Kaka wins Fifa world player crown

Clipped from : BBC Sport

AC Milan and Brazil star Kaka has been named Fifa's world player of the year, beating Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to the honour in Zurich.

Kaka's latest award crowns a superb year in which he led AC Milan to Champions League victory, scoring 10 goals in the process.

In a poll of all national coaches and captains, Kaka polled 1,047 votes, Messi 504 and Ronaldo 426.

The 25-year-old was also named European player of the year earlier this month.

Kaka, a devout Christian, said he had never expected to reach such heights in the sport.

"It's really special for me - it was a dream for me just to play for Sao Paulo and one game for Brazil," he said.

"But the Bible says God can give you more than you even ask for and that is what has happened in my life.

"I had always thought about winning this award, but there are always doubts until it is actually confirmed.

"It is not just this award but the whole year that has been very nice. Winning the Champions League and everything that has happened, it's just been wonderful."

Clipped from : The offside .com

Ricky Kaka can’t open his front door for all the awards piling up on his doorstep. He already has the Ballon d’Or and is expected to pick up the FIFA World Player of the Year award next week. Today he picked up yet another award when he was voted Player of the Year by readers of World Soccer magazine. Kaka took 52.8% of the vote to beat Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo (again.) That apparently makes him only the second player in the history of the award to get more than 50% of the votes (Platini did it back in 1984.)


If you’ve never read World Soccer then it comes highly recommended. It’s based in Britain but read globally, so according to World Soccer the votes came from 48 different countries. Interesting that a player who had such an indifferent Serie A season is being showered with so many awards, though as has been noted elsewhere, it was Kaka’s brilliant Champions League performances for AC Milan that caught everyone’s attention.

Complete results below:

WORLD PLAYER OF THE YEAR % of votes
1 Kaka (Milan & Brazil) 52.8
2 Lionel Messi (Barcelona & Argentina) 17.6
3 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United & Portugal) 16.0
4 Didier Drogba (Chelsea & Ivory Coast) 4.4
5 Juan Roman Riquelme (Boca Juniors/Villarreal & Argentina) 1.2
6 Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal & Spain) 0.8
7 Francesco Totti (Roma) 0.7
8 Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Internazionale & Sweden) 0.6
9 Ruud Van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid & Holland) 0.5
10 Ronaldinho (Barcelona & Brazil) 0.4
Others 5.0

WORLD MANAGER OF THE YEAR
1 Alex Ferguson (Manchester United) 26.4
2 Juande Ramos (Sevilla/Tottenham) 25.6
3 Carlo Ancelotti (Milan) 14.8
4 Arsene Wenger (Arsenal) 8.4
5 Roberto Mancini (Internazionale) 6.5
6 Jose Mourinho (Chelsea) 5.2
7 Jorvan Vieira (Iraq) 4.2
8 Alex McLeish (Scotland) 3.1
9 Fabio Capello (Real Madrid) 1.2
10 Rafa Benitez (Liverpool) 0.5
Others 4.1

WORLD TEAM OF THE YEAR
1 Iraq 22.2
2 Milan 21.5
3 Sevilla 16.6
4 Manchester United 10.5
5 Boca Juniors 9.1
6 Brazil 6.8
7 Argentina 5.2
8 Real Madrid 1.1
9 Scotland 1.0
10 Barcelona 0.8
Others 5.2

YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR
1 Lionel Messi (Barcelona & Argentina) 33.6
2 Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal & Spain) 22.8
3 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United & Portugal) 14.8
4 Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid & Argentina) 10.4
5 Giovani dos Santos (Barcelona & Mexico) 6.3
6 Alexandre Pato (Internacional/Milan & Brazil) 4.2
7 Wayne Rooney (Manchester United & England) 2.1
8 Alan Hutton (Rangers & Scotland) 1.2
9 Robinho (Real Madrid & Brazil) 0.6
10 Anderson (Porto/Manchester United & Brazil) 0.4
Others 3.6

Clipped from : reuters .com

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.


Clipped from : msnbc.msn .com

ZURICH, Switzerland - Brazil midfielder Kaka completed a virtual sweep of annual awards Monday by winning FIFA's World Player of the Year.

The 25-year-old Milan playmaker received the most points in a vote by national team captains and managers.

For Kaka, it is the third accolade this year. He also won European soccer's Golden Ball and World Soccer magazine's player of the year award.

Clipped from : www.cbc .ca

AC Milan star Kaka collected yet another award Monday when he was named FIFA's world soccer player of the year.

The Brazilian playmaker received the honour at a special gala ceremony in Zurich held by FIFA, soccer's world governing body.

Coaches and captains of men's national teams around the world vote on the annual award from a list of three finalists. Kaka beat out Argentine winger Lionel Messi of Spanish club FC Barcelona, and Manchester United and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo to win the award.

"Tonight is a really special night for me," Kaka said after being handed the trophy.

Kaka, 25, succeeds Italy's World Cup-winning captain and defender Fabio Cannavaro as the FIFA world player of the year, and is the third AC Milan star to win the honour since it was first handed out in 1991, joining Dutch forward Marco Van Basten (1992) and George Weah of Liberia (1995).

Kaka is also the fifth Brazilian to win the FIFA award, following in the footsteps of Romario (1994), Ronaldo (1996, 1997, 2002), Rivaldo (1999) and Ronaldinho (2004, 2005)

Earlier this month, Kaka won the prestigious Ballon d'Or award — the Golden Ball — as the world soccer player of the year in a vote organized by France Football magazine.

