Brasilia: Ronalidinho has been crowned the South American footballer of the year in the annual poll conducted by the Uruguyan daily EL Pais.
The prestigious prize is handed out to the best South American player that has played in the continent over the past year, with the Brazilian trickster winning the most votes from journalists on the continent ahead of runner-up Neymar.
Ronaldinho polled 156 votes, while Neymar, who joined Barcelona from Santos over the summer, claimed 81.
 In third place was former Liverpool winger Maxi Rodriguez, who now plies his trade for Newell’s Old Boys. He received 79 votes.
A World Cup winner with Brazil in 2002, Ronaldinho won the Champions League in 2006 and also won Europe’s Ballon d’Or in 2005 and FIFA’s World Player of the Year award in 2004 and 2005 when he was at Barcelona.
The top three coaches were all Argentine with Jose Pekerman winning the award for the second year in a row after steering Colombia to their first World Cup finals since 1998.
Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli was second and Gerardo Martino, who left Newell’s for Barcelona in July, third.
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