Wayne Rooney vs Cristiano Ronaldo vs Kaka vs Lionel Messi

Let's have some fun guys. Who do you think is the best among this awesome footballers: Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Lionel Messi.

Wayne Rooney
Age: 23
Position: Forward
Club: Manchester United

United's very own Roy of the Rovers, Rooney made his mark in Manchester with a stunning Champions League hat-trick in a 6-2 thrashing of Fenerbahce, which included a beautifully flighted free-kick.

Rooney, who is set to make his 50th Champions League appearance for United on Wednesday, already has a considerable medal collection having helped the Old Trafford club to three Premier League titles, the Champions League and the Club World Cup - to name but a few.

The former Everton player has the ability to terrorise defences with his speed, strength and vision, and he is equally adept at tackling and tracking back.

Arguably a genius in the making, an incendiary element to his character is the only flaw in his well-rounded game. His kicking of a corner flag at Craven Cottage following his sending off in a 2-0 defeat to Fulham in March merely illustrates this. If he can follow Kipling's advice and keep his head, Rooney will have the world at his feet.

Rating: 7/10.

Watch Rooney on YouTube

Kaká
Age: 27
Position: Forward
Club: Real Madrid.

The Fifa 2007 World Player of the Year had the Midas touch at Milan and helped the Rossoneri win the Champions League in the same season, scoring 10 goals during the tournament. He may not have the blistering pace of a Cristiano Ronaldo, but Kaká can see the game from a bird's eye perspective and is as much a creator of goals as a supreme finisher.

After completing his £68.5 million move to Real Madrid in the summer, the Brazilian will be keen to impress again in a World Cup season.

Rating: 8/10.

Watch Kaká on YouTube

Cristiano Ronaldo
Age: 24
Position: Forward
Club: Real Madrid.

A player who is just as fast with or without the ball at his feet, Ronaldo can leave the best defenders with twisted blood.

The Portuguese, who scooped two Football Writer's Player of the Year awards and a brace of PFA accolades during his time in England, helped Manchester United win the Champions League in 2008 with the opening goal in their defeat of Chelsea.

Crowned Fifa World Player of the Year for 2008 with the Ballon d'Or already in his possession, the one remaining trophy that Ronaldo would dearly love to get his hands on is the World Cup.

Rating: 9/10.

Watch Ronaldo on YouTube

Lionel Messi
Age: 22
Position: Forward
Club: Barcelona.

The catalyst for Barcelona's Champions League triumph over Manchester United last season, this diminutive genius would appear to be the safest bet for this year's Fifa World Player of the Year.

One of a string of Argentine players to have been compared to the great Diego Maradona - and the first to deserve such comparisons - Messi seemingly sows his boot to the ball as he fillets opposition defences.

Proclaimed to be the best in the world by none other than England manager Fabio Capello, Messi may not be the greatest goal scorer, but he is a scorer of great goals.

Rating: 9/10.

Watch Messi on YouTube

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Kaka: Argentina Aren't Doing Too Well

Thinking ahead to the decisive World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina in early September, Kaka only had harsh words for Los Albicelestes.

"Argentina aren't too well, while Brazil, with a victory, will qualify for the World Cup," said Kaka.

In the weeks leading up to the highly anticipated clash between the South American rivals in Rosario, Argentina, several players have had their say on the form of their respective team and that of their rivals.

Kaka's national team teammates Robinho, of Manchester City, affirmed that if Brazil manage to play good football during the game they will moved closer towards another World Cup appearance.

"We need to play well against Argentina, we need to claim a victory and pick up the three points."

In recent weeks Diego Maradona, the coach of Argentina, explained that because his side will face Brazil it will definitely be a "complicated" match, but that his squad will play their "hearts out" in order to win the match.

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Ronaldinho promises to fill Milan's Kaka gap

 

Ronaldinho has vowed to lessen the impact of Kaka's departure by having a "great season" for AC Milan.
The Brazilian playmaker was responding to quotes from owner Silvio Berlusconi over the weekend that called him a "great champion".
Many fans were dismayed at Kaka's high-profile departure but Ronaldinho is vowing to step up his efforts for the Rossoneri and help mount a serious challenge for the Scudetto.
After Milan's comfortable pre-season victory over local side Varese he said: "I want to have a great season and dedicate my efforts to the president.
"I also want to guarantee the fans that I have the right mentality to become a great champion once again."
Ronaldinho had an indifferent campaign last year, making just 16 starts and suffering a slump in form after the Christmas period.
As the club rebuild after coach Carlo Ancelotti's departure, Ronaldinho has also urged the club to sign Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano.
He said: "It would be a great addition, he is a great player and we could form a wonderful trio along with [Alexandre] Pato."


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Kaka: Ronaldo, Beckham, Carlos Told Me Nice Things About Madrid

While the rest of the world had their eyes on the Santiago Bernabeu for Real Madrid’s Monday night coronation of Cristiano Ronaldo, the club’s other galactic star, Kaka was quietly enjoying a party of his own back in Sao Paulo.

