Watching Milan midfielder Kaká virtually destroy his opponents at the FIFA Club World Cup was a privilege. The Brazilian ace was rightly awarded the Player Of The Tournament for his two outstanding performances against Urawa Reds and Boca Juniors respectively, and it got me thinking about the best players that I've seen play in the flesh.

I saw Ronaldinho play at the World Cup in 2006, but the buck-toothed wizard was no where near as effective as Kaká was for Milan at this Club World Cup. Granted, the calibre of opposition was slightly higher at the World Cup in 2006, not to mention the fact that Ronaldinho was playing in a squad jam-packed with stars - Kaká included. Yet the former Sao Paulo midfielder simply gave AC Milan an added dimension, and I struggle to think of another team for whom one player is so instrumental. Barcelona fans might point to Lionel Messi, but then he too is arguably surrounded by better players than Kaká is at Milan.

Anyway, I'm keen to hear your thoughts. Who do you think the best player in world football currently is? Personally I think it's Kaká, and I'm interested to see if anyone agrees.

AC Milan are the FIFA Club World Champions after they avenged a 2003 Toyota Cup defeat by beating Boca Juniors 4-2 in the final at Yokohama International Stadium. Pippo Inzaghi scored twice, but the star of the show was undoubtedly Kaká, who scored one and set up two in another virtuoso performance. He was named Player Of The Tournament, and received a spiffy new Toyota for good measure... just the kind of car a multi-millionaire needs, I'm sure.

Milan always looked the likely winners of the tournament, after they expended minimal energy in seeing off Urawa Reds in the semi-finals. Boca Juniors, on the other hand, struggled to overcome Etoile du Sahel, and the Rossoneri simply looked a step up in class compared to their Buenos Aires counterparts.

Pippo Inzaghi was always going to get on the scoresheet - he loves these kind of (kind of) big occasions, while Boca seemed to genuinely miss their scheming midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme. Doubts persist about Boca coach Miguel Russo's future at the club (I got his name right this time, emiyan!) but there was little Russo could do here but sit and admire Milan's tactical nous.

So AC Milan are the 2007 FIFA Club World Champions! The faux-Milan fans will be partying like it's 1999 (until fifteen minutes passed their bedtime - or the last trains stop running, whichever comes first) in Yokohama, but the Rossoneri don't have too long to celebrate. It's back to the grind for them, when they take on Reggina in the Coppa Italia four days before Christmas.

It's 1am on a typical Tokyo weekend. There are millions on the streets, enjoying the nightlife in Shinjuku and Ginza, watching live bands, dancing in clubs and spending time with friends in restaurants. And where am I? Like many a football tragic, I'm in front of the computer, listening to live coverage of the Bundesliga clash between Karslruher SC and Hamburger SV.

Since my boys Borussia Dortmund are currently on the wrong end of a thumping from Wolfsburg and I'm sour that Karlsuher's goal-scorer is an ex-BVB man, I thought I'd share with you my impressions of the two combatants in tomorrow's FIFA Club World Cup Final.

I'll start with Milan. My first memories of the club are from their all-conquering 1991-92 season when the Rossoneri didn't lose a single match on their way to lifting the Scudetto. Their backline included a certain Mauro Tassotti and Alessandro Costacurta, and both men work for the club in coaching capacities these days. Teammate Paolo Maldini still works for the club too - but he'll be hoping to take to the pitch tomorrow, as he nears his 40th birthday.

I thought Milan were particularly economical in their 1-0 win over Urawa in the semi-finals. Coach Carlo Ancelotti was purring in his praise of his team following that win, after Milan clearly played out Ancelotti's game plan to perfection. Still, it's hard not to get the feeling that Alberto Gilardino is out-of-his-depth at the Rossoneri. He never seems to present a genuine threat, although of course now that I say that, he'll probably go out and score a hat-trick tomorrow.

Everything for Milan naturally goes through their superstar Kaká. Ironically though, the key man tomorrow could be Dutch international Clarence Seedorf. Plenty point to Seedorf's incredible wealth of experience, but in doing so they overlook the fact that for two seasons Seedorf has been Milan's most in-form player, along with Kaká. The duo combined to score Milan's winner against Urawa, and with the Italian giants looking relatively toothless up front, they no doubt hold the key to the Rossoneri's chances tomorrow.

