Lionel Messi, Marta are FIFA players of the year | Soccer

Soccer

Messi, Marta add to their honors: Lionel Messi won his second consecutive FIFA men's player of the year honor Monday and Marta was selected the top women's player for the fifth year in a row.

Argentine forward Messi beat out Barcelona of Spain teammates Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta for the renamed FIFA Golden Ball Award, which merged the FIFA player of the year with France Football's Golden Ball.

Messi became the first repeat winner since Ronaldinho in 2004 and 2005.

Messi, 23, received 22.65 percent of the votes cast by national-team coaches and captains, plus selected reporters. Iniesta got 17.36 percent and Xavi received 16.48 percent to finish third for the second consecutive year.

Marta, a 24-year-old Brazilian forward, got 38.2 percent of the vote and Germany's Birgit Prinz got 15.18 percent. U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo, a former University of Washington standout from Richland, was eighth in the voting at 3.85 percent.

Marta had a stellar season with the Women's Professional Soccer League champion FC Gold Pride. But the franchise, based in Santa Clara, Calif., folded in November.

Jose Mourinho was voted men's coach of the year after guiding Inter Milan of Italy to the UEFA Champions League title. Silvia Neid, who coaches Germany's national team, was the women's coach of the year.

Beckham passes physical with Tottenham: David Beckham will start a monthlong training stint with Tottenham on Tuesday after passing a physical for the English Premier League club.

Despite talks stalling over a two-month loan from Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy, the 35-year-old midfielder and Spurs officials remain hopeful a deal can be reached.

Former England captain Beckham is scheduled to train with Tottenham until Feb. 10.

Galaxy's Buddle to play in Germany: Edson Buddle, who scored 42 goals in 87 regular-season matches for the MLS Los Angeles Galaxy, has accepted an offer to play for FC Ingolstadt 04 of the German second division.

Pro football

Former AFL superstar Cookie Gilchrist dies: One of the American Football League's first marquee players, running back Carlton Chester "Cookie" Gilchrist died of cancer Monday near Pittsburgh. He was 75.

Gilchrist, who weighed 251 pounds, had a ferocious running style and was sometimes compared with NFL legend Jim Brown. Gilchrist took stands against racism and wasn't afraid to demand better contracts.

Before joining the AFL Buffalo Bills in 1962, he spent six seasons as a running back-linebacker in the Canadian Football League. He was the league's player of the year in 1962.

In 1964, Gilchrist and quarterback Jack Kemp led the Bills to their first of two consecutive AFL titles.

Gilchrist led the AFL in rushing from 1963 to 1965 and in touchdowns from 1962 to '64. After Buffalo, Gilchrist spent two seasons with Denver and one with Miami.

Gilchrist was among a group of black players who boycotted the 1965 AFL All-Star Game in New Orleans after they weren't allowed into a bar and had difficulty trying to get taxis. The game was eventually moved and played in Houston.

Gilchrist turned down induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, citing racism and exploitation by team management.

Baseball

Bartlett, Padres agree to $11 million, 2-year deal: Infielder Jason Bartlett and the San Diego Padres have agreed to an $11 million, two-year contract that avoided salary arbitration.

Acquired last month from Tampa Bay, the 31-year-old Bartlett hit .254 and drove in 47 runs last year.

Other players who signed or agreed to contracts include reliever Will Ohman, 33, with the Chicago White Sox ($4 million, two years); reliever Hideki Okajima, 35, with the Boston Red Sox ($1.75 million, one year); and shortstop Edgar Renteria, 34, with the Cincinnati Reds (one year).

Renteria played for the champion San Francisco Giants last year and was selected most valuable player of the World Series.

Gonzalez, 25, says contract has been finalized: Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, who won the National League batting title last season with a .336 average, said he has finalized a seven-year, $80 million deal with the team.

College hockey

Official "Big Chill' attendance was 104,173: Officials at Guinness World Records have a final attendance figure for last month's outdoor game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.

Guinness records manager Mike Janela said 104,173 showed up for "The Big Chill at the Big House" between Michigan and Michigan State on Dec. 11, which surpassed the previous world attendance record for a hockey game of 77,803.

On the day of the game, won 5-0 by Michigan, school officials announced the attendance as 113,411.

Motor sports

Al-Attiyah takes Dakar Rally lead: Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar overtook Volkswagen teammate Carlos Sainz of Spain for the overall lead in the cars category of the Dakar Rally by winning the eighth stage.

In motorbikes, overall leader Marc Coma of Spain won the stage to improve his position. Jonah Street of Ellensburg was 34th in the stage and is 15th overall. Street finished seventh in the Dakar Rally last year.

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