Los Blancos’ new No. 8 returned to Brazil for a short holiday after a successful Confederations Cup campaign to celebrate his son, Luca’s first birthday (even though he was born on June 10) and among 
the guests at the party was Elano, Robinho, Ronaldo and F1 driver, Felipe Massa.

During the celebrations, Kaka admitted that he wants to disconnect himself from football for the time being and focus on family. 

“At the moment, my priority is Luca. A lot of people here say to me that I am not Kaka, but the father of Luca,” he told Brazilian TV program, ‘Esporte Espectacular’.

“What I want is for him to grow up well, be happy and be comfortable in Madrid,” he continued.
The playmaker then went on to touch briefly on why he signed for Los Blancos.

“I contacted other Brazilians who have played for Madrid, especially those who were in the national team such as Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos. I even got in touch with [David] Beckham and they all have only nice things to say about Madrid,” he revealed.

“I chose Madrid because of the glamor of the club, because of the fascination people have with them, because of the stadium, the fans, things that you can’t find at any other club in the world.”

Finally, Kaka was asked if his €67 million transfer fee will put any unwanted burden on him.

“At the end of the day, each transfer will involve millions of euros but it is the players who have the least to win,” he replied.

“This is football, an industry where millions of dollars revolve around this spectacle.
“For me, I do not regret anything. Instead, I thank the Milan fans for all the support they’ve provided me all these years but now, I only think about my future with Real Madrid.”
 
Kaka will remain in Brazil to attend the wedding of Alexandre Pato, before returning to the Spanish capital to begin preseason training on July 27 with the rest of the squad.

Kaka surprised by speed of Real's move for Ronaldo

Kaka was surprised Real Madrid swooped for Cristiano Ronaldo so soon after his own move to the Bernabeu was announced.

The Brazilian completed his switch from AC Milan for a fee of around £56m last Monday.
Only three days later, Manchester United confirmed they had accepted a bid of £80m for Ronaldo from Madrid, although the Portugal international has not completed the move.

''I was quite surprised because everything was sorted so quickly,'' Kaka told Globo TV on Monday. ''It was pleasant surprise, not a bad one. He is an excellent player who can bring a lot to the team.
''To have players who can decide a match on their own is very important and Cristiano can do that.''
Asssuming Ronaldo's deal is completed, the double capture of the Portuguese and Kaka represents a stunning raid to land perhaps the best two players in world football.

The amount of money being spent by Madrid under president Florentino Perez, who returned this summer for a second spell in charge, has come in for strong criticism, but Kaka defended the architect of the 'Galacticos' policy.

''It is a political problem,'' Kaka said. ''Florentino has his project, his way to invest. It is not something negative for football, but positive.

''The Barcelona president (Joan Laporta) has criticised us, but they are very strong. The way Real can be a competitive team again is to have an ambitious project like Florentino's.''

Life without Kaka will be difficult for Milan

In summer of 2003, two relatively unknown players, Riccardo Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo, signed for Milan and Manchester United from Sao Paolo and Sporting Lisbon respectively.
In a matter of months both became valuable assets for their new clubs.
Kaka steered Milan to the 2007 Champions League and a year later, Ronaldo helped United beat Chelsea in an unprecedented all-English final to lift their third European Cup. On a personal level, Kaka won the 2007 Golden Ball whereas Ronaldo was given the same France Football award last year.
By sheer coincidence, these two players were Real Madrid's first signings in Florentino Perez's second reign at the club this summer.
Whereas United intend utilising the proceeds made from the sale of Ronaldo (thought to be in the region of €93 million) to bolster an already-strong squad, Milan have used the €64 million cashed in on the sale of Kaka to balance their books.
This move has irked many Rossoneri supporters because the transfer of Kaka is seen as a big step in the wrong direction for a club harbouring aspirations of glory both domestically and on the continent.
In the past, Milan did lose some of their best players but stability in the team was always maintained and they went on to conquer Europe and lift the scudetto.
Marco van Basten's last competitive game for Milan was the 1993 European Cup final. The following season, Milan replaced the Dutch master by giving more playing time to veteran Daniele Massaro.
The move paid rich dividends as in 1993/94 Milan became the second Italian club - after Inter in 1964/65 - to win the scudetto and the European Cup in the same season.
More recently, in summer of 2006, Milan offloaded Andriy Shevchenko to Chelsea and in the following year they went all the way to lifting the Champions League trophy at the expense of Liverpool.
So, can history repeat itself this time around as Brazil duo Ronaldinho and Alexander Pato are now expected to be allowed a free role to operate behind a lone striker, likely to be new signing Emanuel Adebayor (Arsenal).
In other words, can Milan achieve more with less?
The answer to this depends mainly on Milan's new signings.
Ronaldinho was largely out of action for most of last season. If the 2005 Golden Ball winner can hit top-form again, the departure of Kaka could indeed pass unnoticed. Up to 2006, Ronaldinho was considered the best player in the world before hitting a dark patch with Barcelona.
Last season, Ronaldinho showed just a glimpse of his magic but to replace Kaka over an entire campaign he has to step up several gears, keep up in shape and, perhaps, earn his place back in the Brazil national team ahead of the World Cup.
New Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, formerly of Milan, is doing his utmost this summer to prise Pato away from the San Siro.
However, Milan chief Adriano Galliani has insisted several times that the Brazil prodigy is not for sale.
If Pato stays put, Milan could still vie for the honours but if Milan give in to Chelsea's offers, then it becomes pretty obvious that money matters more for Galliani and the rest of the Milan hierarchy.
Pato is Milan's future. For the fans, he has become what Kaka has represented after the departure of Shevchenko.
In recent years, Milan signed seasoned players, putting commercial interests as priority ahead of football matters. But there are indications this summer that the trend is changing as Milan have already snapped up a number of promising youngsters in the shape of Ignazio Abate (Torino), Giacomo Beretta (Albinoleffe) and Gianmarco Zigoni (Treviso).
Club supremo Silvio Berlusconi was criticized in the past for having appointed novices Arrigo Sacchi and then Fabio Capello at the helm of the team. But results have always proved the Italian premier right.
Given the prevailing negative economic climate around the globe, it was inevitable not to sell Kaka at such a conspicuous transfer fee. Milan have a mammoth task in replacing the Brazil wizard but with the right moves and signings, this seemingly-insurmountable hurdle could be overcame.
It is a matter of belief.