Boca Juniors are a club I know far less about. They were dealt a hammer-blow when scheming playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme was ruled out of the tournament by FIFA's petty bureaucracy, but they still have plenty of experience of their own to call upon, particularly in the likes of Hugo Ibarra and Martin Palermo. One thing in Boca's favour is their sheer will to win. For all the lip service paid by Milan about "restoring Europe's honour" by lifting the Cup, South American sides have so often been the teams for whom this tournament has meant the most.

The Buenos Aires giants will also be looking to exploit the shaky form of Milan shot-stopper Dida. Carlo Ancelotti admitted that Dida was once again far from perfect against Urawa - he dropped two efforts on goal that a quicker striker than Washington could have pounced upon, and with the pacy Rodrigo Palacio in the Boca line-up, the Argentine club would love nothing more than to show up Milan's fumbling Brazilian goalkeeper.

Yet Boca were far from perfect themselves in their 1-0 win over Etoile du Sahel in their semi-final, with defender Gabriel Palletta showing all and sundry just why Liverpool were so quick to discard him from their squad. Palletta was often caught facing the wrong way or out of position entirely against Etoile, and he will surely be punished if he continues his habit of knocking around wayward backpasses.

There'll probably be just the one goal in it, with matches of this magnitude rarely rising to the greatest of heights. I think that goal will be in favour of Milan, and I'm going to tip Filippo Inzaghi to sneak it. So there you have it. I've laid my cards on the table. What do you think?

The 3/4 playoff at the FIFA Club World Cup throws up an intriguing clash between Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel and local outfit Urawa Reds. The Reds will go into the match as heavy favourites, but a clash with Etoile could well and truly test the mettle of Urawa, who would no doubt like to sign off as the tournament's third best team.

Etoile qualified for the semi-finals after a surprise 1-0 win over Mexican side Pachuca. A 1-0 defeat at the hands of Buenos Aires club Boca Juniors followed, but the African champions will be keen for one last crack at glory before they head home.

Urawa had a slightly easier time in defeating Iranian side Sepahan 3-1 in their opening fixture at the tournament, before going down 1-0 to reigning European champions AC Milan in the semi-final. They'll have "home" advantage in this one, but Etoile fans will be quick to point out that all the pressure will be on the Reds at Yokohama International Stadium. Indeed, now is the time for Urawa to prove their international credentials, after they spent much of the season talking themselves up as Asia's "biggest club."

Another who'll be looking to prove himself in this match is Etoile striker Amine Chermiti. The slightly-built front man has looked Etoile's most dangerous player so far, but the Tunisians have scored only once through Ghanian midfielder Moussa Narry. Should Chermiti be dreaming of a career in Europe then he may well need to get on the scoresheet against Urawa to prove that he can mix it on the international stage.

One man who has proved his worth is Urawa striker Washington. He leaves the club bound for Brazilian outfit Fluminese after tomorrow's match, and how he must wish that Brazilian compatriot Robson Ponte was not ruled out of the FIFA Club World Cup with a serious knee injury. Ponte has arguably been Urawa's most effective player this season, but injuries that struck down he and combative captain Nobuhisa Yamada severely weakened the Reds for their Club World Cup campaign - although Yamada could return to the starting eleven tomorrow. Nevertheless Washington will be determined to end his career in Japan on a successful note, after scoring some 64 league goals in just 85 J-League appearances for both Tokyo Verdy and Urawa - not to mention plenty of goals in Urawa's various cup campaigns.

Thus a fascinating battle should ensure between two sides hell-bent on ending their FIFA Club World Cup campaign on a high. For the 100 or so Etoile fans that are still in Tokyo, a win over Urawa would cap a memorable tournament. For Urawa's army of fans, a win is almost a must against a team that few expected to make an appearance on the final day of the tournament. With Yokohama International Stadium likely to be packed for the encounter, the Reds might suddenly experience a sense of deja vu, and they'll hope that yet another day of reckoning does not end in tears.

