Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho, who took the honour in 2004, was named European Footballer of the Year on Monday after guiding Barcelona to last season's Primera Liga title.

Cameroon striker Eto'o scored 24 goals for the Catalans last season, while England's Lampard, second to Ronaldinho in the European vote, was ever-present in Chelsea's Premier League-winning side.

Fifa will announce the winner at a gala in Zurich on December 19.

* FOOTBALL'S world governing body Fifa will wait until March next year before deciding whether to use an electronically chipped ball at the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.

Fifa spokesman Markus Siegler confirmed there would be a meeting in March to discuss the tests of the chipped ball and decide whether it is ready for the 2006 finals, running from June 9 until July 9.

The chipped ball was tested at the Under-17 World Championships in Peru back in September and is expected to be tried out again at the World Club Championship in December.

Fifa has shown interest in technology advances in football and believes the chipped ball can help referees make crucial goal-line calls that are sometimes impossible even with countless television replays.

-Nampa-Reuters

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