Kaká reflects on Milan's Champions League triumph

After his mesmerizing performance in last season's Champions League, Kaká is a frontrunner for World Player of the Year. Courtesy of adidas

By Andrea de Pauli, Special to SI.com, World Soccer

European Sports Magazines' Andrea de Pauli recently caught up with AC Milan star Kaká about the team's sensational run to last season's European Cup triumph, the Brazilian national team and those nagging Real Madrid rumors.

World Soccer: You had already played in a number of very important finals, but the Champions League final in Athens was the first in which you were the key player. Did you feel the weight of responsibility?

Kaká: I always know what my tasks are within the team, and can say at any time: "I'm ready." It's not a burden for me. It is a responsibility, but not at all a weight.

World Soccer: Do you think that the game against Liverpool was the most important in your life?

Kaká: No. The most important match in my life will always be the next one. You mustn't dwell too much on what has been achieved -- or else you run the risk of losing motivation. Milan also played in the 2005 final, another important match, but we had to keep looking ahead.

World Soccer: What do you feel when you play in that kind of match?

Kaká: I love playing in important matches, the ones that make the difference. You face them with even greater motivation, if that is possible. Matches such as the semifinal against Manchester United or those played for Brazil give you this extra enthusiasm. But nothing beats the final of the Champions League.

World Soccer: Some say that, without Kaká, Milan's season would have been a disaster.

Kaká: Not at all. I played my part but I'd like to make it clear that a player cannot win anything on his own. It is essential that the whole team does its work, otherwise success does not happen.

World Soccer: What was the key factor in beating Liverpool?

Kaká: Adopting the same attitude that we had at San Siro against Manchester United. Our objective was to play as well as we did in the semifinal.

World Soccer: Were you afraid that Rafa Benítez had planned a marker for you?

Kaká: Both teams knew each other very well, and in this type of game any player can make the difference. It wasn't the first time in the competition that we had to play against a team that locks itself up at the back. Bayern, for instance, created problems for us by closing down space. But I have always trusted in our own ability.

World Soccer: Did you fear the ghosts of Istanbul?

Kaká: It was always unlikely that something like that would happen again. But in the world of football you must always be wary. Manchester United and Barcelona won the competition by turning the match round in the final minutes. The final is always spectacular.

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