Brazilian soccer star Kaka favors MLS over Spain's La Liga

Former Real Madrid man Kaka, who currently plays in MLS for Orlando City, favors the American league over Spain's La Liga, where Real Madrid and Barcelona tend to dominate.
According to Globo Esporte, Kaka said he favors MLS for a variety of reasons. Kaka said that there are no super teams, like with Madrid and Barca, which makes MLS more interesting. Here's what he had to say

"With the way it works in the MLS, we will never have super teams as Barcelona and Real Madrid. I think that makes it more interesting. In Spain, everything revolves around the super teams among 20 clubs in the division, and it causes loss of interest [among fans]."

Though the Los Angeles Galaxy would be the closest thing to a super team with three titles in four seasons, in Spain, Real Madrid and Barcelona have combined to win 26 of the last 31 league titles.
Kaka also said there is less pressure which has allowed him to spend more time with his family, training in the morning and then often having days to spend with them and get things done.
Sounds like, after winning everything in Europe, he is enjoying life in Orlando.

Kaka has more time to spend with the family while playing in the MLS. (USATSI)

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Can Kaká really take debutants Orlando City to the MLS playoffs?

The former Ballon d’Or winner is adamant he can lead his new team to success. But it’s arguable whether he has the supporting cast to succeed




Kaká has been praised by his Orlando team-mates for his work ethic. Photograph: Nigel Worrall/Nigel Worrall/Demotix/Corbis

Lake Sylvan Park is more than 4,350 miles from Madrid and Milan in geographical terms and several light years in terms of soccer culture. Yet here in rural Seminole County, surrounded by horse-racing stables hoping to produce the next Derby champion or Preakness winner, Brazil’s former World Player of the Year (he beat some kid called Lionel Messi to the award in 2007) is looking to lead his own group of potential thoroughbreds.

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, better known to most of the soccer world as Kaká, has left the likes of Real Madrid and Milan behind and is now a Lion, plying his trade for Orlando City as they take their first steps at MLS level this year. It is the kind of challenge not even David Beckham tackled on his famous foray across the pond, as he headed to Los Angeles and US soccer’s equivalent of the New York Yankees.

No, Kaká’s journey is profoundly different, albeit starting at the same age, 32, as Beckham was when he joined the Galaxy. While the England midfielder was arriving with a well-established team and a mission to raise the league’s profile, the Brazilian carries arguably an even bigger weight of expectation, not just from Orlando fans but the city’s tourism and business leaders, as well as the league itself. This is a completely unproven team, thrown together in piecemeal fashion from their USL Pro squad, an expansion draft, free agency and the MLS SuperDraft. Oh, and the Designated Player rule that has brought Kaká to Central Florida.

For Beckham, there was the Hollywood Bowl, Letterman and the paparazzi; for Kaká there is the Citrus Bowl, parochial News 13 TV and the fans. Lots of fans. Almost 7,000 turned out for an open practice night last Saturday at the team’s temporary home of the Citrus Bowl – usually the preserve of football and Monster Jam – and there is no doubt the club is looking to Kaká as an ambassador as well as an onfield general, quarterback and all-round symbol.

Kaká has fuelled those hopes himself, of course, insisting in his first major interview last month that he saw no reason why Orlando shouldn’t win the championship this season. Considering only two expansion teams have even reached the playoffs in their inaugural campaign, it is ramping up the anticipation levels to a legendary 11. Yet from the club president Phil Rawlins on down, the mantra is most certainly one of “playoffs or bust”, and the players are already in no doubt of where the bar has been set right from the outset.

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The fans, too, have caught playoff fever – they hope to fill the Citrus Bowl’s 68,000 seats for the season opener against New York City on 8 March – along with the expectation of being as successful in MLS as they were in US Pro, where they won either the regular season or the championship in each of their four years at minor league level.

Watch training around Sylvan Lake’s manicured acres – and the facilities here are genuinely top notch – and there is a subtle shift, a notable deferment when the ball is at Kaká’s feet, be it for a possession drill or all-out attacking formations. The other players are almost in awe of the Brazilian and you can detect their obvious appreciation in simply running alongside him and trading passes with the feet that won the Ballon d’Or.

At the same time, the player himself is conspicuously at ease. Still lean and graceful, Kaká is powerful yet almost balletic, a genuine master of his craft. This is why Orlando have shelled out the big bucks to bring him here – his easy-going and fan-friendly public persona are major bonuses but are, ultimately, purely side issues – and this is where they are hoping for the biggest pay-off. Because this season genuinely is about being competitive from the get-go, pushing the playing envelope and making it to the playoffs.

