LONDON, Dec 14: Liverpool swept the board to win all three annual titles awarded by the prestigious World Soccer magazine — the first time one club has achieved that hat-trick since the awards began in 1982.

Michael Owen became the first Englishman to be named as World Soccer’s World Player of the Year, Gerard Houllier was named as World Coach of the Year and the team claimed the World Team of the Year title.

Liverpool won five trophies in 2001 — the UEFA Cup, English FA and League Cups, the European Super Cup and the English Charity Shield.

The award is decided by a global poll of the magazine’s readers from 50 countries.

Results:

World Player of the Year:

1. Owen (30.72 per cent of votes cast), 2. David Beckham, Manchester United, 16.46, 3. Raul, Real Madrid, 11.89

World Manager of the Year

1. Gerard Houllier, Liverpool, 28.35, 2. Ottmar Hitzfeld, Bayern Munich, 20.26, 3. Sven Goran Eriksson, England, 18.53

World Team of the Year

1. Liverpool, 26.35, 2. Bayern Munich, 25.56, 3. Argentina, 14.92—Reuters