Kaka was also named world player of the year by British magazine World Soccer, following a poll of fans in 48 countries.

Additional honours in 2007 have included UEFA's Club Footballer of the Year, Champions League Best Forward and Champions League Top Scorer awards and the FIFPro world player of the year title, voted on by Kaka's fellow professionals.

Kaka was the top scorer in last season's Champions League with 10 goals, including a two-goal performance on the road against Manchester United in the semifinals that was hailed by pundits as one of the best kakaof the competition.

He helped Milan to a 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the Champions League final last season, and on Sunday he scored one goal and set up two others in Milan's 4-2 win over Argentine club Boca Juniors at the FIFA Club World Cup final in Yokohama, Japan.

Kaka Win The Golden Ball

AC Milan midfielder Kaka won the Ballon d'Or award — the Golden Ball — on Sunday as the world soccer player of the year.

The Brazilian playmaker received 444 points from a panel of journalists and soccer officials in a vote organized by France Football magazine.

Portugal and Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo finished second with 277 points, while Argentina and FC Barcelona forward Lionel Messi was third with 255. Chelsea striker Didier Drogba of the Ivory Coast was fourth with 108 points, and Milan midfielder Andrea Pirlo of Italy finished fifth with 41.

Kaka, 25, succeeds Italy's World Cup-winning captain and defender Fabio Cannavaro as the Ballon d'Or winner, and is the first Brazilian to lift the prestigious trophy since Barcelona's Ronaldinho in 2005.

"It has been a special year for me; this award underlines that," said Kaka, who helped AC Milan win its seventh Champions League title, in May. "The only way to win an award like this is to belong to a team which fights.

"I have to thank the players, the coach."

Kaka was the top scorer in last season's Champions League with 10 goals, including a two-goal performance on the road against Manchester United in the semifinals that was hailed by pundits as one of the best of the competition.

Kaka joins an elite list of AC Milan players who have won the award: Andriy Shevchenko (2004), George Weah (1995), Marco Van Basten (1988, 1989 and 1992), Ruud Gullit (1987) and Gianni Rivera (1969).

Kaka is also a favourite to be named world player of the year by FIFA, soccer's world governing body, when the award is announced later this month.

After more than half a century, the Ballon d'Or underwent a major change this year.

In 1956, France Football came up with the idea of honouring Europe's player of the year by polling the top soccer journalists across the continent annually, and awarding the Ballon d'Or.

This year, France Football changed the qualifications, opening the award up to players from the rest of the world, regardless of nationality. This marks a new era in the history of the Ballon d'Or, as it effectively has become the world player of the year award.

Clipped from : www.cbc.ca

Kaka is the best in the world

Brazil coach Dunga believes Ronaldinho has to work much harder if he's to replace Kaka as the world's best player.

The 1994 World Cup-winning captain thinks that on current form no-one can touch AC Milan playmaker Kaka but claims Barcelona star Ronaldinho - the 2004 and 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year - could regain the tag of the world's finest.

Dunga told Catalunya Radio: "Ronaldinho has to train more. When he is fine physically, there is nobody who can stop him.

"Ronaldinho suffers from a lack of speed. He cannot escape rivals in 30 or 40 metres as he used to do.

"Nowadays, Kaka is the best in the world. Ronaldinho could be the best, as well as Robinho, but Kaka is the best now."


Clipped from : http://www.sportinglife.com

Kaka has nominated Cristiano Ronaldo as his choice for this season's Ballon d'Or winner

AC Milan ace Kaka has nominated Manchester United dazzler Cristiano Ronaldo as his choice for this season's Ballon d'Or winner.

The Brazilian is going head-to-head with the 22 year-old Portuguese for the European Player of the Year gong and said: "For sure, Cristiano Ronaldo deserves to win.

"The Portuguese has dragged his team almost single-handedly to win the Premiership crown.

"But then there is my great friend Maldini ... it's incredible that such a champion as Paolo has never won this trophy."

Clipped from : http://www.tribalfootball.com

Kaka in their view

"He's the best player in the world along with Ronaldinho, he's most similar to (Johan) Cruyff. He has speed, vision and when he takes off from midfield he's one of a kind,''
Football legend Pele.



"Ricardo absolutely deserves it. I recommend a vote for him to all the jurors – Kaka deserves the Ballon d’Or more than anyone else."
Milan Captain Paolo Maldini.



"Kaka? He's sensational, being compared to him makes me shiver,"
Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo.



"I'm sure he'll win the Ballon d'Or this year. He's also an excellent guy on and off the pitch. He is a fantastic player,"
Real Madrid winger Robinho.



"What Kaka has done this year is worthy of the Golden Ball,”
Milan defender Kakha Kaladze.




"Kaka is a superstar. In Manchester, he demonstrated his class; I was a spectator in his two goals. The first was impossible to avoid and he made a great play for the second,"
United defender Gabriel Heinze commented after the Champions League semi-final first-leg.



"Kaka is the best in the world at the moment and he will be a real danger to us in the final,"
Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano before the Athens final.


Clipped from : http://sports.filbalad.com

Kaka is the player who gives his all for his team

Dubai: Brazilian football legend Zico knows what it takes to be a world class player. He's got plenty of best Brazilian, South American and World Footballer of the Year awards to show for it.

So when he spoke on the first day of the Dubai International Sports Conference 2007 yesterday, he had the audience hanging on to every word.

Asked who of the current crop of international footballers has caught his eye, Zico pointed to AC Milan and Brazil midfielder Kaka and Manchester United and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo.