Rawlins has already seen the Kaká Factor at work at first hand. He told me: “On his very first day here, he was the first in at 8.30am and the first thing he did was go in the gym and get a workout in before training, to show the other players what it takes to be world-class without having to say anything. That’s the kind of leadership he brings, just providing the right example for our young players. Even though he has won everything there is to win in this game, he still knows you have to do it every day, from start to finish, to maintain that level.

“We have also assembled a quality squad around him and I think his attitude will be contagious, so I will be excited to see this team play and take New York apart on 8 March. We are not novices at this, we are not naïve. If we get things right and the players gel, the playoffs are certainly an attainable goal.”

For all Rawlins’ assertions, much of the quality in Orlando’s squad is still unproven, from Trinidadian midfielder Kevin Molino – the record scorer in USL Pro last year – to Honduran striker Bryan Rochez, the youngest Designated Player in the league at 19, who scored an average of a goal every other game in the Primera Division in his home country.


Kaká, centre, is unveiled by Orlando City. A star player was key to the strategy of club president Phil Rawlins, second from left. Photograph: Nigel Worrall/Demotix/Corbis

Their talents are possibly lightweight, representing a fast-moving will-o-the-wisp attacking force that could get blown away by a more pragmatic, physical defensive front, especially that employed by the likes of DC United and Los Angeles.

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Once again, however, the answer is “Watch Kaká.” I spoke to City’s two British stalwarts, experienced midfielder Lewis Neal, who is back for his second spell at the club after two seasons with DC United, and defender Luke Boden, who has been a mainstay in the back four for the past four seasons. Both have been around long enough to recognise special when they see it.

Boden said: “He is a fantastic player and he is a great guy to be around. He is always laughing and smiling; you can’t help but be impressed. But what people don’t see is when he is the gym first thing every morning – we see how hard he is working and how that then transfers on to the field. Most importantly, the game just seems to slow down when he has the ball and it all comes naturally to him. You can see it.”

Neal is equally adamant that the Kaká Effect is real. He added: “His resume speaks for itself; you can see what he has achieved in his career. And, in the short space of time he has been here, you can really see what a talent he is, and it is not just the on-field stuff. He is just as professional off the field as well, and you can see that rubbing off on the younger players. It is his mannerisms and work ethic, and it can only mean good things for us as an organisation and as players. It is an absolute pleasure to have that experience every day.”

You would expect his team-mates to be effusive about their opportunity, but MLS Commissioner Don Garber is just as smitten by the Brazilian’s X-factor.

“There is definitely something special about this guy and, don’t forget, I have seen the effect the likes of David Beckham and Thierry Henry have already had,” Garber told the Guardian. “I think it’s hard to actually overestimate what he can do for Orlando. When you remember he is one of only three people, with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, to have won the World Player of the Year award in the past eight years, it is an impressive message to be sending.

“Kaká also still has a lot of play left in him – very much like David when he first came here – and he opens the league up to new markets in South America on a scale we haven’t had before.”

So, how much more does Kaká have left in the tank after fully 14 seasons with Sao Paulo, Milan – in two stints – and Madrid? At 32, you suspect it could well be more than the likes of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, the big-name DPs who will (hopefully) arrive this year at LA Galaxy and New York City.

The player himself is unequivocal. “Three more years,” he says, with barely a pause for consideration. “Maybe four. For me I think it’s an exchange in values. I can give something for the league, and for sure the league will give a lot of things to me. I will give all my experience, my name and everything I have already won in soccer, and I will learn a lot from the league as it’s growing more than any other league in the world.

“A lot of my team-mates at Milan said ‘Please take me with you. I would like to play in America.’ I still get a lot of messages that some players want to join me here. Players in Europe are looking at MLS in a special way now.”

And that way is younger, sooner and with more to gain – both on the field and off it. Kaká is coming to MLS, and he is bringing an eager young team with him. They might also just keep him young enough to stick at this for more than another four years if all goes to plan, and an Orlando title in the near future may not be a pipedream after all.

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Kaká for MVP? 'He's a brilliant human being. You can't fail to be impressed'

Orlando’s Brazilian star has staked his claim to win the individual award – and he’s proving to be the most important designated player since David Beckham

 

Kaka’s ability to communicate in English, Spanish and Italian as well as his native Portuguese is the true gift for the league’s marketeers. Photograph: Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images

New York City FC threw their first ‘Pirlo Party’ on Sunday, and the guest of honour made a timely appearance for the MLS newcomers, providing a welcome second-half boost in an eight-goal thriller that did much for the league’s excitement level, if little for anyone’s defensive reputations.

Yet while Italian maestro Andrea Pirlo demonstrated he still has life in his 36-year-old legs, another foreign import was the most important player on view. He didn’t score, he had only one assist and his team finished on the wrong end of the 5-3 scoreline, but Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, otherwise known as Kaká, has already staked an indelible claim to be the league’s MVP this year, no matter how many parties New York stages between now and the end of the season.