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40,000 fans welcome Kaka to Real Madrid

Around 40,000 fans flocked to Real Madrid's Estadio Bernabeu to see the presentation of new signing Kaka.

The Brazilian playmaker - signed from AC Milan three weeks ago for around 65 million euros ($91.31 million) - was presented to the fans and media Tuesday by new club president Florentino Perez, who said that the Brazilian was 'unique and special' and 'an icon of our times'. 

Kaka, for his part, said that 'today is a very special day for me. I am very happy to start a new stage in my career at Real Madrid, and I hope to write my name into the history of this great club.' 

It was then announced that Kaka will wear the No.8 shirt for Real. The Spanish giants have already sold more than 2,000 Kaka replica shirts, without any number on them. 

Kaka, 27, flew into Madrid Tuesday morning from South Africa, where he had guided Brazil to triumph at the Confederations Cup. He underwent rigorous medical checks at the Estadio Bernabeu and then put his name to a lucrative six-year contract. 

Perez, who returned as Real president June 1, is prepared to spend more than 250 million euros building a star-studded team to challenge European champions Barcelona. 

He has also signed Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United for a world record fee of around 94 million euros, and defender Raul Albiol from Valencia. 

Ronaldo will be presented to the media July 6, Albiol later next week. 

According to the Spanish media, Perez' next transfer targets are Liverpool pair Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa, plus Valencia's David Villa and Franck Ribery of Bayern Munich.

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Kaka and the Backstreet Boys

MANCHESTER CITY’S Brazilian star striker Robinho has tried to embarrass his international teammate Kaka upon the former AC Milan attacker’s transfer to Spanish giants Real Madrid by making public knowledge the €67.2 million (RM319.6m)-rated player’s love for popular 1990’s boyband, the Backstreet Boys.

When asked about the musical preferences of the 27-year-old Kaka, Robinho, himself a former player of Real, is reported to have said to the press, “Kaka? Music? He will only listen to the Backstreet Boys!”

The Backstreet Boys, a boy band, are best known for their smash-hits such as: Quit Playing Games With My Heart, As Long As You Love Me and Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely.

Kaka could car-pool’ with Manchester United’s £80 million (RM465.4m) star Cristiano Ronaldo, should they both live in the same vicinity of Real’s Santiago Bernabeu home, as the Portugal international is also partial to the odd cheesy single and is said to have Phil Collins in his CD-rack.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo’s attacking teammate of five years, Wayne Rooney, is said to be friends with rap mogul P Diddy (formerly known as Puff Daddy) after the England international, together with his wife, Colleen McLoughlin, won a weekend with the Come With Me star during a fund-raising bash hosted by David Beckham.

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Stuart Taylor has become the third signing of the summer for City from from Aston Villa for an undisclosed fee.

Taylor who followed the same path of midfielder Gareth Barry, and also traded Villa Park for the City of Manchester Stadium, and manager Mark Hughes were delighted to have sealed the deal. The other player signed is Roque Santa Cruz from Blackburn Rovers.

“We are delighted to be able to add a goalkeeper of Taylor’s undoubted calibre to the squad,” Hughes told the club’s website. “He is still a fairly young goalkeeper at 28 but he provides a wealth of experience and reliability.”