"I am a big fan of Kaka. He is a player who gives his all for his team and that is the most important thing and the other player I like is Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal - he can become an even better player."

Anatomy of Kaka

Milanese Magician: Anatomy of Kaka, the Brazilian who can rule Athens if the Gods smile on him

Brain

Kaka, 25, the product of a middle-class upbringing and education, is a thinker about the game, impress-ing older colleagues with his tactical sense.

Physique

Slight as a teenager, Kaka has worked hard to put on weight and muscle, and now rides tackles much more comfortably.

Spine

After cracking his spine in a swimming pool seven years ago Kaka made sure of a full recovery, using the time to plan every step of his future career.

Legs

Whether playing as an attacking midfielder or just behind the main striker, Kaka is quick enough to accelerate through the opposing back-four.

Right foot

Although he is no slouch with his left foot, it is Kaka's right that tends to produce his most penetrating passes and thrilling finishes.



"I think he's the best player in the world," Carragher admits. "You remember his performance in the first half in Istanbul and after that we all felt he was definitely the man, with Ronaldinho, and this season he's probably gone on to eclipse him. We'll sort out tactics when we get there, whether it's a midfielder's job or a defender's [to mark him]." They will need to, and Javier Mascherano is the most obvious choice for the job, rather than risking Carragher being pulled out of position and leaving the inexperienced Daniel Agger one on one with Inzaghi.


Clipped from : http://sport.independent.co.uk

"Kaka is the new Cruyff" Pele said.

BRAZILIAN legend Pele reckons Kaka and Clarence Seedorf will rip Liverpool apart on Wednesday night.

But he still thinks Steven Gerrard can test Milan’s resolve before the Italian club comes out on top in Athens.

The world’s greatest-ever player — a triple World Cup winner — is convinced countryman Kaka will reign supreme.

He said: “Kaka isn’t the new Pele — he is the new Johan Cruyff.

“He keeps getting better and is so fast. He sees the goal early and when he sets off from midfield he is unique.

“Kaka has grown in a way I never expected. And when he is in form, like he is now, Milan are just devastating.

“Together with Ronaldinho, Kaka is the best player in the world at the moment and he will make the difference against Liverpool.

“But it is not just Kaka who will be too much for Liverpool. It is the way he works with Seedorf, too.

“The one quietly providing so much of the balance is Seedorf. He disguises a pass beautifully and gets many assists.

“These two together mean Milan will be champions of Europe.”

Even so, Pele predicts Rafa’s Benitez’s side will go down fighting.

He added: “It is going to be very different for Milan than it was against Manchester United.

“Liverpool don’t play spectacular, open attacking football. But they are strong physically, they close you down.

“Then they set off on the counter-attacks, carried along by Gerrard. It will take a steady nerve for Milan to cope with those.

“I can see a massive battle in midfield between Mascherano and Gattuso. But Milan are technically superior and have players who can make a difference.”

Pele, now 66, also claims United’s Cristiano Ronaldo is not world class yet.

He said: “He isn’t Garrincha, who was less quick but had better dribbling skills than Ronaldo.

“I would put Ronaldo on the second level of players, along with Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney.”

Kaka: I've got God on my side

HE has destroyed Manchester United — now Kaka has Liverpool in his sights this week.

Yet the young Brazilian feared he would never play again after breaking his neck in a freak swimming pool accident.

Now the AC Milan playmaker, 25, reveals in detail for the first time how he fought his way back from near tragedy.

And he admits lifting the European Cup on Wednesday would be the fulfilment of his ultimate goal after achieving the 10 targets he set himself when disaster struck seven years ago.

Kaka’s mesmerising two-goal performance at Old Trafford last month set Milan on their way to a 5-3 aggregate victory over United in their Champions League semi-final.

The deeply-religious Brazilian believes it was God’s will which gave him the strength to fire the Italian giants to this week’s Athens final.

Yet Kaka will never forget the day his career was almost destroyed before it had really begun.

He recalled: “In October 2000, I was at my grandfather’s house in a small town in Brazil called Caldas Novas.

“I was sliding into his swimming pool but fell awkwardly and hit my head on the bottom of the pool.

“I twisted my neck but did not realise at the time that I had broken my sixth cervical bone.

“I went back to my club, Sao Paulo, the following day and actually trained for a couple of days. But I was in such pain the club eventually sent me to hospital for tests.

“The doctor was asking me whether my limbs were feeling numb and I told him I was OK.

“It was only then he revealed the serious nature of my injury.

“He was trying not to frighten me but admitted I was very lucky to have been able to train for two days with a broken neck and not suffer permanent damage.

“All I knew since a kid was that anyone with a broken neck would be disabled for life so my immediate question was would I ever be able to play football again?

“The doctor told me I would not be able to play for at least three months and I would have to wear a cervical collar all that time.

“Then they would be able to tell if I was going to fully recover.

“But after two months, the injury had healed and I was able to resume my football career.

“That was when I knew God was looking after me and that He was on my side.

“I was born a Christian, read the Bible and always placed my faith in God and Jesus. During my injury, many fears crossed my mind. Reading the Bible and praying were the things that really helped me through those dark moments.

“I had several extraordinary experiences with God which made me feel confident I would eventually be able to play football again.

“Now I believe faith helped me through. I knew God had a purpose for me and my life.”

Kaka revealed it was when his future was in the balance that he set 10 targets for his comeback.

The first was simply to kick a football again, the second to resume his professional career with Sao Paulo ranging through to playing in the World Cup finals for Brazil and moving to a major club in Europe.