En una entrevista al Diário Ole de Argentina (que nada tiene que ver con nuestra comunidad Ole Ole), el entrenador  Argentino disparó: “Los jugadores de Milan son buenos pero míos son los mejores”.

Creo que independiente de qual equipo tiene los mejores jugadores DT Miguel Russo perdió una gran chance de mantener su boca cerrada. Estoy seguro que esa afirmación será usada por el DT de Milan para motivar sus atletas.

Hablando de Carlo Ancelotti, ello preferiu un discuro más político, sin controversias en su entrevista al periódico italiano Correo Dello Sport. Ancelotti reconoceu que el equipo de Boca tiene un buen mix de joventud y experiencia aun que no possui la misma experiencia del equipo de 2003 que venció a Milan en la ultima vez que los dos equipos jugaram en el Mundial.

Ancelotti también recuerdó el facto de que los equipos sudamericanos tratán esa competitión com mucha mas seriedad que los equipos europeus pero que Milan no tiene la intención de cometer los mismos errores que Liverpool (perdió para São Paulo FC en 2005) o Barcelona (perdió para Internacional de Porto Alegre en 2006).

La bataglia de las palavras ya empezó. Quien ganará la guerra?

Russo está seguro que su equipo ganará la Copa

Ancelotti: no vamos sustimar a nadie, jugaremos al maximo

In a interview to Diario Ole from Argentina (which has no connections whatsoever with our Ole Ole community), Argentine coach shot this one:  “Los jugadores de Milan son buenos pero míos son los mejores” (Milan players are good but mine are the best).

I guess independently of which team has the best players coach Miguel Russo just passed on a great chance to keep his mouth shut. I'm sure his statement will be used in the pre-game lecture by Milan's coach to boost his team's motivation.

By the way, coach Carlo Ancelotti preffered to use a more political, less controversial, speech on his interview to the italian newspaper Corriere Dello Sport. Ancelotti pointed out that Boca has a great mix of youth and experience even though it's not the same experience of the 2003 team who beat Milan the last time both teams played for the Intercontinental Toyota Cup.

Ancellotti also remembered the fact that this competition usually ia taken a lot more seriously by the South American teams but Milan doesn't want to make the same mistakes as Liverpool (beaten by São Paulo in 2005) and Barcelona (beaten by Internacional in 2006).

The battle of words has started. Who will win the war?

Boca Junior's coach is confident his team will be the winners

Ancelotti: We are foccused and motivated

Em uma entrevista ao Diário Ole da Argentina (que nada tem haver com nossa comunidade Ole Ole), o técnico Argentino disparou: “Los jugadores de Milan son buenos pero míos son los mejores” (os jogadores do Milan são bons mas os meus são os melhores).

Acho que independente de qual equipe tem os melhores jogadores o técnico Miguel Russo perdeu uma ótima oportunidade de ficar calado. Essa frase tenho certeza vai ser usada no preleção do técnico Milanês para motivar seus atletas.

Por falar em Carlo Ancelotti, este prefiriu um discurso mais político, menos controverso, na entrevista que deu ao jornal italianao Corriere Dello Sport. Ancelotti ressaltou que a equipe do Boca tem uma ótima mistura de juventude e experiência apesar de não contar com a mesma experiência da equipe de 2003 que derrotou o Milan na última vez que as duas equipes se enfrentaram pelo Mundial Interclubes.

Ancellotti também lembrou o fato dessa competição geralmente ser muito mais levada a sério pelas equipes sulamericanas mas que o Milan não pretende repetir os erros do Liverpool (derrotado pelo São Paulo em 2005) nem do Barcelona (derrotado pelo Inter em 2006).

A batalha de discursos dos técnicos já começou. Quem sairá vencedor nessa guerra?

Miguel Russo está certo que sua equipe sairá vencedora 

Carlo Ancelotti quer dar o título que o Milan não conseguiu ganhar em 2003

*** The original audio IN PORTUGUESE of this interview is available in the videos section  CLICK HERE TO WATCH *** 

Milan won the game versus Urawa with a 1 x 0 score in Yokohama last thursday. In the middle of the tsunami of japanese and international journalists I, humbly scored another huge goal for Ole Ole: a quick but exclusive interview with the best player of the world now. Kaká.

