Milan win Club World Cup

Kaka emphasised his claim to the Fifa World Player of the Year title with an inspired performance to lead AC Milan to a 4-2 win over Boca Juniors in the final of the FIFA Club World Cup.

The Brazilian, who has been nominated for the award along with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, scored with a fine solo effort to seal the win while also setting up two goals for Filippo Inzaghi as Milan cruised to victory.

Alessandro Nesta was also on the scoresheet for the European champions, but it was Kaka who stole the show just 24 hours before FIFA announce the winner of the annual individual award in Zurich.

Milan's win, which was built on an impressive second-half showing, is the first in the competition by a European team since it was inaugurated in 1999, with Brazilian teams claiming all three of the previous editions of the tournament which has succeeded the Intercontinental Cup.

© 2007 The Irish Times