PARIS, Nov 30 (Reuters) - There is little doubt that Kaka will be awarded the 2007 Ballon d'Or on Sunday.
AC Milan's Brazil playmaker is the hot favourite to receive
the former European footballer of the year prize, now extended
to players in other countries around the world.
Italian media reported that the Ballon D'Or jury had told
the 25-year-old attacking midfielder to prepare for the awards
ceremony on December 2 in Paris.
French magazine France Football, which organises the vote,
refused to confirm this, saying only that Kaka would definitely
be in the top 10.
Until last year, when Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro won the
award after leading his side to World Cup glory in Germany, 52
European journalists voted for a player from a European club.
For this year's award, 96 journalists from around the world
voted and the shortlist of 50 featured players based in
Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, the United States and Qatar.
The elegant Kaka is already the winner of the FIFPro world
player of the year and UEFA European club player of the year
awards and is the big favourite for FIFA's world player of the
year to be announced later this year.
His 10 goals in guiding Milan to their seventh European Cup
triumph in May set up this flurry of awards in a year without a
World Cup or European championship.
Kaka said he would have voted for Manchester United's
Cristiano Ronaldo. According to France Football, the Portugal
winger is in the top 10.
Ronaldo is likely to end up just behind Kaka with Argentina
and Barca virtuoso Lionel Messi and Ivory Coast and Chelsea
forward Didier Droga other strong contenders for a top-three
finish.
Cesc Fabregas, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Andrea Pirlo, Robinho,
Francesco Totti and Ruud van Nistelrooy are the other players in
the top 10, according to France Football.
The name of the winner should be announced about 1030 GMT
during a soccer programme on French television channel
TF1 and
on
www.francefootball.fr
