(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-02-29 10:16

MILAN - AC Milan have extended Brazilian playmaker Kaka's contract by two years until June 2013, the European champions announced on Thursday.

AC Milan's world player of the year Kaka, pictured in January 2008, extended his contract with AC Milan by two years until June 2013, the European champions announced on Thursday. [Agencies]

"Ricky (Kaka) has repeatedly said that he wants to become a symbol of this team," Milan vice president Adriano Galliani told the club's Web site.

"He is, he is the greatest player in the world, he has decided to tie himself definitively to the Rossoneri colours.

"This is the contract of his life. I hope to be able to do another contract in 2013, but this is proof that Kaka will keep delighting our fans for all of his career."

The World Player of the Year was the driving force behind Milan's victorious Champions League campaign last season, scoring 10 goals on the way to the final.

Real Madrid tried to tempt Milan to sell Kaka throughout the close season with an 80 million euro (59 million pounds) offer and the Italian club even acknowledged that Kaka'a father and agent had held talks with the Spanish champions.