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Nesse bate papo rápido, Kaká fala sobre a possibilidade de unir o título de melhor jogador do mundo com o de ser parte da melhor equipe do mundo, da dificuldade que o time teve de chegar à final e também do seu amor ao São Paulo FC.

Kaká, o melhor jogador do mundo pode agora se juntar à equipe do mundo o que isso representa  para aquele menino Ricardo que saiu lá do interior, interior nào pq Brasília nunca foi interior né?  para aquele candanguinho, agora conquistar isso tudo? Ah, é demais. Realmente é a realização de um sonho. É maravilhoso para mim poder ter essa oportunidade de disputar esse mundial mais uma vez. Agora espero de poder ganhar. Porque da outra vez que eu estive aqui eu não ganhei mas foi um ano realmente maravilhoso. Fazer parte desse time é realmente a oportunidade de fazer parte do melhor time do mundo.

A que você credita essa dificuldade que tanto o Boca quanto o Milan tiveram nas semifinais, jogando contra equipes relativamente, teoricamente menores? É, não é fácil. Acho que, no nosso caso, principalmente o Urawa, um time que jogava em casa, jogava a história. Acho que um jogo, um dos jogos mais importantes que um clube japonês já fez, então eles jogaram com motivação, jogando dentro de casa,  com a torcida e por isso toda essa dificuldade.

Vamos falar que o São Paulo tem uma das equipes mais bem estruturadas do Brasil, ganhou outra vez o Brasileiro. Você acompanha o São Paulo? E tem algum recado pros tricolores que, eu tenho certeza, vão estar todos torcendo para o Milan no domingo? Tenho sim. Eu estou sempre acompanhando o Campeonato Brasileiro, acompanho o São Paulo, acompanho todos os times. Mais uma vez o São Paulo campeão, penta-campeão brasileiro, feliz, cresci ali dentro, sou um torcedor do São Paulo. Um grande abraço à todos os torcedores do São Paulo e que torçam pelo Milan, porque o Milan é o Brasil.

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O jeito tranquilo, educado e simpático de Washington talvez seja consequencia de uma batalha que nem todos teriam forças para vencer. Em 2003 um problema cardíaco fez com que sua carreira na Europa jogando pelo Fenerbahce terminasse mais cedo. De volta ao Brasil, foi a equipe do Atlético Paranaense que acreditou no alteta e, o “Coracão Valente” retribiu da melhor maneira possível: foram 34 gols no Campeonato Brasileiro de 2004 – recorde do torneio - que ajudaram a garantir o vice-campeonato à equipe. Hoje Washington  é ídolo no Japão jogando pelo Urawa mas em breve pode voltar ao Brasil para dar alegria à uma outra grande torcida.

Washington, você já assinou com o Fluminense né? Hahaha… Ainda não. Nós estamos... Me fizeram um proposta muito boa, estamos negociando. É claro que tem que se esperar o Mundial (terminar) realmente para conversar com eles os detalhes para que haja, quem sabe, o acerto.

Então quer dizer que você ainda está concentrado em ganhar esse próximo jogo para dar esse terceiro ... é quase um título de terceira melhor equipe do planeta para o Urawa? Com certeza. É um jogo importantíssimo no domingo agora disputando a terceira colocação. Então tem que estar bastante concentrado. Tem que fechar o ano bem. É claro que sabíamos que o Milan era o grande favorito e fez por merecer essa vitória mas mas jogamos até de certo modo até muito bem e saímos de cabeça erguida mas nos dá confiança para buscar essa terceira colocação.

Tanto o Milan quanto o Boca tiveram muitas dificuldades para vencer equipes consideradas menores no futebol mundial. A que você credita isso? São essas equipes grandes que estão caindo o nível ou as euipes menores que estão realmente nivelando o futebol do mundo? Com certeza o futebol já não é mais aquele em que a grande equipe vai ganhar de goleada sempre. Não é mais assim. Tem boas equipes fora do eixo ali Europa ou Brasil né? Tem grandes equipes sim, formando fortes equipes e as coisas estão se nivelando também bem e isso demonstramos aí. Tem um time da África, o nosso time aqui da Ásia também acho que representaram muito bem e tenho certeza que vai ser uma grande partida também a disputa de 3º e 4º .

