It may have been one of football's most open secrets but the margin of victory was remarkable just the same. Never in the nine-year history of the World Player of the Year award has one player managed to impress so many coaches. Of the 132 national chiefs eligible to vote, 93 went for the 26-year-old Frenchman Zinedine Zidane, who famously switched from villain to hero within a couple of matches at France 98. Ronaldo, winner for the past two years, came second despite the Inter Milan striker having been plagued by mental and physical problems for the best part of nine months. In third place was Davor Suker, Steve McManaman's prospective team-mate at Real Madrid next season.

David Platt is reported ready to end his short and unhappy return to Italian football by resigning as Sampdoria boss if his team lose their next Serie A match to Cagliari on Sunday. Club officials held crisis talks last night over whether to sack Platt after the weekend's 2-0 defeat to Perugia left them second from bottom of the league table. Sampdoria have not won a match since ex-Arsenal and England midfielder Platt signed a three-year contract in December as coach of the Genoa club - for whom he also once played.

John Hartson was yesterday fined £20,000 and suspended for three games for his training ground assault on Eyal Berkovic. The Wimbledon striker, who kicked Berkovic when he was still at West Ham, was handed the punishment at a hearing of the English FA's disciplinary committee at Lancaster Gate. He will miss three first-team matches for his new club from February 15th and pay the record-equalling fine after admitting a charge of misconduct.