RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Argentine midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron was voted the best soccer player in Latin America for 2009, Uruguayan newspaper El Pais announced on Thursday.

    Veron beat Humberto Suazo of Chile and Ecuador's Edison Mendez to pick up the honor. Journalists from all over the American continents took part in the poll.

    Brazil striker Adriano led his country's players with 17 votes, ranking 20th. The continent's best coach of the year went to the head coach of the Chilean national soccer team, Marcelo Bielsa.

    The Dream Team of the Americas include Miguel Pinto (Universidad de Chile-CHI), Reasco (LDU-EQU), Desabato (Estudiantes-ARG), Otamendi (Velez Sarsfield-ARG), Medel (Boca Juniors-ARG), Mendez (LDU-EQU), Veron (Estudiantes-ARG/Internacional-BRA), Lodeiro (Nacional-URU), Cabanas (America-MEX), Suazo (Monterrey-MEX) and Bieler (LDU-EQU).