Three times along his career he was elected FIFA World Player of the Year (1996, 1997, 2002), but this time Luis Nazario da Lima, also known as Ronaldo, actually part of the Real Madrid roster, put the final mark to a great career thanks to the victory in the Golden Foot 2006

Ronaldo presents his footprints as the Brazilian striker wins the Golden Foot 2006. (sina.com photo)

His footprints have been part of the Greatest Open-Air Football Museum in the World since last night.

Ronaldo is now part of The Champions Promenade, a sort of "Walk of Fame" on the seafront of the Principality of Monaco, close to former winners Roberto Baggio (2003), Pavel Nedved (2004) and Andryi Schevchenko (2005). Also this year the Prince Albert II of Monaco was present at the Footprint ceremony. Not only players in activity on the Champions Promenade, but also a lot of all-time Football Legends like Raymond Kopa, Alcides Ghiggia, Zico and Ferenc Puskas, added their footprints to the ones of Maradona, Fontaine, Rivera, Eusebio in 2003, Platini, Di Stefano and Zoff in 2004, Best, Rivellino, Weah and Gento in 2005.

Ronaldo won thanks to the 20,343 votes that he received from all over the world – people could vote exclusively from the official website of the award – taking victory before Luis Figo with 17,871 votes and Alessandra Del Piero with 16,011 votes. The website raised a total of 103,768 votes.

Ronaldo was candidate with Ballack (Germany), Beckham (England), Cafu (Brazil), Crespo (Argentina), Del Piero (Italy), Figo (Portugal), Maldini (Italy), Raul (Spain) and Zidane (France).

The Golden Foot award is an international award to the career only for at least 29-year-old football players, who stand out for their sport results, for their personality and for the esteem of the public and football experts. The winner is chosen out of a ten nominees list. The peculiarity of this award is that the winner leaves a permanent mould of his footprints on "The Champions Promenade".

Golden Foot is organized by Italian papers Gazzetta dello Sport, World Champions Club of Monaco and worldwide media partners.