Over 10,000 fans back Casillas for Golden Ball award

AFP - 1 September 2008 19:55

Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas celebrates as he holds the Euro 2008 championships trophy after Spain won the final football match over Germany in June 2008 at Ernst-Happel stadium in Vienna, Austria. Over 10,000 people have as of Monday signed a petition calling on the European Footballer of the Year award to be awarded to Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas.

MADRID (AFP) - Over 10,000 people have as of Monday signed a petition calling on the European Footballer of the Year award to be awarded to Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas.

Esteban Parro, the mayor of Mostoles, the city on the outskirts of Madrid where the 27-year-old player grew up in, told reporters that 10,458 people had signed the online petition since he launched it on August 25.

The supporters of Casillas have till October 31 to sign. It will then be sent to France Football magazine which was awarded the Ballon d'Or, one of football's top prizes, each year since 1956.

The Spain captain became a national hero after he saved two penalty kicks in the quarter-finals as Spain beat Italy 4-2 in a shootout after a 0-0 draw.

The winner of the Ballon d'Or award is selected by a panel of journalists and soccer officials in a vote organized by France Football magazine.

Russia's Lev Yashin of Dynamo Moscow was the last keeper to win the award in 1963. AC Milan's Brazilian midfielder Kaka won the Ballon d'Or award in 2007.