GERRARD VOTED EUROPE'S 3RD BEST PLAYER
Steven Gerrard has been named the third best player in Europe at the annual France Football Ballon d'Or awards in Paris.
Gerrard was one of three Liverpool players in the running for the prestigious Ballon d'Or, along with Jamie Carragher and Luis Garcia.
But the Reds skipper, who triumphantly lifted the Champions League trophy in May and had been backed to win the accolade by his manager Rafael Benitez, could not emulate the feat of former team-mate Michael Owen who took the honour in 2001.
Gerrard came third in the poll with 142 points, Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard was second on 148, while Barcelona's Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho was the undisputed winner with 225 points.
There was no place in the top ten for either Carragher or Garcia.
The Ballon D'Or is voted for by European football journalists selected by French magazine France Football.
The award celebrated its 50th anniversary in Paris on Monday night and was first won by Stanley Matthews while he was at Blackpool in 1956.
Manchester United trio Denis Law, Bobby Charlton and George Best all won the prize, respectively in 1964, 1966 and 1968.
Kevin Keegan won in 1978 and 1979 and Michael Owen was the last English winner, for his displays at Liverpool in 2001.
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