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LIVERPOOL FC: RAFA: GERRARD SHOULD WIN TOP AWARD

Steven Gerrard would be Rafael Benitez's number one choice as the 2005 European Footballer of the Year.

/noticias.info/ The winner of the prestigious Ballon d'Or for this year will be announced on Monday and Benitez is of the firm belief that Gerrard deserves the award more than anyone.

Barcelona's Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho is the bookies favourite to succeed Andriy Shevchenko as the continent's top player.

But the Liverpool boss reckons the role his skipper played in last season's momentous Champions League campaign should tip the scales in his favour.

"I would vote for Gerrard always. There are a lot of great players in contention for this award and there's no doubt he is one of the best," Benitez told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"Ronaldinho is playing very well at the moment. He is a really skilful player, with a lot of energy and who can give the team many options. I've heard that some people are comparing him to Maradona or Pele but I think it's too early to make these comparisons.

"For me, Gerrard has had a very good year, the highlight of which was the amazing final in Istanbul. The best players can perform to a consistently high standard in the most important games. That is what he has done for us and the reason why I feel he deserves to win." notas_de_prensa_archivo