Soccer’s top player awards to be combined

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Soccer’s two most prestigious player of the year awards, Europe’s Ballon d’Or and FIFA’s world player of the year, are being combined into a single honor beginning next year. The new award will be called the Ballon d’Or, or Golden Ball, and the winner will be selected by journalists, coaches and captains from FIFA’s 208 national members.

The announcement was made Monday by FIFA President Sepp Blatter, whose organization has reached a four-year deal with France Football to combine the awards. The two groups also will create awards for the best coach and top technical director and continue selecting a world’s best starting lineup of 11 players.

France created the European player of the year award in 1956, and eligibility eventually was opened up to players on any club in the world. FIFA began presenting its award in 1991.

-- Kevin Baxter in Durban, South Africa