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AC Milan Hit the Jackpot in the UEFA Champions League with Kaka as the Best Club Footballer of the Year, Maldini Best Defender, and Seedorf Best Midfielder
AC MILAN CHAMPION OF THE 2007 UEFA SUPER CUP
AC Milan 3 - Seville 1
Last Update: Thursday, August 31, 2007 9:37 p.m.
By Anna Italia
Not only AC Milan is the champion of the 2007 UEFA SUPER CUP, 2006-2007 Champions Leage, but also three AC Milan players were selected as best defender, Paolo Maldini; best midfielder, Clarence Seedorf; and best striker, Kaka. Most of all, I Rossoneri hit the jackpot with Kaká's award as UEFA Club Footballer of the Year. Kaká was also the top scorer with 10 goals.
Certainly, the ceremony for the draw of the 2007-2008 Champions League will be an unforgettable moment for the rossoneri AC Milan, coach Carlo Ancelotti, the staff, and the fans i tifosi rossoneri.
Milan's big jackpot was a day after UEFA's Award, on Friday August 31. AC Milan beat Seville 3-1 at the Stade Louis II to claim for the fifth time the European Super Cup. The match was played in tribute to the memory of Seville's midfielder Antonio Puerta, with goals of the immortale Super Filippo 'Pippo' Inzaghi in the 55th minute, Marek Jankulovski in the 62nd, and KAKA in the 87th minute, for Seville, Renato scored in the 14th minute.
Andrea Pirlo received the "Carlsberg Man of the Match" award. Although Pirlo said in uefa com that it was his best performance in a final, it was also his saddest final. "it was difficult to face up to the situation but we proved that we also played for [Antonio Puerta] and did it in the best possible spirit," said Pirlo.
- UEFA Club Footballer of the Year.. Kaká (Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite)- Best Forward ...................... Kaká (Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite
- Top Scorer (10 goals) ..... Kaká (Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, better known as Kaká, is recognized by many as the new young leader of AC Milan. Kaka is 25-years-old, and is the first AC Milan player to win the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year award.
"I am proud of this award, for us it was very important to have met Liverpool again after Istanbul," said Kaka through acmilan.com
Kaka scored 10 goals in 13 games in the 2006-2007 UEFA Champions League.
Kaka also said in uefa.com that: "Winning trophies is what motivates me and I am looking forward to the next challenge. This UEFA Champions League, however, will always have a special place in my heart for the extra honour of ending up as the tournament's top scorer."
Kaka made his debut with AC Milan on September 1, 2003 (Ancona 0 - Milan 2).
- Best Defender ..... Paolo Maldini. It's the fist time that Milan's great captain and defender win this title. Maldini at his 39-years-old is also the oldest winner to receive this prestigious award.
"We've been the best team in Italy, Europe and the world over the past 20 years. And the cycle hasn't ended yet," said Maldini through acmilan.com.
Maldini, the most famous face of AC Milan and respected by his character, has played only for AC MILAN since his debut on January 20, 1985 (Udinese 1 - Milan 1).
His first Serie A victory was during the season 1987-1988. Maldini has lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy five times. In 2003, he broke Gianni Rivera's record of 501 appearances for AC Milan, becoming the player with most appearances in European competition. To talk about Maldini, one needs to render honor to one of the best world soccer players.
- Best Midfielder ..... Clarence SeedorfSeedorf, is one of the most charimastic players of AC Milan. At his 31-years-old, was the first and the only person to date to have won four times the UEFA Champions League with three different clubs: Ajax (1995), Real Madrid (1998), and AC Milan (2003, 2007)).
The great rossonero midfielder said in acmilan.com, "We have done great work in a particularly difficult season. I want to think all my team mates and the technical staff."
Seedorf, made his debut with Milan on August, 27, 1995 (Sampdoria - Roma 1-1)
Seedorf, might be a good lucky charm for Milan. In 2003, Milan won the Coppa Italia. It was the the first time AC Milan had won the competition in twenty-six years.
Same year, Seedorf gained his third Champions League medal with a third different team (before won with Ajax and Real Madrid) The final was AC Milan and FC Juventus. Milan beat Juve on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
In the Serie A 2003-2004, Seedorf played a role in AC Milan's 17th time Scudetto. In 2006-2007 winning the Champions League with AC Milan. Hey, so much for being a lucky charm!
On behalf of Italian Soccer Serie A.com, congratulations to Kaka, Paolo Maldini, and Clarence Seedorf for their respective awards, as well as to AC Milan team, President Silvio Berlusconi, Adriano Galliani, Coach Carlo Ancelotti, the staff, and all AC Milan fans around the world.
Photo credit: acmilan.com
Brilliant win. AC Milan was disciplined, professional and classy. I really hope they can keep this going!
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Definitely, AC Milan was disciplined, professional, and classy. I like Seedorf's attitude of highlighting the name of PUERTA when he removed his jersey. Kaka also pointed at Puerta's name to dedicate his goal. Just grande, grande, grande.
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Congratulations AC MILAN!!!!
Sei grande, sei forte! MILAN the 2007 UEFA Super Club Champion.
...caminiamo noi accanto ai nostri eroi....e insieme cantiamo MILAN, MILAN, SOLO CON TE!!!!
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Hey Anna! Good article, I like the way you integrated the player pictures and the quotes from the press, displays nicely!
By the way if you're interested, I've made a match report on the game. You can find it here:
http://www.mcalcio.com/uefa-super-cup-ac-milan-vs-sevilla/
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Thanks Marco for your compliments. I read your match report too and enjoy the description of Pirlo's pass as "masterfully."
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