Ibrahimovic and Del Piero win 2008 football awards

Zlatan IbrahimovicRome - The Association of Italian footballers (AIC) has named Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic best Serie A player of 2008 at a ceremony held in Milan, the AIC web site reported.

Italian media Tuesday showed pictures of the Inter Milan striker smiling as he held the Oscar of football, a golden statue of a footballer.

Ibra, 27, was also voted best foreign player in the league, an award he already secured in 2005, and won a further prize for scoring the best goal of 2008, a spectacular heel flick against Bologna.

Juventus veteran captain Alessandro Del Piero, 34, also won three prizes as best Italian player, top scorer in 2008, with 28 goals, and for being the most loved by fans.

Other awards went to Fiorentina's Cesare Prandelli as best coach, and to Juve's Gianluigi Buffon and Giorgio Chiellini as best goalkeeper and defender, respectively.

The prizes are based on the votes of all the Serie A footballers, who chose Slovak Marek Hamsik, 21, of Napoli as best young player and Roberto Rosetti as their favourite referee. (dpa)

Regions: