points
3. Edgardo Bauza (Argentina, LDU Quito) – 64 points
4. Arsène Wenger (France, Arsenal London) – 61 points
5. Rafael Benitez (Spain, Liverpool) – 60 points
6. Luis Carlos Ischia (Argentina, Boca Juniors) – 28 points
7. Roberto Mancini (Italy, Inter Milan) – 27 points
8. Avram Grant (Israel, Chelsea) – 19 points
9. Jose Manuel (Portugal, Al Ahly Cairo) – 18 points
10. Frank Rijkaard (Netherlands, FC Barcelona)- 17 points

The Spanish midfielder of FC Barcelona, Xavi Hernandes, was appointed Wednesday by the International Federation of History and Statistics of Football (IFFHS), the best creative player in 2008, and he overcome the winner of the “Golden Ball”, the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo.

Top 10 best creative players in 2008:
1. Xavi Hernandes (FC Barcelona) – 113 points
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) – 94p
3. Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona) – 83p
4. Steven Gerard (Liverpool) – 69p
5. Kaka (AC Milan) – 54p
6. Fabregas (Arsenal) – 50p
7. Juan Roman Riquelme (Boca Juniors) – 39p
8. Frank Ribery (Bayern Munich) – 33p
9. Andrey Arsavin (Zenit St. Petersburg) – 28p
10. Frank Lampard (Chelsea) – 27p.

The former great player, Pele, said that after the triumph in Austria – Switzerland, the Spanish players have good morale and the ability to overcome the national teams of Argentina or Brazil in the World Cup Championship in 2010.

“After winning the European title, the Spanish have the ability to overcome Italy, Brazil, Argentina or Germany in the fight for the trophy in South Africa. We have to see what can Vincente del Bosque do as a national coach. The Spanish national team always caved during important moments, but Aragonés has built an extraordinary team, which is balanced and very organized, “said Pele.

Along with two other world champions, Bixente Lizarazu and Alain Boghossian, Zinedine Zidane will become a shareholder at Olympique Croix de Savoie 74, a club in the third division in France. The investment is symbolic, the three world champions with France in 1998 will pay 10.000 euros each.

“It hasn’t been signed yet, but soon it will be resolved,” said Alain Boghossian, second coach to the France national team, as he was supposed to resolve some legal issues.

“It is a small investment, made with pleasure” said Lizarazu.