PARIS, France -- AC Milan's Brazilian midfielder Kaka has been named European player of the year, lifting France Football's Ballon d'Or award.



Kaka has already claimed all of the game's major prizes.



His success comes two years after his fellow countryman, Barcelona's Ronaldinho, claimed the award



The 25-year-old Kaka was a major factor in AC Milan's triumphant Champions League campaign.



The runner-up was Manchester United's Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo with Barcelona's Argentinian midfielder Lionel Messi finishing third.



"This is very special for me - it culminates an astonishing year for me," Kaka said.



"It's the top prize around and the only way to win something like this is to play for a team like AC Milan. It's great to be part of a team that wins."



At 25 years old, he has already won all the game's major prizes, individually and collectively.



He was part of Brazil's 2002 World Cup winning squad, although he was limited to just 19 minutes as a substitute against Costa Rica.



He was top scorer in last season's Champions League, helping Milan to avenge their loss to Liverpool in the 2005 final.



He won the Italian domestic title in his first season at Milan having joined from Brazilians Sao Paulo for$ 8.5 million, a sum that Milan president Silvio Berlusconi then described as peanuts. E-mail to a friend
Who finished third? Who was named European player of the year? What player finished third? What player was Kaka chosen ahead of? Who finishes third? Who  is chosen ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester Utd? Who was the AC  Milan player chosen ahead of? Who is named European player of the year?
Lionel Messi AC Milan's Brazilian midfielder Kaka Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Lionel Messi Kaka Cristiano Ronaldo Kaka
question: Who finished third?, answer: Lionel Messi | question: Who was named European player of the year?, answer: AC Milan's Brazilian midfielder Kaka | question: What player finished third?, answer: Lionel Messi | question: What player was Kaka chosen ahead of?, answer: Cristiano Ronaldo | question: Who finishes third?, answer: Lionel Messi | question: Who  is chosen ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester Utd?, answer: Kaka | question: Who was the AC  Milan player chosen ahead of?, answer: Cristiano Ronaldo | question: Who is named European player of the year?, answer: Kaka