Brazil midfielder Kaka was named FIFA's World Player of the Year in Zurich on Monday.

 

The 25-year-old Milan star collected 1,047 points in a vote by national team captains and coaches, more than twice as many as Argentine midfielder Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona with 504.

 

 

Manchester United's Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo was third with 426.

 

Kaka had also won European soccer's Golden Ball and World Soccer magazine's player of the year award.

 

On the women's side, Marta of Brazil won her second straight award, earning 988 points to beat Birgit Prinz of Germany with 507 and fellow Brazilian Cristiane with 150.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 18, 2007)