Washington, fala para mim um pouquinho porque eu sempre me espelhei muito na sua luta, porque você passou por um problema muito sério, né, e se não me engano, foi o Atlético Paranaense que te deu muita força e hoje você está aqui com essa carreira de sucesso sendo ídolo aqui no Japão, QUASE voltando para o Brasil, não vou colocar o carro à frente dos bois, como dizem lá em Minas Gerais, mas tá quase voltando. Como é que você resume essa sua carreira, toda a sua aventura da sua vida profissional? Olha, isso aí acho que tudo que está acontecendo comigo agora acho que é um presente que eu recebo de Deus sempre né? Depois da, como você mesmo disse, da luta que eu tive para voltar a jogar. De lá para cá só tive coisas boas e acontecido coisas boas para nós. Então isso  é um exemplo de que a gente nunca pode desistir na nossa vida por qualquer problema e quando você superar esse problema você vai ficar mais forte para ter sucesso. Então graças a Deus depois dos problemas eu só tive alegrias, tive só felicidades de viver momentos maravilhosos e tenho certeza de que vai ser assim até o fim da minha carreira.

Although the expected result materialised in this game, the manner of it was far from predictable. It was not a walkover for Milan. Urawa moved and passed sharply, defended tenaciously, and threatened repeatedly in a game that was eventually decided by the individual talents of Kaka and Seedorf.

In the 68th minute, the Urawa defence were sleeping as Pirlo took a quick free-kick from the centre circle, releasing Kaka down the left. The Brazilian, who had to work hard all night to be effective, was given an easy ride and acres of space by the defender and he powered towards the touchline before pulling a low cross back across the box.

Seedorf, having been thwarted repeatedly by the Urawa keeper Tsuzuki, finally put one it with a firm sidefoot and that more or less ended the game.

Urawa had threatened repeatedly throughout the game, with incisive, creative passing, and lots of movement off the ball. Unfortunately their 32-year old Brazilian striker Washington looked more like he was 45 years old, and was especially ineffective when up against Nesta & co. It didn't help that due to a combination of nervousness and excitment, several Urawa players opted to shoot from impossible angles and ridiculous distances for large parts of the game, when a little bit of composure and vision would have helped.

Still, Urawa were worth a goal. Yamada worked a sharp shooting chance when he came on, Nene wasted a header, Washington opted to try and curl a fancy shot with a clear sight of goal when power would have sufficed, and Nagai and Suzuki both fluffed good chances.

Once they conceded the goal however, Milan simply took control and killed off the game. Whilst Urawa managed to compete well with the Italian side on a technical level, they were always struggling on the physical side of things. At the back, they were good value. Nene is a tall athlete, Tsuboi is powerful, and led by the exuberant Tulio they were able to deal with the power and pace of the Milan attacks. However, the midfield was another story. Everytime Milan had the ball, Urawa had 2 or 3 players trying to win the ball back, because they couldn't cope with the physiques of the Milan players. At 0-0 there was no urgent need to win the ball in midfield, so they held their own with positioning and movement. However after going a goal down, Milan started to pass the ball around their midfield and defence, and Urawa had no answer. Pirlo , Ambrosini, Seedorf, Oddo and Jankulovski were all too strong and athletic for Urawa to win the ball back, and Ambrosini in particular seemed to outmuscle every Urawa player on the pitch.

Ultimately, it was the same old story, one of the age old failings of Japanese football, and sadly not something that can be easily rectified. The Japanese have been criticised over the years of not being physical and competitive enough. It seems that over the past 6 or 7 years, they have really worked on this aspect of the game, and players like Inamoto, Toda, Suzuki, Tusboi, and Tulio have a fantastic competitive streak. However, in terms of physique, there is not much that one can do when faced by Europeans or South Americans who are a good deal taller and bulkier than the Japanese. Japanese footballers on average are incredibly mobile, but this isn't too helpful in ball-winning situations, and when chasing a game. 

It's all over here in Yokohama, and as expected European champions AC Milan have progressed to the final of the 2007 FIFA Club World Cup, where they will meet Argentine giants Boca Juniors.

