REDONDO GETS EFE AWARD

FORMER Real Madrid midfield general Fernando Redondo has been voted the best Latin American footballer to play in Spain during the 1990s - and will receive the prestigious EFE award on Tuesday.

Spanish news company EFE chose Redondo ahead of Brazilians Romario, Rivaldo and Ronaldo who starred in La Liga, but not for as long as the Argentinian midfielder.

EFE have been giving yearly awards to the best South American in Spain each season and although Redondo never won an individual accolade he has been rewarded for his excellence over a long period of time.

Redondo arrived in Spain in 1990, when he signed for Tenerife. After four years he moved to Real Madrid and quickly developed a partnership with Fernando Hierro which proved the backbone for their successes in the latter half of the decade.

To the Real fans' disgust he was sold to Milan in the summer, with his last game for los blancos being the 3-0 Champions League final victory over Valencia.

Alaves keeper Martin Herrera was the winner of last season's award ahead of Atletico Madrid's Hernan Solari - now at Real Madrid.

Herrera's award was for his part in Alaves' best ever season, which gained them entry into the Uefa Cup, as he conceded just 37 goals in 38 games.

Past award winner:

1990-91 Rommel Fernandez (Panama)
1991-92 Jose Luis Zalazar (Uruguay)
1992-93 Ivan Zamorano (Chile)
1993-94 Romario (Brazil)
1994-95 Ivan Zamorano (Chile)
1995-96 Diego Simeone (Argrentina)
1996-97 Ronaldo (Brazil)
1997-98 Roberto Carlos (Brazil)
1998-99 Rivaldo (Brazil)
1999-2000 Martin Herrera (Argentina)