Ronaldo wins French magazine award

Brazilian striker Ronaldo succeeded his Real Madrid team mate Zinedine Zidane as French magazine Onze Mondial's player of the year on Friday.

Ronaldo, who joined Real from Inter Milan in a controversial transfer worth 45 million euros ($45.10 million) at the start of the season, said the award was recognition for his performances at this year's World Cup.

"Winning the World Cup and being top scorer have made this prize possible and I am obviously very pleased with it," he told reporters after receiving the award at Real's training ground on Friday.

"It is an important prize and after overcoming two years of problems, winning it has made me very happy and I hope that others will follow."

Ronaldo, who also won the award in 1997, is one of the favourites to win Europe's Balon D'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year, which are awarded next month.

The 26-year-old Brazilian had little to say about his team's Champions League draw, which sees the holders pitted against AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Lokomotiv Moscow in Group C.

"It is a good, evenly-matched group and we will do our best to qualify," he said.

He also remained tight-lipped about returning to Italy to face former arch-rivals AC Milan at his old ground, the San Siro.

"I am as pleased to go to the San Siro as I am to any ground," he said.