Taylor will provide cover and competition for firstchoice Shay Given, and will also pave the way for Joe Hart to leave the club on a loan deal in order to secure first-team football in the build-up to the World Cup in South Africa next year.

Hart is keen to play regular football so that he can play his way into contention for England boss Fabio Capello’s 2010 squad.


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Kaka ready to assume more responsibility

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa (AFP) — Superstar Kaka, buoyed by his recent high-profile move from AC Milan to Real Madrid, is ready to accept more responsibility as a senior player with Brazil.
The 27-year-old, who signed a six-year contract with the Spanish giants for a reported fee of 65 million euros earlier this month, recognises his growing stature as a senior player in Dunga's national team.
His willingness to step up was evident in Brazil's 4-3 victory over Egypt in the Confederations Cup here.
When the referee blew for a penalty in injury time with the scores tied 3-3, the Brazil No.10 showed no hesitation, immediately making his way to the spot before placing his strike past goalkeeper Essam El Hadary.
"Yes, I'm now a leader within the squad. Definitely not the only one, but one of several," he told Fifa.com.
"It is to be expected that more senior players such as myself, Gilberto Silva, Lucio or even Robinho should take on more responsibilities.
"It's a role that I take in my stride as it's a natural progression, it's not something that was forced upon me."
His decision to step forward for the penalty kick in a pressure situation was seen by many as a defining moment and one that he said he had learned to handle during his time at AC Milan.
"I think that my attitude is what people expect from me in the national team," said the midfielder, who will link up with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real next season after the Portuguese forward's move from Manchester United.
"As for the crucial penalty against Egypt, for example, I'm used to those situations from my last few seasons at AC Milan, so it's only natural that I should perform a similar role for the national team."
Kaka was at AC Milan since arriving from Sao Paolo in 2003, scoring 70 goals in Serie A and 23 in the Champions League.
He won the 2007 Champions League with them, the 2004 league title, two European Super Cups and the world club championship in 2007.
His experience also stretches to World Cups.
He was part of the winning squad at Korea/Japan in 2002, though in a peripheral role, and was a starter at Germany 2006 in a team packed with household names like Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Cafu and Ronaldinho.
Despite his high-profile summer transfer the Brasilia-born attacking midfielder, crowned FIFA World Player of the Year in 2007, was not at his best last season, spending time on the sidelines with injuries.
But he is now fit and gnashing at the bit, keen to see Brazil win the Confederations Cup and do well at the World Cup in South Africa next year.
"Playing in the Confederations Cup is a great opportunity ahead of the 2010 World Cup, and as long as we remain strong in adversity like against Egypt, I think we'll be on the right track," he said.


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Brazil coach Dunga takes big gamble

It’s weird. Brazil arrive in Johannesburg this week and nobody’s making a fuss.

The last time Brazil dropped by, for that wonderful 3-2 friendly victory over Bafana Bafana in 1997, South Africa was practically speaking in tongues.

Since then, we’ve grown up a bit, while Brazil have slipped a floor in the elevator of world football. Spain have usurped their position as the most stylish team in world football and coach Carlos Dunga’s talent pool is strangely patchy.

Dunga isn’t even thinking about the Confederations Cup — first, he must negotiate a treacherous World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Wednesday.

And the squad that will cross the Atlantic a day later is a brave, experimental one.

For us lowly mortals, picking a national football team is a simple culinary task. Pick the two best players in each position — using cold statistics as your measure — then season lightly with one chilli-hot youngster. Stir vigorously for two weeks and serve hot. Voila!

But Dunga is no lowly mortal. Like every other guardian of the Seleçao (Brazilian team), he is mandated to make football history. That requires a visionary, not just a humdrum chef kow- towing to an easy recipe.

So Dunga craves a vindication rush: that sweet moment when a risky selection triumphs, thus proving everybody wrong but the much-maligned genius in the dugout.

Carlos Alberto Parreira also chased the vindication rush when he was in charge. He got it in 1994, when the most defensive Brazilian team in history won the World Cup, with Dunga as captain.

No cigar in 2006, though, when Parreira stubbornly persisted with Roberto Carlos, Cafu and Ronaldo — and that trio’s geriatric efforts vindicated millions of nay sayers.

Maybe it’s a Brazilian thing, this urge to gamble. Bafana Bafana coach Joel Santana recently took a wild flier by snubbing an 18-goal striker in favour of a three-goal striker. Either that, or he was just taking the piss.

In his Confederations Cup selection, Dunga has done something similar by ignoring Wolfsburg goal fiend Grafite — the Bundesliga’s top scorer this season with 28 strikes — and persisting with the off-form Luis Fabiano, who has netted just eight times for Sevilla.

Dunga also gambled on the fast-fading Gilberto Silva and the ring-rusty Elano, and dumped Ronaldinho.

But the reaction in Brazil has not been hostile, mainly because Dunga called up five Brazil- based stars in Nilmar, Ramires, Victor, Kleber and Andre Santos. The homeboys have been an endangered species in the Seleçao lately, so the new blood has been applauded.

