ZURICH (Reuters)- AC Milan playmaker Kaka added to his remarkable haul of trophies and titles on Monday when he was named FIFA World Player 2007
The 25-year-old Brazilian international beat Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo in the annual poll of national team coaches and captains.
Kaka collected more points in the poll than the combined total of the other two nominees, world soccer’s governing body FIFA said after the ceremony here. He won 1,047 votes while Argentine Messi collected 504 and Portuguese Ronaldo picked up 426.
“Tonight is really special for me,” said Kaka, who helped Milan to their seventh European Cup title in May and was also inspirational in Sunday’s 4-2 Club World Cup final victory over Argentina’s Boca Juniors.
“When I was young I dreamed of playing for Sao Paulo and playing just one game for the national team. That was it…but the Bible says God gives us more than we ask for and that is what has happened in my life.”
Kaka was a heavy favorite to win Monday’s award after landing France Football magazine’s prestigious Ballon d’Or and World Soccer magazine’s World Player of the Year award.
Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba was fourth in the FIFA poll with 209 points. Barcelona and Brazil playmaker Ronaldinho came fifth.
Kaka’s compatriot Marta was named women’s World Player for the second year running.
Three-times World Cup winner Pele completed Brazil’s clean sweep at Monday’s gala when he picked up the FIFA presidential award for his lifetime contribution to the sport.
He is an awesome player and truly deserved this award. However I dont think Messi should have come second. Ronaldo was just awesome last year and even this year.
^I don't agree with you. Didier drogbar is much more effective and fertile than Kaka. I had hoped for him to win. But It seems Pele's political influence on International football will never end.
Kaka deserved it. What is Drogba? A goal scoring machine since 1 or 2 years and Kaka is delivering numbers since more than 2 years. He is a great player, the way Kaka handles the Ball Drogba can only dream about it. Drogba is a forward, he only has to score goals. Kaka is a Midfielder, he has too design the game plus play defense and score goals. Kaka can do this all and he showed. That makes him more effective than Drogba. Drogba should first win the Championship in England, the Champions League and the World-Cup for Club-Teams, then he can come and claim to be the Greatest Player in the World.
These Brazilian Players always praise God. Especially Kaka. Everytime you see him scoring a goal, he will move his head up too to the sky and thank God.
He is an awesome player and truly deserved this award. However I dont think Messi should have come second. Ronaldo was just awesome last year and even this year.
Kaka got it becuase he scored and performed in big games, namely the Champions League finals. Ronaldo is truly a better player than Messi, I agree. He has similar penetration and ball control but he has that power element Messi sort of lacks. Along with his speed, coordination and vision, that ability to power the ball past the keeper makes him more of a threat.
Kaka deserved it. What is Drogba? A goal scoring machine since 1 or 2 years and Kaka is delivering numbers since more than 2 years. He is a great player, the way Kaka handles the Ball Drogba can only dream about it. Drogba is a forward, he only has to score goals. Kaka is a Midfielder, he has too design the game plus play defense and score goals. Kaka can do this all and he showed. That makes him more effective than Drogba. Drogba should first win the Championship in England, the Champions League and the World-Cup for Club-Teams, then he can come and claim to be the Greatest Player in the World.
These Brazilian Players always praise God. Especially Kaka. Everytime you see him scoring a goal, he will move his head up too to the sky and thank God.
So much of an emotion in this post.
You can see a difference when the team is playing without Didier and didier for sure can handle the ball as well as any great player. He can dribble and rotate, he has amazing acceleration and a great right foot to score.
So I wouldnt underestimate him the way you do.
Kaka might claim goals on God, but that doesnt make Didier a less better person. Does It?
The Ivory Coast is no more as soon as Didier stops playing for them.
