Cech among candidates for European footballer of the year

The Czech football goalkeeper Petr Cech is among 50 players nominated for European Player of the Year. Cech, who is 25 and plays for the English club Chelsea, finished 14th two years ago in the poll organised by the magazine France Football. Two Czechs have won the Ballon d'Or in the past: Josef Masopust in 1962 and Pavel Nedved in 2003.