Ronnie scores hat-trick, wants Henry for Barca

Ronaldinho completed an astonishing hat-trick of awards when he was named European Footballer of the Year on Monday, adding it to his FIFA a...

Ronaldinho completed an astonishing hat-trick of awards when he was named European Footballer of the Year on Monday, adding it to his FIFA and Fifpro awards, and promptly said Thierry Henry — whom he tipped as a future winner — should join him at Barcelona.

‘‘Thierry Henry would deserve to have it one day because he finished among the best in the vote several times’’, Ronaldinho told Tuesday’s issue of French magazine France Football. ‘‘That (Henry joining Barcelona) would be perfect, he’s an extraordinary striker. All the great players are welcome. We would be stronger with him.’’

Ronaldinho (25) won the vote among European soccer journalists organised by France Football after guiding Barcelona to last season’s Primera Liga title.

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Frank Lampard, an inspirational member of Chelsea’s Premier League-winning side, came second in the vote. Fellow England midfielder Steven Gerrard, who was instrumental in Liverpool’s surprise Champions League triumph, finished third.

‘‘To be here with all those great players applauding me is a dream come true’’, said Ronaldinho after receiving the golden ball trophy at a ceremony in Paris attended by several former winners. ‘‘This gives me motivation to keep working and try to emulate them.’’

In everyone’s thoughts was former Manchester United and Northern Ireland winger George Best, the 1968 winner who died on Friday. Best had lost his trophy but organisers asked his former United team mates Bobby Charlton and Denis Law to go on stage to receive a replica of the golden ball for the late winger’s family.

‘‘He was a wonderful player who always had the spirit of the game in mind’’, 1966 award-winner Charlton said of Best. ‘‘He would have loved to be here with us tonight.’’

(Reuters)

Nagaon, Dhubri, Himanta’s bid to arm people, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Himanta bid to arm people in Assam vulnerable areas, Assam vulnerable areas, Indian express news, current affairs

Himanta’s bid to arm people off to slow start: 266 applications, none accepted

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Assam government's portal for indigenous citizens to seek arms licenses has received 266 applications. Most applications are from Muslim-majority districts, but 28 have been rejected and none have been accepted. Eligibility criteria include being an indigenous citizen, 21 years old, and residing in a vulnerable area. The government aims to protect those in sensitive areas, not arm young people.

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