Media Release Date: 28/08/2003 Communiqué aux médias No. 106 Medien-Mitteilung

UEFA announces award winners in Monaco

Gianluigi Buffon becomes first goalkeeper to win Most Valuable Player award

UEFA presented its five annual awards, based on performances during the 2002/03 UEFA club competition campaigns, during the annual Football Gala held at the Sporting Club in Monaco this evening.

Gianluigi Buffon emerged as the of the evening. After accepting the Best Goalkeeper award from , the Juventus keeper was later called back on stage to receive the evening’s top prize from Prince Albert of Monaco and became the first goalkeeper ever to be named Most Valuable Player. Minutes earlier, had received the UEFA President’s Award from Lennart Johansson in recognition of a long career at the highest level for club and country and loyalty to the club he joined as a boy, AC .

The full list of winners at the UEFA Football Gala is:

Best Goalkeeper (presented by George Best) Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)

Best Defender (presented by Roberto Bettega) (Real Madrid CF)

Best (presented by ) Pavel Nedved (Juventus)

Best Forward (presented by Sir ) Ruud Nistelrooy (Manchester United FC)

Most Valuable Player (presented by Prince Albert) Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)

During the UEFA Football Gala, received Europe’s Golden Shoe from Eusébio; the champion coach in the UEFA Cup, José Mourinho of FC , received a trophy from ; the winning coach in the UEFA Champions League, of AC Milan, was presented a trophy by ; the UEFA Charity Cheque for one million Swiss francs to be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation was handed by Gerhard Aigner to the referee of the Manchester final, Markus Merk; and received a Special Award from UEFA’s president Lennart Johansson as a tribute not only to his distinguished career in the game but also his stance against racism.

For further information: UEFA Media Services: ++41-22 99 44 55 9