The 25-year-old midfield sensation guided an unfancied AC Milan to the UEFA Champions League title with his ten goals during the campaign.

"To be honest, I was expecting it a little bit," Kaka was quoted as saying by France Football's Web site (www.francefootball.fr).

"I won the Champions League and was the competition's top scorer. That's what made the difference with the others.

The Brazilian international finished ahead of Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who finished second, and Lionel Messi of Barcelona.

Ninety six sports journalists from around the world took part in the vote that earned Kaka 444 points to Ronaldo's 277 and Messi's 255.

"Cristiano Ronaldo lost to AC Milan in the Champions League. Had he won maybe he would have won the award. And Milan would not have played Liverpool in the final, let alone have won the trophy," he added.

"That is the key. You have to play in a winning team."

Kaka replaces Italian Fabio Cannavaro as winner of the award that used to be restricted to players plying their trade in Europe. However, the prestigious French magazine decided to extend the award to players from across the globe from now on.

The talented midfielder has already won the the FIFPro World Player of the Year and UEFA European Club Player of the Year awards this year and is a frontrunner to land FIFA's World Player of the Year award that will be announced later this month.