Clarence Seedorf scored the only goal of the match, after Kaká beat his Brazilian compatriot Fabio Nene for pace before cutting back a superb ball for Dutch international Seedorf to sidefoot beyond Ryota Tsuzuki in the Urawa goal.

The goal was no less than Milan deserved, although they were from overwhelming against a team that they were expected to dominate. Indeed, Urawa gave an excellent account of themselves and Japanese football on the night, with the Reds - and their band of vociferous fans, likely to have won many admirers.

The defeat brings a sad end to the Urawa career of ex-Brazil international Washington, who leaves the club to join Brazilian giants Fluminese. Washington was confined to half-chances throughout, and he was unable to deal with the pace at the back of Italian international Alessandro Nesta.

Milan have two rest days before they meet Boca Juniors in the final at Yokohama International Stadium, while Urawa fans have one last chance to see Washington in action when Urawa take on Etoile du Sahel in the 3/4 playoff.

*** The original version of this interview in PORTUGUESE is available on the video section CLICK HERE TO WATCH ***  

It's been more than 18 years now as a profesional footballer since his debut at São Paulo FC in 1989. During all this time, Marcos Evangelista de Moraes, a.k.a. Cafu,  has been a role model.

He appeared for football exactly when Brazil was lacking good right-back wing and since then he became an icon.

The highligh of his careeer was when he lift Brazil's 5th World Cup in 2002.

Cafu is a "broda" as one could call his closest friends. And that was how our conversation happened right after Milan's training session in Yokohama where the team prepared itself to face Urawa Reds for the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup.

Cafu, after so many years playing footbal are you still the same, I mean, after all the success, are you still the same peerson? No doubt about it. I don't why one should change. I'm the same Cafu from 30 years ago. I've always been the same happy, easy going Cafu and always winning titles which is the most important, right? 

 Sure... that's very important... You already won so meny titles, you were Intercontinental Champion with São Paulo as part of that wonderful Telê Santana squad and now you have the opportunity to win another world title with Milan. Does it still feel the same when you win a championship? Of course it does. Winning championships is always very pleasant. It means that the work we've being doing is paying off. I've been receiving what I've planted a long time ago. I think that winning is simply awesome. And it's good to mention that this is gonna be my 4th opportunity to win a Club World Championship, I got to win 2 with São Paulo, then we (Milan) lost in 2003 and now I got the chance to win this one with Milan with God's help.

That's true. Cafu, you're already past the 30 years old  so are many other players on the squad. What is the secret to ... I mean, I've seen you running up and down, crossing you still look like the same Cafu from São Paulo... what is the secret to stay fit? I'm already 32 and I cannot do all that.  Hard work man. A lot of hard work, dedication, strong will, this is all important, right? And also the passion to play football. I believe that as long as I still have this passion I'll be running just like you saw there. When I feel the passion fading then I'll understand it's time to hang my boots. But I still feel great and if it's God's will and I have no injury I think I can still paly for a long time. 

What does "a long time" mean Cafu? Do you have any plans for retirement?   You see... I don't know. Only God knows, only time will tell, right? If I stay fit the way I am today I still have condition to play for a long time but everything will be decided in june. I'm gonna wait till june and then make a decision.  

And one last question now before you go (to the locker rooms). Before you sign with Milan, right after you left Roma, there was a contract offer from Yokohama Marinos to play here in Japan. The deal didn't go through and you ended up going to Milan estlashing a successful career there. Do you still have any plans of coming to play here in Japan?  Man, I don't know. I tried no to plan things anymore since what happen with this whole Milan-Japan thing. By the way, I'd like to take a moment to thank Yokohama. They were all very nice to me. They understood my situation at that moment when I ended up choosing to go to Milan. But plans for the future I have none yet. Let's way until june and only then make a decision.  

It's a clear night here at Yokohama International Stadium, after the rain of this morning gave way to milder conditions in the evening.

I made my way to the ground following a typically harrowing journey on the Tokyo train system. Four changes and a possible fractured spine later and I made it just in the nick of time to catch Urawa's army of fans kick into overdrive. If ever there were any doubts that Japanese football fans are some of the most passionate and colourful in the world, they've been dispelled tonight, as Urawa's Red Army are churning out an extraordinary atmosphere here in Yokohama.