Group rivals Italy should be wary of Internacional striker Nilmar and attacking midfielder Ramires, who has just transferred to Benfica from Cruzeiro.

Nilmar had an average season with Olympique Lyon in 2005, but since returning to Brazil with Corinthians and now Internacional, he has matured into a scintillating forward.

For evidence, visit YouTube and savour Nilmar’s Maradonesque solo goal against Corinthians last month, in which he made six defenders look like donkeys in shorts.

Ramires, a dynamic, goal- scoring midfielder, is nicknamed “Queniano Azul” — the Blue Kenyan — on account of his Cruzeiro shirt, his dark complexion and his exceptional speed and stamina. He’s not a Ronaldinho or a Rivaldo, but there are no emerging talents of that calibre available.

Brazilian football is at a low ebb at present, especially in attacking positions. Ronaldinho has declined, Adriano is an emotional wreck and while Robinho has been picked, he has stagnated at Manchester City.

Much is now expected of Alexandre Pato, the AC Milan wunderkind who’s excelling in Serie A but has yet to look the business in a yellow jersey.

It would be a sad state of affairs if Dunga cannot assemble a world-class strike force from the ocean of players at his disposal.

So history beckons for Nilmar, Ramires and Pato. And for Brazilian footballers, history is a harsh judge.


Brazil squad

Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), Heurelho Gomes (Tottenham Hotspur), Victor (Gremio).

Defenders: Maicon (Inter Milan), Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Alex (Chelsea), Juan (AS Roma), Lucio (Bayern Munich), Luisao (Benfica), Kleber (Internacional), Andre Santos (Corinthians).

Midfielders: Anderson (Manchester United), Gilberto Silva (Panathinaikos), Josue (VfL Wolfsburg), Ramires (Cruzeiro), Elano (Manchester City), Felipe Melo (Fiorentina), Julio Baptista (AS Roma), Kaka (AC Milan).

Forwards: Alexandre Pato (AC Milan), Luis Fabiano (Sevilla), Nilmar (Internacional), Robinho (Manchester City).


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Real Madrid Ace Kaka: I Will Always Support Milan

Kaka may be a Real Madrid player now, but he will always be a Milan supporter.

The Rossoneri and los Blancos finalised Kaka’s transfer to the Bernabeu on Monday for a reported €67.2 million, leading to the 27-year-old committing his future to the Spanish club for the next six seasons.

But during a press conference in Recife, where Kaka is on international duty with Brazil in preparation for the Confederations Cup, the player insisted that the deal was made in the interest of the Rossoneri, who are struggling to make ends meet in the current economic recession.

And Kaka sent a text message to the Milan Channel yesterday afternoon, reassuring supporters that he will forever carry the Rossoneri in his heart.

“Nothing could ever erase Milan and all the people who have been part of my heart for these six years. I will always support Milan,” read the message.

Kaka arrived at Milan in 2003 from Sao Paulo. During his time in Italy he won a Scudetto, a Supercoppa Italiana, a Champions League, a FIFA Club World Cup, two UEFA Super Cups and claimed the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2007.


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David Beckham convinced me to join Real Madrid - Kaka

 

On joining Real Madrid for a world record £59m, Brazilian playmaker Kaka revealed that England's David Beckham, a former team-mate at AC Milan, convinced him to move to the Spanish captial.

He also said that the current global downturn convinced him now was the right time to switch.

"I can officially say I'm a Real Madrid player," the 27-year-old said, who turned down a move to the Premier League and Manchester City in January. "My professional link with AC Milan finishes now, but my sentimental link will never end.

"I spoke to some friends, like Beckham, who has already played for Real. He said it's a fantastic place to play. I spoke to him this past week and he kept helping me, he said I made a positive choice for my career's growth.

"Real Madrid intend to build a great team, with historic players such as Raul and Iker Casillas. We will make history again, both in Spain and Europe. I guess the sport project is very good.

"Manchester City and Real Madrid are two different clubs with different situations. At that time (January), it was mid-season, I had a strong emotional impact due to the Italian fans requesting me to stay, and I decided to stay.

"Now another chance came up and AC Milan is in a big crisis (financially). For me, the sporting project (at Madrid) is interesting and will be an important boost to continue my career in the highest level.
"I wanted to stay on at Milan, but the world (financial) crisis affected a lot of clubs, especially those like Milan which are businesses.

"So then, I spoke with the Milan directors and we reached the conclusion that the best thing for everybody would be to sell."

Kaka also revealed that new Real president Florentino Perez has been busy "making contact" with potential targets as he looks to revive his 'Galacticos' project.

In Perez's previous stint with the club, he oversaw the acquisitions of global stars of Luis Figo, Ronaldo and David Beckham, as well as Zidane.

The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, David Villa and Franck Ribery have also been linked to the Spanish capital club since Perez's unopposed election signalled the return of their vast spending.

