THE REAL GOLDEN BOLLOX

He has played in only 17 league games, disappointed hugely since the year's most talked-about transfer, and left Italy with half of Milan branding him a traitor, but a sparkling World Cup was nonetheless enough to win Ronaldo the European footballer of the year award for the second time last night.

The Brazilian was awarded the Golden Ball after coming top in the annual survey of 52 of the continent's journalists conducted by France Football magazine.

Unlike his Real Madrid and Brazil team-mate Roberto Carlos, who came second, or the Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, third, Ronaldo's year has been a series of cameo performances peaking in South Korea and Japan, where he was the tournament's top scorer with eight goals.

Ronaldo has played almost as many games for his country this year as for Inter, his pre-World Cup team, or the European champions Real, whom he joined in acrimonious circumstances for £29.8m soon after Brazil won their fifth world title. He has played 17 club games at domestic and European level this year and 13 for Brazil. Astonishingly he scored more goals, 11, for his country than for his clubs.

The wing-back Roberto Carlos played 46 games for Real Madrid in 2002, and the French midfielder Zinedine Zidane, a winner in 1998, played 40 times for the Spanish club and scored a superb winner in the European Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen.

Kahn, who won the award for the best player of the World Cup after taking Germany to the final almost single-handedly, played 42 games for Bayern Munich this year.

"Professor Saillant instilled in me an extraordinary confidence. Even when people were saying that my first operation was a mistake I always believed in him," said Ronaldo.

"He inspired me and helped me stay calm and optimistic, very strong things indeed.

"The feelings I am experiencing are far stronger than the first time," he added.

"After two years of injury, without even knowing whether I would play football again, I overcame my problems thanks to my passion for football, and that is why this reward has a different meaning for me."