The game so far has been a cagey affair, with Urawa clearly wary of committing too many men forward. Several times they've had the chance to counter attack only to hold the ball up in midfield, with Holger Osieck's men no doubt concerned by the threat of Alberto Gilardino up front for Milan.

All of the Rossoneri's good play has come down the right hand side, with Carlo Ancelotti clearly instructing defender Massimo Oddo to run at Urawa's young Takahito Soma and keep him occupied in defence. Kaká has shown some silky touches so far, and his interplay with Clarence Seedorf has threatened to open the Urawa defence on occasion.

Nevertheless the Reds are holding their own, and with Keita Suzuki orchestrating proceedings in midfield and the dangerous Washington at the point of attack, the Saitama giants look capable of snatching a goal. Indeed, with giant striker Washington Fluminese-bound, the Reds will want to send their fiery target man out on a high, and with the second half still to play and the scores locked at 0-0, they're on course to do so.
 

As expected, all tickets have been sold for clash between Urawa Reds and AC Milan at the 72,327 capacity Yokohama International Stadium.

It's a cold, grey afternoon in Yokohama but that won't stop fans from turning out in their tens of thousands to witness this highly anticipated clash.

Yokohama International Stadium - otherwise known as Nissan Stadium on non-FIFA matchdays, is the home of Yokohama F. Marinos and saw its largest crowd of the last J-League season when 53,916 fans turned out to witness Yokohama F. Marinos smash cross-town rivals Yokohama FC 8-1.

The stadium was the venue for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Final, which saw Brazil beat Germany 2-0 thanks to a brace from Ronaldo. Whilst the stadium no doubt holds fond memories for O Fenômeno, he will take no part in the 2007 FIFA Club World Cup after coach Carlo Ancelotti revealed that the Brazilian striker's calf injury would not heal in time for him to take part in Sunday's final. 

Si, ganó. Y eso es lo más importante. Pero hay que decir que la equipe tunecina de Etoile du Sahel jugó muy bien y en muchos momientos mejor que Boca.  

Rodrigo Palacio fué el responsável por la jugada que originó el gol de Neri Cardozo pero no jugó bien. No tuve espacios en la defense tunecina y lo mismo se pasó com Palermo.  

 Neri celebra su gol  

Para Cardozo el equipo de Tunisia  luchó por todas las jugadas y jugó bien y por eso no fué fácil pero lo más importante fué la victoria en el final y él se quedo muy feliz por ter anotado el gol decisivo.  

La verdad es que Boca cometió unos de los errors que también lo cometió Pachuca: substmarán la equipe tunecina.  

 El experiente Ibarra ahora solo piensa en lá final. “Eso partido fué muy difícil y estoy muy feliz que ganamos y ahora vamos intentar manter la tradición de sucesso aqui en japón y ojalá ganaremos más un título mudial para Boca.”  

Para el equipo de Etoile du Sahel la impression es que después del nervosismo del primero partido el equipo puede mostrar contra Boca su talento (y también fraquezas).  

Es un equipo que tiene jovenes que possuem habilidad y que conduzem bien la pelota. La marcación es cerrada y dura pero tienen que trabajar major la pelota en la creación de las jugadas y, seguro que hay que finalizar mejor. Lo que importa en fúbol es hacer más goles que su oponente.   

Ahora tienen la increible oportunidad de tornarse el tercero mejor equipo del planeta. Y para eso hay que contra también com la ayuda divina corforme me dijo el mediocampista Moussa Narry. “Nosotros jugamos muy bien en este partido pero futbol es el juego de las oportunidads, las tuvimos pero no hicimos los goles Boca hizo y as vezes ese es lo deseo de Dios. Y ahora tambiém estará en las manos de Dios esa decision de llegarmos a  la victoria en el proximo partido. Nosotros vamos hacer todo para ganar para es siempre una decision divina.”  

Es una buena manera de pensar pero hay que marcar los goles porque creo que Dios no vas surgir en la cancha y poner la pelota adentro de las redes.    

Yo soy Mano Gil, escribindo directamente de Tokyo, com exclusividad para Ole Ole.

Dewa mata suguni ne!!!

Considering the fact that the stadium in Toyota City was half-empty on Monday night, the noise levels generated by the two pockets of Urawa fans were fantastic. Rehearsed, coordinated, effervescent and loud, it was a non-stop display of support for their team.

