Kaká and Brazil Clean Up at FIFA World Player Gala

Exactly zero people were surprised last night when Kaká picked up the FIFA World Player of the Year award in Zurich, with Leo Messi finishing second and Cristiano Ronaldo third. Despite a very averag Serie A season with AC Milan, Kaká won both the Champions League and the Club World Cup this year, and can now add this World Player of the Year to his Ballon d’Or and World Soccer Player of the Year award. Not a bad year’s work, but my sympathies to whoever does the Brazilian’s polishing.

Brazil absolutely cleaned up at the awards. The incredible Marta won her second consecutive Women’s World Player of the Year award, Buru won the Beach Soccer Player of the Year and Pele was there to receive the FIFA Presidential Award to recognize his contribution to the beautiful game.

And that about does it for the 2007 awards season. Though Kaká deserves his shelf-full of trophies for his Champions League exploits (if not his Serie A performances) I’ll be looking forward to 2008 where hopefully there’ll be a bit more suspense surrounding the handing out of awards, instead of this year’s series of foregone conclusions.

A complete and quite scary list of Kaká’s individual accomplishments in 2007 can be found here.

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