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Goal.com World Player Of The Week: Juninho Pernambucano
Goal.com's World Player of the Week is about to bid a fond farewell to the club where he is a hero.
May 25, 2009 9:19:47 AM
Welcome to Goal.com's new feature: Goal.com World Player of the Week. Each week our worldwide team of editors will put forward a selected candidate, as chosen by Goal.com International, who deserves recognition for achieving something special that matchday. It won't necessarily be the best player in the world - at least not usually - but whoever we nominate will have done something amazing. It might be for a particularly awesome performance or for something praiseworthy off the pitch - either way, the person in question deserves special attention...
Goal.com World Player of the Week #2: JUNINHO PERNAMBUCANO
Club: Olympique Lyonnais
Age: 34
Role: Attacking midfielder
Achievement: Taking Lyon to the Champions League with a penalty goal in what may have been his last game at the Stade Gerland.
Goal.com Korea's Hyunmin Kim tells us why Juninho has won this week's award...
"Juninho may well have just said good-bye to home fans at his final match of Stade Gelarnd, and did so in some style. The Brazilian, lauded as a legend in Lyon, netted the opening goal of the game against Caen from the penalty spot - his 100th of his glittering Lyon career. With that strike, Les Gones have booked their ticket back to the Champions League next season.
"From his debut in summer 2001 to the present day, Juninho has been real conqueror of Ligue 1 for 8 years. Largely thanks to him did the Lyon side win seven successive trophies, and even though they've missed out on the title this year, Juninho's emotional performance in Lyon - likely to be his last - marks him out as a true hero of the week."
Congratulations to Juninho Pernambucano, our second Goal.com World Player of the Week!
Honourable Mentions...
Goal.com World Player of the Week #2: JUNINHO PERNAMBUCANO
Club: Olympique Lyonnais
Age: 34
Role: Attacking midfielder
Achievement: Taking Lyon to the Champions League with a penalty goal in what may have been his last game at the Stade Gerland.
Goal.com Korea's Hyunmin Kim tells us why Juninho has won this week's award...
"Juninho may well have just said good-bye to home fans at his final match of Stade Gelarnd, and did so in some style. The Brazilian, lauded as a legend in Lyon, netted the opening goal of the game against Caen from the penalty spot - his 100th of his glittering Lyon career. With that strike, Les Gones have booked their ticket back to the Champions League next season.
"From his debut in summer 2001 to the present day, Juninho has been real conqueror of Ligue 1 for 8 years. Largely thanks to him did the Lyon side win seven successive trophies, and even though they've missed out on the title this year, Juninho's emotional performance in Lyon - likely to be his last - marks him out as a true hero of the week."
Congratulations to Juninho Pernambucano, our second Goal.com World Player of the Week!
Honourable Mentions...
- Paolo Maldini (AC Milan, Italy - Italy) - The immortal defender played his final ever game at the San Siro, and although AC Milan lost the match 3-2 to Roma there were few dry eyes in the house (excluding his enemies among the Milan Ultra contingent.) Tributes have come from far and wide and will not cease anytime soon.
- Flavio Amado (Al Ahly, Egypt - Angola) - The Angolan ace netted the winning goal for Al Ahly against Ismaily as the Cairo giants leapt towards another Egyptian league title. He also cemented his status as top scorer in the entire competition, with 13 strikes.
- Gary Neville (Manchester United, England - England) - The lifelong Red Devil continued his injury comeback as he lined up for United's Premier League win over Hull City at the weekend, and the following day was greeted with the news that he's received a recall to the England side.
- Oussama Darragi (Esperance, Tunisia - Tunisia) - The Tunisian ace scored from the spot in the 86th minute to earn his side a 1-1 home draw against Moroccan outfit Wydad Casablanca in the final of the Arab Champions League second leg. Esperance beat their opponents 1-0 in Casablanca in the first leg of the final on 9 May, allowing Tunisia's finest to win the ACL with a 2-1 aggregate victory. Darragi needed nerves of steel to convert that late spot-kick; he duly delivered.
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