Kaka may be the most expensive, but is he the world's best?

Brazilian playmaker Kaka completed a record transfer to Real Madrid overnight making him the most expensive player in Footballing history, moving from A.C. Milan

The £56.3m the Madrid giants have shelled out on the 27 year old broke their own record of £45.6m which they paid Juventus for French international Zinedine ZidaneZinedine Zidane in 2001.

But does the £10m difference mean Kaka is a better player? Or is it just the footballing world trying to survive in this esculating financial climate?

There is no doubting either players talents, both ran their respective teams attacking play for several years. Both are majestical passes of a ball, sometimes the ball appearing to be stuck to their feet. Both contribute goals from midfield Kaka netted an incredible 95 times in his six years at the San Siro whilst Zidane was regarded by many as one of the leading dead ball experts of his time.

The one advantage the Frenchman has over Kaka is that he played in three seperate countries, meaning three seperate ways of playing and he excelled in everyone. Kaka on the otherhand only had two years in Brazil, where he scored 23 goals in 59 games before joining the Rossoneri.

However, Kaka was the real engine room when he arrived in Milan, in a midfield where Andrea PirloAndrea Pirlo, Clarence SeedorfClarence Seedorf and Rino Gattuso sat back and 'anchored' the defence, Kaka motored on providing assists for Filippo InzaghiFilippo Inzaghi and Andrei Shevchenko up front.

Whereas Zidane had to compete in an attack minded midfield alongside Luis FigoLuis Figo, Steve Macmanaman and Guti. So Zidane obviously had the flair to run a game, however he had support. Kaka in contrast, was the only pressing midfielder in the Milan centre, the other three all prefering to drop back.

However, the one area that, for me certainly wins the argument is the temperament of either player. For all that is good about Zidane, you ask people what do you remember about Zinedine Zidane? Some might say his wonder volley against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League Final in 2002. Others would say World Player of the Year three times over his career. However the vast majority would say 'His headbutt on Marco Matterazzi in the World Cup Final in 2006, his final game.'

It is often found that a sportsman is heavily criticised for retaliation, however in the final game of an elustrious career, to do something as stupid as headbutting a fellow professional no matter what had been said with the world's press focused on you, is what you will be remembered for. This is what Zinedine Zidane has found.

And it is for this reason you have to say Kaka's extra £10m on his price tag is justified. He has the skills the match the Frenchman but the Brazilian also has the temperament and maturity to go far beyond Zidane. Although it will be tough for him to break into and cement a first team spot at Madrid, like the statue on top of SugarLoaf Mountain Rio de Janiero in Brazil the world is at his feet.

And just to add insult to injury, it is rumoured the Brazilian will wear the number five shirt, which, not long ago, was occupied by a certain Zinedine Zidane.