Kaka admitted: “Now I have an 11th target and that is to win the Champions League.”

Kaka is now in his fourth year at Milan following a £5million move in 2003. He explained: “I chose Milan because in Sao Paulo I played alongside Leonardo for six months and he was constantly outlining how great the club was.

“I was very young when I planned out my career and everything so far has worked as I hoped it might.”

Everything, that is, apart from his last meeting with Liverpool in the 2005 European Cup final in Istanbul.

He admitted: “No one expected what happened but in football you can never be sure of anything.

“Two years have passed since Istanbul and I honestly don’t think about it any more.

“Liverpool played a great final and deserved to win the title. Now we have another chance to write our name on the trophy.

“Nobody in Milan is thinking about revenge. We are just happy to be in the final again.

“We know what Liverpool are capable of. They are an excellent squad, disciplined and well organised. You can see what a great job their coach has done.

“Liverpool’s strength is they are used to playing the big games. They never give up. They have already beaten Barcelona and Chelsea so we know they are a dangerous opponent.

“But we have taken a great deal of confidence from our semi-final win over Manchester United.”

Kaka has been linked to a swap with Chelsea’s Andriy Shevchenko.

Yet the Brazilian insisted: “The Premiership is an exciting league but I have a contract at Milan until 2011 and I am very happy where I am.”

Clipped from : http://www.thesun.co.uk

Kaka The brilliant Brazilian.

Kaka
The brilliant Brazilian. Liverpool only need to watch tapes of the semi-final against Manchester United to survey Kaka’s supreme talents. As much of a maker as a taker, his key function is dropping deep to collect the ball before racing at bewildered defences.


Clipped from : http://www.thesun.co.uk

KAKA is arguably the best football player in the world.

SAO PAULO, Brazil - He is arguably the best football player in the world, his brother plays in the Serie B and is as religious as he is, his father is still friends with his son's old teammates and his mother makes exceedingly good cakes.

Those are just some of the things that help explain the phenomenon that is Kaka.

I watched Kaka come through the ranks at Sao Paulo. I watched him establish himself with Milan and Brazil. And I've watched him grow, both physically and mentally, to become one of the best in the world today.

During that time I've spoken to his friends, his family, his teammates and his coaches and no one has a bad word to say about the Milan midfielder.

Sometimes people don't want to criticise other players because they are afraid to stick their necks out or because they don't want to sound nasty. But the people who speak about Kaka do so with a real earnestness. Everyone seems to think the world of him.

That includes the youngsters who were with him when they came through the ranks at Sao Paulo. Kaka was different from most of the youngsters trying to make it into Sao Paulo's professional ranks. Many, if not most, were poor, dark skinned, came from broken families and lived far from the club's training ground in the impoverished suburbs of South America's biggest city.

Kaka was white, well off, had a stable family life and lived in the same Morumbi district where the club has its home. And as such he and his family were adopted as surrogates for many of Kaka's less fortunate teammates.

'Their family helped people who didn't have the money or time to go home,' Juan Maldonado Jaimes, one of Kaka's former colleagues, told me a while back. 'They took them to their house, to help them pass time. We'd play video games, play football, eat. Some players went there even when Kaka wasn't there. It was quite a close relationship between the players and the family. They are lovely people. His mother would make sweets or bake cakes.'

That stable family life is evident in the comportment of Kaka's father and brother Digao, who plays for Rimini in Italy's Serie B. They both look like Kaka, especially Digao, who is tall, pale and has the same toothy smile. (Digao is currently training at Sao Paulo while recovering from a ligament injury.)

Most noticeably, however, they are both impeccably mannered. As the saying in Brazil goes, the son of a fish is a fish. It means like father like son and Kaka is indeed like his father.

Engineer Bosco Izecson brought up his son to be a good Christian who values honesty and hard work. Although much attention is paid to the fact that Kaka is one of Brazil's few middle class footballers - and Kaka freely admits he does not fit the established stereotype - his father played down the wealth disparities and said he has tried to instill universal values in his son.

'What is important is their honesty and their character,' he said in discussing his outlook on life. 'Everyone wants to get on and better themselves. We lived our lives that way and Kaka has too. People helped us and we try and help people.'

That is not to say that Kaka has not had his problems to overcome. He suffered from a bone deficiency as a child that made him small for his age. He was two years behind his peers in terms of development and it was only his skill on the ball and his quick thinking that enabled him to play competitively with boys his own age.

'I saw him play as a kid and he was so small and thin but I could tell he had talent so I picked him out to play,' his former coach Milton Cruz told me. 'But he wasn't strong enough at first, the ball was bigger than his legs! One time he wanted to take a penalty and I wondered if he would have the strength to kick it all the way to the goal! He caught my attention, though, and he has shot up since then.'

Once he did cement his place in the Sao Paulo junior side he suffered another potentially crippling setback that helped shape who he is today. At age 18, Kaka jumped into a swimming pool while on holiday and fractured his spine. He didn't know how bad the damage was at the time. A local doctor told him he would be OK and he was back playing football three days later.

Kaka told his coaches about the incident but assured them he was fine and it was only after a couple of days training they realised all was not well. They could see he was holding back and sent him for more detailed tests. They showed he had fractured his spine. Every move he took during those days since the accident - including heading the ball - could have rendered him tetraplegic. And yet he survived.

Kaka puts that down to his religious beliefs - he is an Evangelical Protestant in a country that is overwhelmingly Catholic - and friends and family say his quick recovery from the accident helped him affirm his faith in God. It is not for nothing he celebrates every goal by pointing to the sky and thanking the Lord.

