Dec 18: AC Milan’s Brazilian star midfielder Kaka left Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo far behind in the hunt of FIFA’s World Player of the Year to seal the most coveted award for any footballer in his favour.
Kaka was named FIFA Player of the Year 2007 on Monday, a day after helping Milan to win the Club World Cup final. The Milan playmaker received 1,047 points, ahead of Argentine Lionel Messi on 504 and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo with 426 in a vote by national team captains and managers.
The 25-year-old Kaka also won European soccer's Golden Ball and World Soccer magazine's player of the year award this year.
"Tonight is a really special night for me," Kaka said after being handed the trophy.
He is the fifth Brazilian to win the title and joined the list of illustrious Brazilian players including Ronaldo -- who has won the trophy three times -- Ronaldinho (2), Romario (1) and Rivaldo (1).
This award would be the perfect icing on Kaka’s Christmas cake and to year the end on such a high note after scoring a goal in Milan's 4-2 win over Boca Juniors in Sunday's Club World Cup final.
Kaka struck 10 goals to guide Milan to their seventh European Cup triumph in May, setting up this flurry of awards in a year without a World Cup or European Championship.
In the women’s section, Marta of Brazil clinched the award with 988 points, ahead of Birgit Prinz of Germany with 507 and Cristiane of Brazil with 150. Marta was the top scorer of the 2007 Women's World Cup in China, with seven goals. The 21-year-old led Brazil to the finals, where they were beaten 2-0 by Germany.
"I'm very happy to be here once more, and you can be sure I am going to give my best to be here on other occasions," said Marta, who won the award last year after three consecutive wins by Prinz.
Soccer legend Pele won the President's Award. The Fair Play prize went to FC Barcelona for donating space on its jersey to advertise the U.N. children's fund UNICEF.
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