wins the Ballon d'Or, Kaka told FIFA.com.
In 2007, the former AC Milan and Real Madrid star
beat out Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to
earn the top honor and this year his compatriot,
Neymar, is lined up alongside the same two fellow
La Liga stars on the shortlist for the top honor,
which will be awarded on Jan. 11.
Neymar is the first Brazilian to be among the top
three finalists since Kaka's own triumph in 2007
and his veteran Selecao mate thinks it has taken
eight long years to see another Brazilian at the
top of the list only because the conditions to be
nominated for the prize are so demanding.
"It's difficult to point out a single reason for this,
but it must serve to alert Brazilian football. And,
truth be told, it's no easy task to forge a Ballon
d'Or winner," said Kaka, who played on Brazil's
2002 World Cup winning squad.
"Thankfully, Neymar has improved a lot since he's
gone to play in Europe -- his game is a lot more
mature," Kaka said. "Now it's a matter of time
until he reaches first place."
The midfielder, who now plays for Major League
Soccer side Orlando City, said the dominance of
Messi and Ronaldo is understandable, given their
accomplishments.
"It had always been a rotation: Ronaldo and
Zidane won it three times, but there was always
some other player -- names like Figo, Ronaldinho,
myself, Rivaldo, Cannavaro... Then comes this
succession of Cristiano and Messi, only the two of
them -- and it is fair, for what they have been
doing year after year," the 33-year-old said.
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