AC Milan star Kaka has backed Barcelona midfielder Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d'Or. Kaka is also on the shortlist to win this year's award.

“Messi is a truly great player. Cristiano Ronaldo is also very good and deserves the away, but I want Leo to be my successor,” he told Gazzetta dello Sport.

“He has incredible ability and can control the ball superbly and that makes him one of the best players in the world.

“I think he is the sort of player that you would always want in your team.

“I am only talking about this year. My aim is to recover my form as quickly as possible and to try and win th trophy again in Paris and the FIFA World Player of the Year in Zürich.

“But for that to happen I have to be playing at a consistently good level for Milan.”

FC Barcelona youthful star Messi shines at world stage.


Although AC Milan's Kaka won the 2007 FIFA World Player of The Year Award, the Brazilian was praised along with Argentine and Barca marvel, Lionel Messi and third placed Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United. Kaka polled 1,047 votes ahead of Messi's 504 votes and Ronaldo's 426. Chelsea's Didier Drogba was vote fourth, while another FC Barcelona super star, Ronaldinho was voted fifth.


Kaka was commended by legend, Pele, who handed the award over to the winner. Pele also recognized the skills of Lionel Messi, as the great scorer of over 1,000 career goals said of the Barca star:

Lionel Messi has played some great football this year.

Lionel Messi was also voted the third best player in Europe.

Manchester United´s superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has publicly snubbed suggestions of a move to Real Madrid. The two Spanish giants FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are both linked with a move for the Portuguese international, despite Barca´s Txiki Begiristain denying any approach. Still his latest comments are pulling him closer to FC Barcelona, should he decide to leave Old Trafford. Ronaldo is currently in new contract negotiations with Manchester United but refused to take any decision before the summer. The 22-year old Ronaldo revealed:

I'm not a Galactico. I'm only thinking about United and I want to stay here for more than two more years. I consider myself a United footballer who is playing well and trying to help the team. If things keep going well, I want to stay here. I want to leave my mark on this era, win titles and be a figure in the history of this club.

Portugues "Don Balon" magazine claims that Cristiano Ronaldo already signed a pre-contract with FC Barcelona.
At the same time, the Manchester United winger Ronaldo snubbed Real Madrid, by claiming he is not a "Galactico".


But FC Barcelona´s technical secretary Txiki Begiristain denies the Spanish champions having made any approach for the Manchester United superstar. Begiristain said:

He's a great player but we've made no move to sign him.

Sir Alex Ferguson has accused Real Madrid and Barcelona of using United's Cristiano Ronaldo as a pawn in their presidential election campaigns. Both Spanish giants, Real Madrid and European Champions FC Barcelona have been heavily linked with a move for the young Portuguese star.


Currently, Manchester Untited are in negotiations with Cristiano Ronaldo over a lucrative contract extension until 2010.


Last week, Ronaldo expressed that he is not in rush to accept any offer and that he will wait to sign any new deal.


Now it looks that Ferguson is trying out his own little tricks and negotiating tactics in claiming that Ronaldo is only used as a pawn trying to discredit the two Spanish clubs:


Ferguson claimed:

Let's be perfectly clear, Barcelona and Real Madrid have been doing this ever since I have been at this club. When the elections are on, the best player in the world is always used, there is no doubt about that. Cristiano is not silly enough not to realise he is being used as a pawn. They may be right, they may want him. But there is no doubt there is another motive to it and that is the elections.

But Sir alex Ferguson is absolutely wrong in bringing the election into the discussion because both Spanish Clubs just held both (for their own resons) controverse elections over the summer and therefore there are no election in sight over the next 4-5 years.


But Ferguson himself does not seem to be over-optimistic their star player Ronaldo will stay at Manchest United and could move away from Old Trafford:

There could be a limit. They might ask for X and we might only want to pay Y. But that is negotiation. Eventually, if both parties want it they will come to an agreement.

FC Barcelona Blog:
Hmmm, Ronaldo always expressed his desire to play in Spain one day. May be that day comes sooner than later. But at the end... we all do not know yet!

Ferguson´s should know better and should be much better informed. therefore I believe they are more of a tactical nature to persuade Ronaldo to stay. He probably will blow his (red) top if he should lose out again after claiming that losing out on Ronaldinho 3 years ago has been one of his biggest blows.
Interesting to see how the Ronaldo story ends.