However, Kaka and his family are well-balanced enough to know that life is a lottery. Players need talent but the ones that do well in life, not just on the field, usually know they are very lucky to be doing what they do - and to be paid huge sums for doing so.

Scottish football writer Hugh McIlvanney once wrote that Jock Stein was a living negation of all those arrogant young men who persuaded themselves 'their largely fortuitous ability to kick a football or volley a tennis ball or belt out a pop song or tell a few jokes more acceptably than the next man is actually evidence of his own splendid mastery of his fate.'

I thought of McIlvanney's quote last week when talking to people who know Kaka. It seemed particularly apt bearing in mind the words of Milton Cruz, his former trainer.

'He's centred,' Cruz said of his best-known pupil. 'He doesn't think he's better than other people, he doesn't think he's special. He's humble and polite.He simply has a broader vision of the world. Kaka is the young man any father would love to have as a son.'

Clipped from : http://soccernet.espn.go.com

Kaka is the key for AC Milan

ATHENS, Greece: Maybe it doesn't matter which striker starts — Filippo Inzaghi or Alberto Gilardino.

Most of AC Milan's scoring in the Champions League this season has come from Kaka.

The Brazilian leads the competitions with 10 goals — two more than he scored in the Italian league season. In Wednesday's final against Liverpool, Kaka has a chance to match Ruud Van Nistelrooy's tournament record of 12 goals scored in 2002-03.

"The most important game of my life is always the next game. At this moment, it is Liverpool," Kaka said. "One month ago it was Manchester, and 45 days ago it was Bayern (Munich)."

Inzaghi has scored four goals in the Champions League this season and Gilardino two. Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti reportedly has chosen Inzaghi to start, while club president Silvio Berlusconi has publicly opted for Gilardino to play the first half and Inzaghi the second.

There's no question regarding Kaka, who still lines up in midfield but has become the squad's best finisher. His three goals in the semifinals propelled Milan past Manchester United.

"My teammates have faith in me. I have earned it," Kaka said.

He's also earned the opponent's respect.

"It is important not to allow Kaka to play easily and give him many spaces because that is when he will play very well," Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso said. "He is strong, quick and good with the ball. We will work on closing him down. In that area we have to be compact."

Kaka can be devastating when he starts with the ball in midfield. Sometimes it appears he moves faster with the ball than without it.

"He's the best player in the world along with Ronaldinho," Pele said in an interview with the Gazzetta dello Sport. "He's most similar to (Johan) Cruyff. He has speed, vision and when he takes off from midfield he's one of a kind."

What Kaka lacks is the respect of someone who has won a major international title. He was a member of the Brazil team that won the 2002 World Cup, but made only one 19-minute appearance in the first round.

Perhaps that's one reason why Kaka holds Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard in esteem. It was Gerrard's goal that started Liverpool's rally when it overcame a 3-0 halftime deficit to beat Milan in a penalty shootout in the 2005 final in Istanbul, Turkey.

"He's a modern player," Kaka said of Gerrard. "He runs, scores, provides assists and he's a leader. He's one of those players I'd like on my team."

The deeply religious Kaka is not one to hold grudges.

"Everyone's talking about a vendetta for what happened in Istanbul," Kaka said. "It happened. We lost the final and Liverpool became European champions. But the motivation for us is simply being in the final again and having a chance to win the Champions League."

Clipped from : http://www.iht.com

KAKA The elegant genius

AC Milan are aiming to win their seventh European Cup when they take on Liverpool in Athens on Wednesday.

The Olympic Stadium will be the scene for a reunion between the sides that featured in the extraordinary 2005 final, when Liverpool battled back from 3-0 down before beating Milan on penalties.

BBC Sport checks on the AC Milan squad charged with facing Rafael Benitez's side.

THE MANAGER

Carlo Ancelotti
CARLO ANCELOTTI Astute, clever tactician who always seems to have the right player in the correct position. The way he employs Gattuso, Ambrosini and Pirlo allows Kaka to be such a threat.

THE GOALKEEPERS

Dida
DIDA His reputation took a knock two years ago when he seemed nervous in the face of the 2005 showdown and he has been criticised by the Milan fans this season. An excellent shot-stopper and an imposing figure when he chooses to command his box.

Zeljko Kalac
ZELJKO KALAC The big Aussie is nicknamed Spider. A well-travelled, experienced keeper who has found opportunities limited because of Dida's consistency, but a more than able back-up.

THE DEFENDERS

Cafu
CAFU Once dubbed "A man with two hearts" by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson for his seemingly boundless energy. At 36, he is still a world-class defender and, while he might have lost a yard or two in pace, he can still rampage up and down the flank.

Paolo Maldini
PAOLO MALDINI Imperious, regal, peerless. His pace and his very future were questioned in the aftermath of the 2005 final defeat. His ability to read the game and his speed of thought mean he is rarely exposed for pace.

Kakha Kaladze
KAKHA KALADZE Will come into the side if Maldini is not fit and the 29-year-old Georgian is a more than able deputy. Signed by AC Milan from Dynamo Kiev to play at left-back, his natural position is in the centre of defence.

Alessandro Nesta
ALESSANDRO NESTA Some say Nesta is not the player he was when he was ranked the best central defender in the world. Like Maldini, the edge might have gone off his pace but he is another player who has turned defending into an art form.

Marek Jankulovski
MAREK JANKULOVSKI Perhaps the best testament to Jankulowski is that Milan admire him so much as a left-back that they moved Maldini inside. The 27-year-old is a swashbuckling defender who loves to raid down the flank.

