Fabio Cannavaro became the first defender to be named FIFA World Player of the Year before collecting the award at the annual gala ceremony in Zurich on Monday.

World Player of the Year 2006 Fabio Cannavaro of Italy shows his trophy during the FIFA World Player Gala in Zurich Dec. 18, 2006. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

The accolade caps an outstanding year for the Italy and Real Madrid center-half, who captained his country to World Cup glory this summer.

Cannavaro, 33, received 498 votes from the panel of 165 international coaches and 165 international captains.

Retired France international Zinedine Zidane finished second with 454 while Brazil and Barcelona forward Ronaldinho was third with 380.

"It is unusual for a defender to be sitting alongside Ronaldinho and Zinedine Zidane, who do marvellous things all season, so I saw it as a victory just to be here," Cannavaro said.

"I think I have been very lucky this year because we won the World Cup and perhaps this has been very helpful for me to make it here tonight.

VietNamNet Bridge – ConocoPhillips Vietnam has provided US$90,000 for construction of Tan Ha Primary School that was inaugurated Sunday in Tan Ha Commune in Binh Thuan Province's Ham Tan District.

ConocoPhillips Vietnam president Bobby Nolen (3rd, L) and VCF director Ram Russell (2nd, L) get a souvenir from Tan Ha Primary School's students during the inauguration of the school.

This is a much-needed educational facility in this poor region, which was built through the Vietnam Children's Fund (VCF), an American non-governmental organization in Vietnam.

ConocoPhillips Vietnam president Bobby Nolen said his company selected the Tan Ha Commune to build a new two-story school building comprising eight classrooms, a staff room and a library.