ZURICH, Switzerland — In another first for U.S. star Mia Hamm, she won world soccer's inaugural award as the best woman player.
Hamm edged Sun Wen of China and Tiffeny Milbrett of the United States for the honor awarded Monday by FIFA, the world governing body for the sport.
Led by Luis Figo, Real Madrid players swept three of the top four places for the men's top award.
Hamm, who has made 219 appearances for the United States and scored 129 international goals, won with 154 points, easily beating Sun, who had 79, and Tiffeny Milbrett of the United States with 47. Seventy-two coaches voted.
"I'm surprised but very honored," Hamm said. "There was Sun Wen, and Tiffeny's been playing unbelievably."
With no Olympics or World Cup this year, the international women's scene was quiet. Hamm's award is no doubt a recognition of her contributions the last decade more than anything she did this year.
"It was kind of an off year for most national teams," Hamm said. "But at the same time I'm excited FIFA's made a commitment to do this every year."
The 29-year-old Figo — the first Portuguese player to take soccer's No. 1 player award since its inception in 1991 — narrowly outscored Manchester United and England midfielder David Beckham.
Figo's Real Madrid teammates, Raul Gonzalez and Zinedine Zidane, finished third and fourth.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who presented the award to Figo at a dinner in Zurich, declared the Portuguese player has "the touch of an artist."
Zidane won the award, which is based on the votes of 130 national team coaches, in 1998 and 2000 when he was playing for Juventus.
Figo won with 250 points, edging Beckham by just 12, even though the English captain amassed more first-place votes than Figo — 30-27.
In Paris, Liverpool striker Michael Owen won the Golden Ball award as the year's best European-based player.