That night in Toyota was an unfortunate one for Urawa fans, because the majority come from Tokyo and Yokohama, and it was an impossible commute for many given that the game was on a weeknight, and that Toyota is so far away. They were also playing Sepahan, which hardly made for an attractive trip to the middle of nowhere.

Tonight however is a different prospect. The grander, larger Nissan stadium in Yokohama is easily accessible from Tokyo and Saitama (where Urawa are from). The best part is that Urawa, being a sort of Manchester United of Japan (their fans aren't from where the team are), have their largest fanbase in Yokohama, so all things considered, we should be witnessing an absolutely packed stadium and roaring support for Urawa, right?

Well, no. It's not that simple.

The bone in the kebab in this case, is the Japanese people's love of all things glamorous, famous and superstarry. I witnessed it first-hand last year when Barcelona played here, and the stadium was a sea of blaugrana shirts, with a rumbling whisper of adoration/excitement for Ronaldinho that exploded into "Oohs" and "Aahs" every time he did anything - whether it was a trick, a shot, a tackle or even kicking someone, miscontrolling the ball, or falling flat on his arse. The teams didn't matter, the football didn't matter, only the stardom did.

This year, there's no Ronaldinho, but there's Kaka. There's no Deco, but there's Seedorf. There's Maldini, there's Nesta, there's Pirlo... the names just go on and on. If you're talking about fame, glamour and stardom, AC Milan have all of those in abundance.

And here lies the problem. Urawa being a very populist team, means that a lot of the fans that would be neutrals or occassionals tend to support them. However against Milan all of those neutrals will quite likely have their allegiances tested. Milan have also been staying in Yokohama for the past week, and the locals have regularly been watching them train and play, and they've also played in Yokohama and Tokyo several times before in the previous Intercontinental Cup, so they already have a fairly large following in the local area.

On a technical level, there is only a very slight chance that Urawa will be able to get a result against Milan. There is also the worry with Japanese teams and players, that they will sink into the over-respectful, gracious mode that they tend to go into when faced with superior, more exalted opposition. Holger Osieck has worked hard to give Urawa a really tenacious edge to their game, it would be a pity to see Keita Suzuki not trying to chop down Kaka, or being apologetic about doing so. The players will all be nervous, and they will need the fans to help them retain their edge.

So it is absolutely essential that Urawa go into this game with a 40-50,000 strong bunch of supporters, because otherwise the silence and casual support for Milan is going to create a very, very strange atmosphere for them, one in which they might just lose their way, and which would be very disappointing for the fans watching around the world, who would miss out on a chance to see just how great the REAL Japanese football fans are.

Boca Juniors coach Miguel Russo was in a bullish mood after watching his ten-men side struggle to beat Tunisian outfit Etoile du Sahel 1-0 at the National Stadium in Tokyo tonight.

When asked about Boca's four bookings - including two to midfielder Fabian Vargas, who was sent off in the sixty-fifth minute, Russo responded "yellow cards are a part of football. I don't think Vargas was rough, but maybe the referee thought he had to be strong? For us, we played a very clean match."

Russo went on to claim that Boca had the players to cover Vargas' suspension in the final, but suggested that his team needs to improve - particularly in midfield, if they are to lift the FIFA Club World Cup. He was also critical of his strikers Martin Palermo and Rodrigo Palacio, whom he claimed "did not function well."

Nevertheless Russo told a packed media confidence that he was satisified with the result. "We have been aiming for this for sixth months, and Boca fans have gathered from all over the world, so we are happy to have reached the final."

The Buenos Aires giants will need to improve whomever they meet in the final, after they struggled to break down a resolute Etoile defence. The only goal arrived after Palacio did well to cut inside a defender before feeding the ball to midfielder Neri Cardozo, who blasted an unstoppable left foot drive high into the roof of Aymen Balbouli's net.

Etoile missed a golden opportunity to equalise in stoppage time, when Cape Verde striker Gilson Silva headed a difficult chance wide at the far post. The African champions gave a good account of themselves, however, with coach Bertrand Marchand claiming that his side will be highly motivated to win the 3/4 place playoff on December 16.