Tancredi and de Guzman named CanadaSoccer.com Fans’ Choices

Melissa Tancredi and Julian de Guzman may very well be the 2008 CanadaSoccer.com Fans’ Choices, but this year the real winners are fans Tara Jovaisas and Lucas D’Allessandro. Just this week, the Canadian Soccer Association shipped red Canada jerseys to both Tancredi and de Guzman which will be personally signed and then returned to the lucky fans.



Tancredi and de Guzman were recognized as the 2008 CanadaSoccer.com Fans’ Choices in an online vote which ran in December and January.



In 2008, Tancredi produced the moment of the year when she scored the winning goal to clinch Canada’s first-ever entry to the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament. Tancredi scored four goals in four games at the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament. Her prize-winning goal came in the 1:0 win over host Mexico on 9 April 2008.



“I want to thank all the fans who participated in this poll – with of course a special thank you to all who voted for me,” said CanadaSoccer.com Fans’ Choices co-winner Melissa Tancredi. “I am proud to receive such an award that was voted on by family, friends and fans all across Canada. It is an honour to represent my country and play amongst Canada’s best women soccer players. I truly have been blessed with amazing teammates.”



In 2008, de Guzman not only starred for the Canadian national team, but he helped his Spanish club make an incredible comeback at the tail-end of the 2007-08 La Liga season. Down and almost out in 19th place at the start of the calendar year, de Guzman pushed Real Club Deportivo La Coruña up to ninth place in the league standings – thus earning a prized berth in UEFA Cup.



“I would like to thank all the dedicated fans who took part in this poll as I am truly honoured to receive this recognition,” says CanadaSoccer.com Fans’ Choices co-winner Julian de Guzman. “This continues to motivate me with my mission overseas and worldwide by helping give Canada a place on the football map. I’d like to thank my teammates who made this happen for me on the pitch and my family and friends who’ve have been there throughout this wonderful journey.”



Tancredi received more votes than any other player, taking 31.2% of the women’s vote. Christine Sinclair, Kara Lang and Rhian Wilkinson rounded out the top four. De Guzman received 29.1% of the men’s vote. He finished ahead of Dwayne De Rosario, Tomasz Radzinski and Ali Gerba.



“We as a team appreciate all the support we have been receiving throughout the years,” says Tancredi. “We hope that we can continue to make you proud.”



“Let this be a celebration to all of those who continue to show passion for the game across the nation,” says de Guzman.



CanadaSoccer.com is the official website of the Canadian Soccer Association. The website features up-to-date news on all of Canada’s national teams, match-by-match statistics and profiles of every current and past national-team player, scores and records from the BMO National Championships, and information on all other aspects of the Association including training centres, coaching programs and referee programs.