Massimo Oddo
MASSIMO ODDO Only arrived at the San Siro in January from Lazio but is good enough to keep Cafu on the sidelines. A rock-solid defender but also gets forward as Milan's narrow midfield necessitates the full-backs supplying the width.

Dario Simic
DARIO SIMIC Typically uncompromising Croatian defender, who is perhaps best known for being booked three times by referee Graham Poll in the 2006 World Cup. Yet another central defender over the age of 30 but strong in the challenge and good in the air.

Daniele Bonera

DANIELE BONERA Highly rated by Milan but relatively unknown as he tends to be squeezed out for Champions League games. Only Jankulowski has played more Serie A minutes in the Milan defence this season than the pacy 25-year-old.

THE MIDFIELDERS

Gennaro Gattuso
GENNARO GATTUSO Everyone raves about Kaka and purrs over Andrea Pirlo but this is the man you would want in your team. A snarling, snapping bulldog who does the dirty jobs, which allows the others to play. His duel with Steven Gerrard will be a key battle.

Clarence Seedorf
CLARENCE SEEDORF The Dutchman seems to be blossoming with age. Supremely fit and superb with the ball at his feet. His ability to hold the ball under pressure and then time a pass to a runner off him makes him dangerous. Still has a shot on him.

Yoann Gourcuff
YOANN GOURCUFF Is he Zinedine Zidane's heir-in-waiting or the next Youri Djorkaeff? Whatever, Milan saw enough in the 20-year-old Frenchman to offer him a contract up to 2001. Skilful, elegant, pacy and with an eye for goal.

Andrea Pirlo
ANDREA PIRLO Superb passer of the ball, sits just in front of the back four as a playmaker. As a result, he's difficult to pick up and has an uncanny knack of spotting Kaka's runs. Dead-ball specialist.

Kaka
KAKA The elegant genius dismissed Cristiano Ronaldo's pretensions to the crown of best player in the world in the semi-final against Manchester United. Ancelotti has cleverly placed players around Kaka to allow him to hurt the opposition.

Massimo Ambrosini
MASSIMO AMBROSINI Milan's narrow midfield allows them to effectively have two defensive midfielders and, while Ambrosini may not be a bulldog like Gattuso, he is no puppy. Strong in the challenge and an intelligent user of the ball.

Christian Brocchi
CHRISTIAN BROCCHI Perhaps it's unfair to call him 'Gattuso Lite' but Brocchi is very similar to him. Small of stature but big of heart, Brocchi is a bustling player who has seen plenty of action this season in Serie A. Normally operates on the right.

THE STRIKERS

Filippo Inzaghi
FILIPPO INZAGHI One of the great goalscorers in Italian football. At 33, he is a canny and wily penalty-box predator. He will always play on the last defender and his kick of speed over three yards can get him goal-side and into a scoring position.

Alberto Gilardino
ALBERTO GILARDINO A big, strong front man who cost Milan £18m from Parma in July 2005. Initially failed to live up to the price tag but provides a focal point for Milan's attacks and plays a key role in holding the ball until the midfield cavalry arrives.

Ricardo Oliveira

RICARDO OLIVEIRA Milan paid a hefty price to prise the Brazilian from Real Betis, paying £15m plus Johan Vogel. Skilful, instinctive and quick, Oliveira is another player who gets his fair share of Serie A action but steps aside in the Champions League.

Clipped from : http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/6658701.stm

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite is a breathtaking footballer.

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite is a breathtaking footballer. Never heard of him?

You may know him better as Kaka. Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez and his players certainly do.

Benitez has been drilling it into his team that the boy from Brazil must be stopped in the Olympic stadium tomorrow night.

Otherwise in the land of ancient Greece, Liverpool's Champions League dream will be in ruins.

Kaka has been the player of the tournament, scoring 10 goals, four of which came against Celtic and Manchester United.

In that semi-final success over the Red Devils, he showed why he and not Cristiano Ronaldo is more deserving of the best player on the planet title, even though the 25-year-old would blush at the suggestion.

Kaka is one of the most humble figures in a football world, bursting with arrogance.

But then he has come through a lot to reach this stage. When he was 18, he suffered a spine fracture, as a result of a swimming pool accident. Deeply religious, he attributes his remarkable recovery to God.

"There are many things I still have to learn," he says, when asked about his stunning level of ability.

He adds: "I want to work hard and become a better player."

When Kaka married his wife Caroline 18 months ago, Milan president Silvio Berlusconi declared he was "the husband every parent would like their daughter to have."

He is certainly the player every manager would like to have. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and Chelsea would all break the bank to sign him.

Indeed Chelsea had the chance when he was leaving Sao Paulo in 2003.

Listening to his loyalty to Milan, you imagine that he won't be going anywhere for a while yet.

"I didn't pick Milan, Milan picked me. I could have joined Chelsea but they wanted to send me on loan to Russia while Milan had faith in me immediately.

"Looking back, I'm very happy with what destiny had in store for me. This club is like a family. I feel at home here which is very important to me. I have a contract with Milan until 2011 and will move only if they want to sell me."

Little chance of that if the Milan fans have anything to do with it.

They have started to arrive in Athens for tomorrow's showdown and are looking to Kaka to inspire their team to victory and a seventh European Cup.

He was well on his way to doing that in 2005 when his dancing feet and precision passing helped Milan to a 3-0 lead, before the miracle of Istanbul saw Liverpool eventually win on penalties.

