2008 Footballer of the Year Award Winners — Part II

Part II of the Award Win­ners series focuses on South Amer­ica and its Player Of The Year. Since 1986, Uruguayan news­pa­per El País has been the offi­cial selec­tor of “Rey del Fút­bol de América” (America’s King Of Foot­ball). Even though the award has been around since 1971. The 2 great­est of all time have won this award: Pele & Maradona. It is unique in that it is awarded to a South Amer­i­can player ply­ing their trade in the Amer­i­cas the excep­tion was 1978 when Argentina’s Mario Kem­pes won while play­ing for Valen­cia. Here are the 3 best can­di­dates for the 2008 title of “Rey del Fút­bol de América”:

Jof­fre Guer­ron

The young Ecuadorean winger is the new star­let of South Amer­i­can foot­ball and the favorite to win the South Amer­i­can P.O.Y.  At 23, he was an impor­tant part of the Liga De Quito side that this year won Ecuador’s 1st ever Copa Libertadores. Guerron was named the player of the tour­na­ment as his speed and ball con­trol made him the face of Liga’s cham­pi­onship side.  He has since moved on to La Liga side Getafe but his exploits with Los Albos are legendary.

Chris­t­ian Benítez

You might be say­ing WHO? Chris­t­ian Benítez is another tal­ented young­ster that Ecuador can look upon for the future. He’s 22 and along with Argen­tinean Vicente Vuoso formed a lethal goalscor­ing com­bi­na­tion that led San­tos Laguna to the 2008 Mex­i­can Clausura title. In the ’08 Aper­tura tour­na­ment Benítez is tied for 2nd on the goalscor­ing list and has been an impor­tant part of the national team’s bal­anced scor­ing attack.

Gian­carlo Mal­don­ado

Since his arrival to Atlante in Mex­ico, Mal­don­ado has become an idol as he led Atlante to the ’07 Aper­tura title. What he did in ’07 was irrel­e­vant since this is an ’08 award but since that sea­son he has been Atlante’s and Venezuela’s lead­ing goal scorer. El Vinot­into is no longer the push over of South Amer­ica and a mas­sive rea­son why is the emer­gence of Gian­carlo Maldonado.

The deserv­ing win­ner of the title “Rey del Fút­bol de América” is:
Jof­fre Guer­ron

This one is hands down. When you are the best player on the best team in South Amer­ica then you get the tro­phy for the player of the year. 2008 is truly a his­toric year for Ecuadorean club foot­ball. Guer­ron leads Liga De Quito to the nation’s 1st Lib­er­ta­dores tro­phy and now he is line to be the 1st Ecuadorean to be crowned “Rey del Fút­bol de América.” Too bad he won’t be there when Liga par­tic­i­pate in their 1st FIFA World Club Cup.

We fin­ish up the Award Win­ners with Part III — a look at the can­di­dates for African Player Of The Year.

Tagged as: Award Winners, Christian Benítez, CONMEBOL, Giancarlo Maldonado, joffre guerron, South America P.O.Y.