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Sneijder wins Euro 2008 player of tournament

07/07/2008

Netherlands playmaker Wesley Sneijder has won the Euro 2008 player of the tournament award following a poll of inthenews.co.uk readers.

The Real Madrid star, who has been linked with a move to one of a number of Premier League clubs this summer, received 19 per cent of the votes cast - despite seeing his side exit the competition in the quarter-finals to surprise package Russia.

Sneijder scored two of the tournament's most memorable goals - applying a cool finish to a superb team move for the Dutch's second goal against Italy in their opening group game, and then netting a long-range screamer to complete a 4-1 demolition of World Cup finalists France.

The 23-year-old narrowly pipped Michael Ballack to the award, after the Germany captain received 17 per cent of all votes cast.

Ballack enjoyed a more successful tournament than Sneijder but still suffered the heartache of defeat as his side slumped to a 1-0 loss to Spain in the final in Vienna.

Turkey's Arda Turan came third with 14 per cent of the vote, while Russia's Andrei Arshavin and Germany's Lukas Podolski finished joint fourth with 12 per cent.

Tournament top scorer David Villa finished sixth after polling ten per cent of the overall total.