Kaka scored in the shoot-out and says he would be prepared to take one again, although he hopes it doesn't come to that.

"In a final anything can happen, we know it better than anybody after that game in Istanbul," says Kaka, who was part of Brazil's 2002 World Cup winning squad, although he only played 19 minutes in that tournament.

He adds: "Liverpool will probably be more difficult to face than Manchester United.

"They are very organised and have a great coach in Rafael Benitez and a great captain in Steven Gerrard. He is an excellent player. He runs, knows how to pass, cross, score goals and he is a leader on the field for Liverpool. He is a player I would like to have in my team."

Gerrard would say the same and will be well aware that he won't get his hands on the European Cup if Kaka takes control tomorrow night.

Instead the golden boy from Brazil will be running around the Olympic stadium with the most prized silver in club football.

Clipped from : http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk

Kaka, presently the best footballer in the world

Kaka, presently the best footballer in the world along with Ronaldo, can win the game for the white shirts of Milan if given carte blanche. Athens boasts a Gene Kelly School of Dance and Kaka could enrol with the ball as his partner and pass out top of the class.

United went all cavalier in San Siro and the elegant Brazilian ripped them apart with his passing and dribbling. Steven Gerrard reckons he has never seen a midfielder run so fast with the ball as Kaka, who gave Liverpool such a high-speed, high-class chasing for 45 minutes in Istanbul in 2005. Only when Didi Hamann arrived at the break was Kaka, the man from the fashion centre of Milan, fitted for a strait-jacket.

Liverpool are forewarned. Gerrard's midfield colleague, Xabi Alonso, has already talked this week about the importance of stifling Kaka. "We will work on closing him down and trying to be compact," the Spaniard said. Sounds like a typical Benitez training session.

Publicly, Benitez insists he will not man-mark Kaka. Jamie Carragher, the sharpest mind in the Liverpool party who landed here yesterday, gives a wry view on preparations, observing: "We won't decide until nearer the game whether picking Kaka up is a job for the defence or the midfield. I'm hoping it's the midfield!"

And this is the problem presented by the zephyr blowing in from Milan's midfield. Kaka moves around off the front-runner, dropping deep, drifting wide and always capable of finding top gear in a split-second. He must be midfield's responsibility.

Benitez is considering unleashing the revitalised Harry Kewell on the left, but the best way to tame Kaka is to deploy intelligent, selfless workers like John Arne Riise on the left of a midfield including similar souls in Javier Mascherano, Alonso and Gerrard. Communication and concentration are the ways to combat Kaka. If Liverpool, and Mascherano in particular, manage that, they should prove the omens right.


Clipped from : http://www.telegraph.co.uk

"Kaka is a very good player" Benitez said.

Athens (dpa) - Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez said Tuesday that he will not change his defensive system to counter the threat of AC Milan dangerman Kaka in Wednesday's Champions League final.

"We know that Kaka is a very good player but it is our system to mark in a zone," said the Spaniard at a press conference ahead of the match at the Athens Olympic stadium.

Brazil star Kaka has netted 10 times for Milan in the Italian club's run to this year's final, including three in the Devils' 5-3 aggregate win over Manchester United in the semi-finals.

"We will try and control the ball and the space rather than man- mark," said Benitez, who also revealed that injury worry Bolo Zenden was fit enough to train and that Harry Kewell was "an option." Australian international Kewell is recovering from surgery on his groin and has played just 46 minutes of football this season but Benitez said he still believed the player could put in a full 90 minutes if necessary.

"We will have two or three options, we will see what happens in training," said Benitez.

The Liverpool boss said he didn't believe fans would see a repeat of the amazing Champions League final between the sides two years ago in Istanbul when the Reds came back from 3-0 down at half-time to eventually prevail in a penalty shootout.

"The final two years ago was amazing and for me was the best final in the history of this competition," said Benitez. "I don't think we will see a game like this."

Benitez said instead this time around the game was more likely to be a tight affair with chances at a premium.

"I think it will be a tough game, difficult for both teams. I don't think we will see a lot of goals," he said.

"The team that scores the first goal will have a great advantage."


Clipped from : http://www.bangkokpost.com

KAKA is Liverpool's biggest headache

Up against Kaká, you always have the same dilemma. Do you man-mark him or treat him like any other player and not change your tactics? Do the former and you lose a creative edge in midfield, risk the latter and the stakes are high as you strive to silence one of the world's best players.

Risk aversion
Liverpool FC boss Rafael Benítez looks set to choose the second option as his side attempt to defeat AC Milan and win the UEFA Champions League for the second time in three seasons in Athens on Wednesday. "We know Kaká is a very good player, but our system is not to mark him individually," Benítez said. "We mark zonally and try to control the play, the ball and the space." Time will tell if the Spaniard is right, but statistics, for what they are worth, might suggest a different approach. Kaká is largely marked man-to-man in Serie A and as a result, has scored just eight goals in 31 appearances this term. In the UEFA Champions League, where he invariably encounters a zonal defence, the 25-year-old Brazilian international has registered ten times in 14 matches. "In Europe no team marks me man-to-man," Kaká said. "I'm sure it will be the same against Liverpool."

Lethal
Kaká has been particularly lethal against British teams this season, hitting the only goal of the tie against Celtic FC in the Round of 16 before adding three more in the 5-3 aggregate win over Manchester United FC in the semi-finals. "I don't know if there are particular reasons for this but I have always played well against British opponents and I hope to do it again," the forward said. According to Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti, however, Liverpool are not a classic British side. "I think the only really British team we faced on the way to the final was Celtic," he said. "United play a more flamboyant style of football while Liverpool rely mostly on a solid defence and counterattack. Against Liverpool we will not have the same space we had against United."