Kaka continued: "The president (Perez) is already making contact (with potential signings) and is putting together a competitive team, one which will try to once again become champions in Spain and Europe. That's why I chose Madrid.

"They have historic players there already, such as Raul or Casillas. Real Madrid will be an important challenge for me. We're going to win many titles again."

He also revealed that although the deal was only announced last night, it had been in the pipeline for some time, adding: "I wanted this move to be announced sooner. For me it's a relief that it has been announced now, although I have always be 100% focussed on the national side.


"I've been weighing up the offer from Real Madrid a lot. It's an important project for me to continue growing in my career. I'm not going to Real Madrid for money, as I had other offers. But I knew I would only leave Milan to play for Real Madrid.

"Only small details were missing, such as the medical exams I passed this morning. The deal was sealed long time ago".

He also said he hoped to put an end to Barcelona's dominance of Spanish and European football, after the Merengues' arch-rivals swept all before them this season en route to claiming Spain's first league, cup and Champions League treble.

"This will be a tough season at Real Madrid, after all that Messi conquered with Barcelona," he said.

"They're the big favourites and deservedly so. I hope Barcelona's hegemony will end in the coming years. Real Madrid will build a great team to win titles again, as it's the club's history."

Meanwhile he revealed he fell uncomfortable taking on the number five jersey once worn by Zinedine Zidane.
Perez had admitted he would like to see the Brazilian playmaker take on the shirt, but Kaka said he would not feel comfortable doing so.

He said: "Wearing the number five would be a great responsibility. Zidane was a great player, both for Real Madrid and for France, and I wouldn't like to wear the same number as he did.

"We're going to wait a bit before deciding which one to use."

And finally he had words of gratitude to Milan for launching his career in Europe, while he was also elusive about whether he would end his career in Madrid.

"I will be 33 years old by the time the (Madrid) contract ends, with the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 still to come. Lots of things will happen," he said.

"I'm not thinking today in ending my career at 33. I expect to write history there and sign a new contract, who knows, until 35. May be I'll retire then."

He added: "I want to thank Milan, as they were the club who put me on the international scene. They gave me the opportunity to become a big name in Europe.

"I'm happy to leave Milan by the front door, with a lot of friends. It has been very emotional to see what the Milan fans have done for me."



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Kaka set to be confirmed as a Real Madrid player

The 27-year-old AC Milan playmaker was given permission to meet with Real officials between World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Paraguay and is thought to have passed both initial tests and a full medical at the national team's base in Recife.

Providing there are no last-minute problems Kaka will become Real's first signing following the return of Florentino Perez as club president.

If the deal is concluded the fee is expected to be £56m, which would smash the previous world record of £47m paid by Real to Juventus in 2001 for Zinedine Zidane and could be the first in a new wave of 'Galáctico' signings.

Kaka, who converted a penalty in Brazil's 4-0 win in Uruguay on Saturday, has refused to discuss his future since joining up with the Brazil squad last Tuesday.

When he last spoke publically about his future, Kaka insisted he was desperate to stay at the San Siro, but the economic realities of such a huge transfer fee mean Milan are eager to do business in order to provide new boss Leonardo with transfer funds. Ironically, it was Leonardo who helped persuade Kaka to join Milan from São Paulo in 2003.

Confirming that the medical had taken place a statement on the Brazilian Football Federation website read: ''The technical committee of the Brazilian national team attended the request of Kaka and the board of Real Madrid and released the player to perform the routine examinations in a clinic in Recife.

''The CBF had to make all the arrangements for the test through its Medical Department head Jose Luiz Runco, who accompanied the player during the tests.''

Regardless of whether a deal is completed on Monday or early on Tuesday Real Madrid will have to wait before they can parade Kaka at the Santiago Bernabeu due to Kaka's commitments with Brazil.

After entertaining Paraguay in Recife on Wednesday, Brazil begin their Confederations Cup campaign against Egypt next Monday and will be in action until June 28 if they make it through the tournament.

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Kaka Signs Real Madrid Shirt

Milan ace Kaka is behaving like a Real Madrid player already, dropping another hint that he has all but joined the Primera Division club after he autographed one of their shirts, according to reports in Brazil.

Globoesporte.com claims the Brazilian ace is currently in Uruguay with the Selecao and he did not object to signing a Real Madrid shirt with his name on it when a fan pulled out the famous jersey and asked him to initial it.

"He was very nice. He saw the shirt and he signed it near the club's badge," the fan told the Brazilian paper.

"He was very good about signing the shirt."

The latest news from Italy claims Kaka will reveal all his future plans during a press conference in Recife on Monday, where he is likely to announce his passage to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Kaka's signature on the shirt seems to confirm reports that he will become a Real Madrid player. The move comes just hours after Rossoneri patron Silvio Berlusconi claimed his man wanted to leave.


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Kaka reiterates Milan stance

AC Milan star Kaka has reiterated that he does not want to leave San Siro, as reports suggest he is set to follow Carlo Ancelotti to Chelsea.

