AWAITING THE VERDICT

11/8/2007 7:40:00 PM

"I always try to give my best on the pitch, then what happens off it does not depend on me, but certainly I would like to receive an award as prestigious as the Golden Ball." - THE WORDS OF KAKÁ -



(ON THE PICTURE: KAKÁ IN ACTION DURING SHAKHTAR-MILAN ON 6 NOVEMBER 2007)

MILAN - Here are the declarations of Kaká to the microphones of Milan Channel at the end of today's training session:

Ricky, there are rumours that you have won the Golden Ball of 2007...
"These rumours are certainly a good sign. Until now I did not hear anything, I continue to do what I have to do, my work."

You scored an important goal Tuesday night against Shakhtar in Donetsk.
"Yes, it was an important goal, a nice goal. Now every match is important for these types of awards, I always try to give my best on the pitch, then what happens off the pitch does not depend on me, but certainly I would like to receive an award as prestigious as the Golden Ball."

You and Inzaghi found each other easily on Tuesday against Shakhtar.
"Yes, Pippo gave me the assist for the second goal and then I gave him the ball for the third goal. These things are important for the team because this shows we are united and together we want to achieve many great things.

Then during games where we have little space to attack we have to be patient, as it happened in the first half on Tuesday. In the second half the team interpreted the game well. But it's always a good thing to be patient during matches."

Ronaldo?
"Ronie was the first to celebrate when we scored the first goal, he's eager to make his return and it's nice to see him so happy to have returned with the group. Let's hope to see him back on the pitch and score one of his trademark goals."

On Sunday against Atalanta you could go on the pitch with Ronie and Pippo.
"On Sunday at Bergamo it will be an important match for us, we don't yet know what formation the coach will use, but it's possible he will decide to play with two strikers, with Ronaldo and Inzaghi in front of me, now it's still early to talk about it, we'll see in the next few days."

Then 'the rumors' were true!

The name of the winner somehow leaked while there's about three weeks left till the presentation (December 2).

Are we surprised? hell no! it was obvious he will win it right from May 23!

What?? Him...that goddamn Brazillian showboat!!!

What about Andy P!!!!

Does Andy P deserve the Ballon d'Or as much as Kaka?

Reverse the question, and then you'd have something....

Does Kaka deserve the Ballon d'Or as much as Andy P?

WC hero and imo MVP. CL winner. Might not have hit the headlines with goals, might not have the good look of the Brazillian kid, but maaaan can he play.

Kaka had a super CL, a crap WC and a decent Serie A.

Pirlo had a good CL , a great WC and a just below par Serie A (esp towards the end).


I'm voting Italian baby!!

If the WC (2006) could have any influence on this award, it was in last edition (at the end of 2006). what Cannavaro win it for then?

This edition doesn't have anything to do with the WC (as it chooses the best player over the past 12 months (from December 2006 to December 2007 - so WC (June/July 2006) doesn't get involved in that). the only, and the best, point of reference to choose the winner is the 2006-2007 CL. and who was the 2006-2007 CL's best player overall? undoubtedly Kaka.

And Kaka has collected all this year's individual/team awards and honors:

1. UEFA Champions League Top Scorer
2. UEFA Champions League Fans' Player of the Season
3. UEFA Champions League Best Forward
4. UEFA Club Footballer of the Year (Most Valuable Player)
5. UEFA Champions League Winner
6. UEFA Super Cup Winner
7. O Globe, Kicker, Gazzetta dello Sport, The Times and SKY Sport's Best Player in the World
8. FIFPro World Player of the Year

Wouldn't it be a shame if he failed to win the most prestigious one?

I understand your feelings about Pirlo, he's our midfield mastermind after all. but we owe a good percent of our CL success to Kaka.

I was joking about Pirlo. You're right the WC was a loong time ago. I forgot about that.


Well Kaka it is then. As long as Clarence and Pirlo win it next year.

^^^

Let's hope a Milanese (minus black-blue worms) win it next year

Sky Italia: Kaka Wins The Golden Ball

Sky Italia has reported that Kaka is the winner of the 2007 Golden Ball (Ballon d'Or) award.

The prestigious prize, awarded by France Football magazine, is given to the the World Footballer of the Year as judged by a panel of footballing journalists.

This year, it seems that Kaka has run away with it and, under cover of darkness, he was told last night.

So, too, were his club, AC Milan, and that seems to be the source of the leak. The rossoneri were informed so as to allow them to make preparations for Kaka's presence at the imminent awards ceremony.

As such, Sky Italia said after midnight, "Kaka is the new winner of the Golden Ball, with Milan now making preparations for the player to travel to pick up first prize in Japan."

In the morning, Tuttosport added, "Kaka is the Golden Ball winner, as announced by [AC Milan vice-president Adriano] Galliani."

Perhaps it's not official, then, but it seems that Kaka is indeed in line to lift football's greatest individual prize.

He will inherit the award from Fabio Cannavaro, who beat Gigi Buffon and Thierry Henry to the prize last year, and in doing so will become the first AC Milan player to lift the trophy since Andriy Shevchenko in 2004.

At this time, it is unknown how many votes Kaka received, and who will receive the awards for second and third place. Selecting from a final shortlist of 50, each eligible journalist votes for five players in decreasing order of preference, with the two runners-up also gaining recognition.
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you mean this?

My only guess is Ricky won with such BIG a margin, that it didn't matter anymore

I hope it's true!

Pirlo does not deserve the Golden Ball... not for the last 12 months that is!

^^^
Thank you...:realamad:

Hmmph....Andy P doesn't want it anyway, it's fake gold!

They are always leaking the name of the winner a few weeks before. But who else could have won it this year? C. Ronaldo?

Please please stop it with those CR remarks, I feel sorry for the lad already

Yeah... cause you earn much more than him and you have just won the EPL!

First part is true, second part is you being sarcastic.

U must have missed the clip I put on

BTW now we have 8 winners (even for the first place with Juve. Madrid in the third place with only six).

Only!? You make it sound like winning it 6 times in a bad thing!

Relatively for them yes. With all the hype that they are 'number one team ever' that some believe, it's not that much.