Threat
Space is exactly what you don't want to give to a player with the pace and technique of Kaká. Benítez knows it better than most. The Brazilian ran the show in the first half against Liverpool in 2005 when Milan jumped into a 3-0 lead; it was only after the interval when Benítez introduced Dietmar Hamann to bolster his midfield that the English club gained a foothold in the game. On the other hand, with the likes of Clarence Seedorf thriving in the room opened up by Kaká, paying the Brazilian too much attention can create problems of its own. Man-to-man or zonal defence, holding midfielder Javier Mascherano will have his hands full on Wednesday – not to mention centre-backs Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger every time the Milan No22 gets the ball.


Clipped from : http://www.uefa.com

Kaka has dedicated his participation to the cause of hungry children

Rome, 22 May (AKI) - Brazilan football superstar Kaka has dedicated his participation in Wednesday's UEFA Champions League Final to the cause of hungry children. Kaka who is a goodwill Ambassador Against Hunger for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will play Italian club AC Milan against England's Liverpool in the final in Athens. "Obviously, Wednesday night is all about winning the Champions League trophy for AC Milan," he said. "But personally, I also want to dedicate my appearance in the Athens final to the cause of hungry children."

“As professional footballers, we are very privileged,” said Kakà as he
prepared for the final in Athens. “From time to time we have a chance to
help others because of who we are and what we do. I want to use my
position as a WFP Ambassador Against Hunger to make more people aware of
the challenges of feeding hundreds of millions of hungry children in some
of the poorest, least developed parts of the world.”

“It’s an incredible asset to have the world’s best player in the world’s
favourite game on our team,” said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran.

“Kakà has shown that he can combine the skills and dedication needed to be
at the very top of the game with a commitment to a worthy humanitarian
cause.”

Kakà’s dedication of the Champions League final follows the decision
earlier this year, by Paul Tergat, the world marathon record holder - and
another WFP Ambassador Against Hunger - to dedicate his participation in
the 2007 Flora London Marathon to the cause of hungry children.

Clipped from : http://www.adnki.com

"KAKA is a phenomenon" Cristiano Said

anchester United player Cristiano Ronaldo has told the media that he feels flattered to be compared to Milan ace, Kaka. "It feels great to be compared to someone along the ranks of Kaka. It motivates me more, he is a phenomenon, one of the splendid players that Europe has produced."

He added that despite his disappointment to losing out to Milan in reaching the finals of the Champions League, it is not goodbye. "We cannot expect to win everything in a year. We did well in the Champions League, but at San Siro, we simply couldn't match up to the Great Milan."

Clipped from : http://kakafans.net

Kaka looks to make his mark

ROME - AC Milan star Kaka is determined to leave his mark on the Champions League final against Liverpool by adding to the 10 goals he has already scored in the competition and steering his team to victory.

“I want to write my name in AC Milan’s history,” said the immensely talented Brazilian who played in the heartbreaking 2005 final defeat to the Merseysiders when Milan threw away a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 at the end of normal time, before losing on penalties.

“It’s been my ambition since I arrived here. I want to be remembered alongside all those players who have made this club great.

“We are in the final and one game away from becoming European champions. Let’s hope this time it’s different to 2005.”

With Liverpool’s defence one of the meanest around, much is resting on Kaka’s shoulders to open up the Premiership club’s watertight backline.

But the softly spoken 25-year-old, a devout evangelical Christian, welcomes the responsibility.

“My team-mates have great faith in me and I consider that an honour,” said the player whose full name is Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite.

“I am happy to hear that they regard me as the decisive player in our team, and that tells me that I have their total respect.

“But I always say that one player alone cannot win a match, everyone is important.”

Kaka said AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini was the player he admired the most.

“Maldini is always the first to arrive at training and the last to leave, and he sets the example for others to follow,” Kaka said.

“He is a true leader, on and off the pitch, and carries it off with a certain style. It’s not something you learn, it’s something you are born with.”

Kaka identified Steven Gerrard as Liverpool’s danger man.

“Gerrard is a leader; he runs, he defends, he shoots and knows how to lift his team,” Kaka said.

The compliment was reciprocated by Gerrard.

“You have to look at Kaka as one of their most dangerous players because he scores a lot of goals and has a lot of assists,” said the England midfielder.

“You have to show a lot of respect to him, but their whole team is covered with world class players and players who have won the World Cup.”

Kaka has played most of the season as a withdrawn striker rather than an out-and-out midfielder, and his speed and eye for goal have propelled Milan into the final.

He scored twice at Old Trafford in the 3-2 semi-final, first leg defeat to Manchester United, and he was on target once more in the 3-0 win at the San Siro.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was full of admiration for Kaka after seeing his team’s defence brutally exposed by the creative Brazilian.

“Kaka is a wonderful player who floats from side to side behind the strikers,” Ferguson said.

“He has wonderful movement, a long stride and is deceptive with his pace.”

Kaka is two goals away from equalling Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Champions League record of 12 goals.

“It would be incredible if I could score twice in the final and become (joint) all-time top scorer, but the most important thing is that we lift the trophy,” he said.

“It will be wonderful to face Liverpool again. It’s a great chance to win a match we should have won two years ago.

“I don’t look at it as revenge, more an opportunity to make up for that day.”


Clipped from : http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/Sport