Speculation has suggested that informal talks over a £70million deal have already started as the Blues look to tempt the Brazilian to the Premier League, while returning Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is also a long-term admirer.

Ancelotti's appointment as manager at Stamford Bridge was confirmed on Monday and the Italian is set to begin a three-year contract at the beginning of July with the aim of securing the UEFA Champions League.

It is rumoured that Kaka is top of the 49-year-old's wanted list as he plans tweaks to his inherited, ageing squad, with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich understood to be prepared to spend big this summer.
World record

But Kaka, who broke into the Milan side under former boss Ancelotti, insists he is staying in Italy, telling Gazzetta dello Sport: "I say it for the last time. I don't want to leave Milan."

The playmaker appeared to be on the verge of a world-record switch to Manchester City in the winter transfer window before the deal collapsed as Milan opted out of selling.

Kaka's potential move to Eastlands was shrouded in controversy as it was suggested the player was being forced out of Italy against his wishes.

The 27-year-old has now stated that he will make no further comment upon his future so that there is no confusion over his desire to stay at Milan.

Silent

"In this period I prefer to remain silent because I don't want to be misunderstood," he added.

"To the millions of Milan supporters, I say that I have made my choice. I want to stay."

Kaka admits that he is in a debt of gratitude to Ancelotti after he was offered the opportunity to shine.

"I owe him a lot. He opened the doors for me in Italian football," he concluded.


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Florentino Perez: Kaka Was Born To Play For Real Madrid

As the Kaka saga looks set to reach boiling point in the next few days, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez was like a child waiting for his birthday as he expressed his obvious excitement ahead the Monday press conference.

Speaking in an interview on the Punto pelota show, Perez declared, “Kaka is one of those players that was born to play for Real Madrid. In some ways he reminds me of Zidane in that respect.”

In reference to the news that Kaka had earlier signed a replica Real Madrid shirt for a fan in Brazil, Perez added:
“Has he signed already? I am extremely excited to see what could happen on Monday.”

Kaka's current club, AC Milan, have insisted that any move to the Spanish giants will happen only if the player himself wants it to.
One way or another, the Brazilian will let the world, and the excited Mr Perez, know on Monday.



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Kaka Can Leave Milan For €65m

Kaka patiently awaits questions from journalists during the 2008 FIFA World Player Gala in Zurich (PA)

AC Milan are preparing to tell interested parties that Kaka can leave if they are willing to pay €65 million to help pay off debts that the club accumulated last season.

The Italian giants have been reported to be ready to listen to offers and that could see Florentino Perez seek to secure an early deal to take him to Real Madrid.

Corriere dello Sport state that holding company Fininvest, which is owned by Italy's president and Milan supremo Silvio Berlusconi, does not want to take the debt on board.

With a deficit of €66.8 million from last term, the sale of Kaka would wipe that out in an instant and allow the club to start planning for next term.

Milan already have a replacement for the former Ballon d'Or winner in Yoann Gourcuff, whom they would prevent from joining Bordeaux on a permanent basis after his loan spell at the club.

Kaka was on the verge of joining Manchester City in January before the potential move fell apart, but Milan's willingness to listen to the bid affected their relationship with the player.

Madrid have constantly been linked with the Brazilian after Ramon Calderon included him as one of the players he promised, and failed, to sign in his presidential election manifes


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AC Milan denies Real Madrid to sign Brazilian playmaker Kaka

MILAN — Italian giant AC Milan denied Saturday that any deal had been agreed between Kaka and Real Madrid presidential hopeful Florentino Perez that would see the Brazil playmaker move to the Spanish powerhouse.

The club's website carried a statement from Bosco Leite, Kaka's father and legal representative, that any information about a possible deal was unreliable.

"There is no agreement with Real Madrid, and the statement, according to which the player has already signed a contract with the Spanish club, isn't true," Leite said.

Spanish sports newspaper Marca reported Saturday that Perez had negotiated a fee of 63 million euros (C$100 million) for Kaka, who had agreed to sign a five-year contract with an annual salary of eight million euros (C$12.7 million) should Perez regain control of the Spanish club.

"Kaka is still concentrated on the final games of the season and still very tied to Milan. Any information about the career of the athlete is to be considered credible and official only if it comes from his legal representative or from Milan. Any other source of information should be considered unreliable," the Milan website said

According to Marca, all that remained to be agreed between Perez - who oversaw Madrid's 'galactico' policy when he was formerly club president - and Milan was the commission which would be paid to Leite.

Kaka, the 2007 World Player of the Year, said last month he intended to stay with Milan and had not been in contact with Madrid. Earlier this season, Manchester City failed in an attempt to sign the Brazil midfielder after bidding around 110 million euros (C$175 million).

Kaka is said to be just one of many transfer targets for Perez, who announced Thursday that he would stand in next month's poll of club members in a bid to return to the presidency he quit in 2006.