In this quick chat, kaká talks about the possibility of unifying the title of best player with the one of being part of the best team of the world, he also talked about the hard game agains Urawa and about his love for São Paulo FC.

Kaká, the best player of the world can now be part of the best team of the world. What does this represent for that young boy Ricardo that came from Brasília to achieve all of this? Ah, it's amazing. It's totally a dream coming true. It's wonderful to have the chance to play this Club World Cup again. This time I hope to win, because last time I came I didn't but this was just an amazing year for me. Being part of this team is really having the chance of being part of the best team in the world. 

Why do you think that Milan and also Boca had such a hard time to beat theorically smaller teams in the semifinals? Right, it's not easy. I believe, specially in our case, Urawa was the home team, they were playing for their history. I think it was one of the most important matches a japonese club ever played. So they played with enthusiasm, playing for their crowd, that's why it was difficult.

Now, let's say, São Paulo FC has one of the best structured teams in Brasil and just won the Brazilian League once again. Do you follow São Paulo's games? And is there any message you can send to their fans who certainly will be cheering for Milan this Sunday? TOh yeah, for sure. I always follow São Paulo's games, I follow the Brazilian League, all the cluns. One more time São Paulo are the champions, for the 5th time. I'm happy, I grew up there, I'm a São Paulo fan. I wanna send a big hug to all São Paulo fans and ask them to cheer for Milan because Milan represents Brazil in this game.

*** the original audio in PORTUGUESE of this interview is also available in the videos section  CLICK HERE TO WATCH ***  

Washington has a calm, polite and nice way to talk, which might be the result of a battle that only some would be strong enough to win. In 2003 a heart problem forced him to end up earlier his european career playing for Fenerbahce. Back to Brazil, Atletico Paranaense believed in his capacity to recover and, "The Brave Heart" gave back the best way he could: 34 goals in the 2004 Brazilian Championship - an all-time record -  which helped his team to finish as runners-up. Now Washignton is an idol in Japan playing for Urawa Reds but he may soon be back to Brazil to bring joy to new fans.

Washington, did you already sign a contract with Fluminense?  Hahaha… Not yet. We are... They offered me a very good contract and we're talking. Of course I need to wait till the end of the Club World Cup to really sit and talk to them so we can, maybe, sign.

So that means you're totally foccused in winning this next game to give Urawa this 3rd place which can actually be considered almost a title of the 3rd best team on the planet? For sure. This sunday's game is a very important one to decide the 3rd place. We all gotta be very foccused. It would be an excellent way to finish the year. Of course we knew Milan were the favorites and they deserved the result but I believe we played well and left the pitch with our heads up which will boost our confidence to get fight for the 3rd position.

Both Milan and Boca had a very hard time beating teams that could be considered smaller in terms of world football. Why do you think that happened? Are the big teams lowering their level or the smaller ones are showing more efficiency?   Certainly football is not like in the past when a big team would sweep the smaller one all the time. It's not like that anymore. There are good teams outside Europe, Brazil... right? There are good teams with a strong roster and things are leveling up and we showed it out there. There also a team from Africa, our team from Asia and both represented their continents very well. I'm sure it will a great 3rd and 4th place decision on Sunday. 

Washington, now tell a little bit about you. I myself always saw you as a role model. You went through a very serious problem, and if I'm not wrong it was Atletico Paranaense the team who believed in you and helped you overcome that hard moment. Now you're, you're successful an idol in Japan, ALMOST going back to Brazil. How do you see your career, all this adventure that has been your profesional life? See, all of this that is happening to me now I always see as a present from God. After, as you said, the struggle I had to face to go back to the pitch I only had good things happening to me. So I think this a living proof that we should never give up on our life no matter how big the problem seems to be. One should fight and when he overcomes the plroblem he will be even stronger to achieve the siccess. So thank God after the problems all I had was joy, and happiness and wonderful moments and I'm sure it will be like this till the end of my career.