It is standard in Spanish club elections for candidates to organize new signings to encourage members to vote for them.

Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery and Valencia's David Villa are others who Perez reportedly hopes to sign for next season as he attempts to reactivate the galactico policy which brought the likes of Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and Ronaldo to Madrid during his first tenure.

Marca said Perez's interest in signing Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo has waned due to his high value on the transfer market and supposed temperamental character.

Perez, the head of Spanish construction giant ACS, aims to revamp a Madrid team which has been eclipsed by rivals Barcelona this season.

The Catalan club, which won the Copa del Rey last Wednesday, would win the Spanish league title later Saturday if Madrid failed to win at Villarreal. Barcelona has also reached the Champions League final, in which it faces United on May 27.

At present, Perez is the only candidate to announce his intention to stand in Madrid's election and there remains the chance he will be unopposed. If so, Perez would begin his second tenure on June 1.

Perez's spell as Madrid president from 2000 to 2006 saw the club winning two league titles and one Champions League. Madrid then suffered its worst trophy drought for over 50 years when it went three seasons without silverware, shuffling through five coaches over that time.

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Kaka and Pirlo on wishlist as Ancelotti prepares to join Chelsea

David Beckham shares a joke with Carlo Ancelotti in Tirana yesterday ahead of AC Milan's friendly against Albania

Chelsea remain confident that Carlo Ancelotti will become their new manager and are already discussing their summer transfer plans with the Italian.

The Serie A veteran has signed a pre-contract agreement on a three-year deal to take over at Stamford Bridge at the end of the season and, as part of those talks, Ancelotti has told Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich that he would like to bring players with him from AC Milan -- in particular Andrea Pirlo and Kaka (below), who is likely to leave the San Siro.

While those discussions are at an early stage, and no specific moves have been made as yet, sources close to Ancelotti last night dismissed suggestions the 49-year-old was having second thoughts about joining Chelsea or had been set an ultimatum by Abramovich.

With AC Milan trailing Inter by seven points in Serie A, Silvio Berlusconi, who is in Egypt as part of his duties as Italian prime minister, is reported to have told tourists at the Sharm el Sheikh resort that it is "all Ancelotti's fault" that the club will not win a trophy this season.

While conflicting comments have swirled around Ancelotti for months, and should be treated with caution, Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani did little to refute the claims yesterday.

Abramovich has pursued Ancelotti for some time -- despite the fact that the coach has worked only in Italy -- because of his pedigree of winning the Champions League.

Abramovich has already made clear to Ancelotti that he will bid for Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor -- who the Italian wanted at Milan -- as well as Carlos Tevez and CSKA Moscow's Yuri Zhirkov.

Some of Ancelotti's most important players at Milan can be added to that wish list.

Pirlo, who is 30 next week and has two years left on his contract, has attracted interest from Chelsea in the past and has been key to Ancelotti's plans at Milan, where he has evolved into the club's playmaker. The Italy international has indicated in the past that he does not want to leave Milan but could be tempted this time.

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Manchester United deny interest in Kaka & Ribery

The Old Trafford club have moved swiftly to quash rumours that Bayern Munich’s unsettled French midfielder will be subject of a £62.5m bid

Manchester United have reacted quickly to distance themselves from fairly well-substantiated reports yesterday that they were readying a world-record £62.5m bid for French international Franck Ribery from Bayern Munich. The Old Trafford club said the rumours were not worthy of comment, which allied to Cristiano Ronaldo's description last week of a putative move to Real Madrid as "dead", would suggest that we're still waiting for the big saga of the summer to present itself. They also dismissed any talk of a bid for AC Milan's Brazilian superstar Kaka...

Newcastle's patience with Joey Barton has finally snapped after the midfielder's latest lapse of discipline, a two-footed lunge at Anfield that earned him a red card and saw him banned for the rest of the season. The club is willing to take a large loss on the £5.8m they paid Manchester City for him, with Blackburn Rovers, Stoke City, Bolton Wanderers and Portsmouth all willing to take on the 26-year-old whose career has been dogged by trouble. Rovers boss Sam Allardyce brought Barton to St James's Park when manager there two years ago, and is considered front-runner to land him...

Croatian winger Danijel Pranjic has been linked with Liverpool after impressing this season for Dutch side Heerenveen. The left-sided 27-year-old can play anywhere down the flank, but has excelled in attack, notching up 16 goals so far this term. Pranjic has described a transfer to Merseyside as being a "dream move", but Rafa Benitez would face competition from Spanish sides Sevilla and Real Betis...

Harry Redknapp's summer spending spree is just weeks away, and one of the many names on his list is that of Bordeaux attacker Marouane Chamakh. The 25-year-old has been the target of scouts from clubs across the continent after notching up 10 goals this season for the Girondins, and while Bordeaux would rather not sell the Moroccan international, £8m could prove to be too good an offer to turn down.

Kaka + Ribery? Damn!


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