It is also possible the Brazilian could turn out to be the most important designated player since a certain David Beckham first put his name to an inventive new rule about highly-paid stars being slotted into the playing ranks, despite the limitations of a salary cap.

The best goals of the week: Kaká, Larsson, Lallana, McClean and Calleri

After a six-year stint as the league’s de facto ambassador, Beckham hung up his DP boots in 2012 and handed over the reins to a larger group of designated promoters, including Los Angeles team-mate Robbie Keane, Seattle’s Clint Dempsey, Thierry Henry in New York and, in Canada, Marco Di Vaio (Montreal) and Michael Bradley (Toronto).

In 2015, that steady trickle has become a positive stream, with each of Kaká, David Villa, Shaun Maloney, Sebastian Giovinco and, most recently, Erick Torres, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Giovani dos Santos, Pirlo and Didier Drogba joining the DP throng. Yet only one of them drew the bulk of Snapchat fan votes to be the MLS captain in the all-star game against Spurs on Wednesday, and he was the only South American.

New York City’s game against Orlando marked the first time three former World Cup winners have appeared on the same MLS field, yet it was only one of them who spent the weekend before the game leading the media a merry promotional dance around the city, pressing the flesh and kissing babies (actually, taking selfies with all-comers and cuddling puppies), and he wasn’t European.

Villa, Giovinco, Gerrard and Jozy Altidore have all been notable contributors on the field in 2015, with the imperious Spaniard and impish Italian helping themselves to a combined 25 goals to date. Both will be firmly in the MVP debate, yet both have plenty of world-class help at hand and only the Brazilian has become the undisputed ‘face’ of his franchise, a flag-bearer of the frontline kind.

The simple fact is, this has become routine for Kaká, a standard experience of selling himself as much as the game, putting in long hours and multiple, multi-language interviews in order to promote the league’s growing reputation for attracting significant talent.

It is also the language factor that has made him so valuable, in a way even Beckham couldn’t approach in his heyday. It does help, of course, that the Brazilian has scored 11 goals this season, including a belter in the US Open Cup against Columbus and an even better one in a friendly against West Brom that invoked memories of his 2007 peak with AC Milan.

But his ability to communicate in English, Spanish and Italian as well as his native Portuguese – allied to his sincere simplicity – is the true gift for the league’s marketeers, who have long yearned to have an authentic South American connection that can engage the continent’s many Latin soccer fans.

At home, in Orlando’s cavernous Citrus Bowl, Kaká has quickly become the fan favourite to end them all, a figure who will run into the supporters behind the south goal after scoring and embrace as many as possible, and then be the last player to leave after a game, having signed autographs late into the night.

The Brazilian also endeared himself to fans with his tribute to injured team-mate Kevin Molino in May when, after scoring a penalty against Los Angeles, he ran to the sideline and donned a Molino shirt, earning himself a yellow card but even more adulation as a result.

Kaká celebrates against Columbus Crew in June. Photograph: John Raoux/AP

Brazil shirts are common at most Orlando away games, along with fans curious to see the 2007 world player of the year in the flesh. City’s road games have brought the highest attendance this season at each of Montreal, Salt Lake, Chicago and San Jose, and the second highest at Houston.

Kaká doesn’t hide when he takes his family to Disney World on a rest day, and he has taken selfies with thousands in his seven months in the heart of Theme Park Central. If you crossed St Francis of Assisi with Peyton Manning, added a dash of Errol Flynn and a side order of Forrest Gump, you couldn’t order up a more marketable – and likeable – player to carry the MLS flag.

No wonder Orlando City president Phil Rawlins says: “I firmly believe Kaká is the most valuable DP to join MLS since Beckham. His value on the field is clear for everyone to see but when you combine that with his universal appeal, his global reach in social media and his accessibility, he is clearly a game-changer for the league.”

Head coach Adrian Heath adds: “I don’t think we could have picked a better guy, in every way, to be the foundation of this team. Not only did he provide instant credibility but he is also a great teacher to the young guys in the team, showing them on a daily basis what it means to be a top-level professional.”

Considering Orlando is the epicentre of all things Brazilian in MLS terms, they probably would say that, wouldn’t they? Yet listen to a more neutral observer, like Fox Sports pundit Eric Wynalda, and, if anything, the praise for the ‘Kaká effect’ is even higher.

Wynalda enjoyed a storied playing career in both the formative years of MLS as well as during a decade playing for the US national team. He has seen MLS in all its 20-year history, and he has been paying close attention to events in central Florida this year.

He insists: “Sometimes we struggle to find a really strong connection to something that is real, and then someone like Kaká comes along, who is just a brilliant human being, and that’s the biggest part for me. We have seen players with big names and high salaries but I don’t think we have ever seen someone this genuine – and who can still play at an extremely high level.

“You don’t usually get guys like me – guys who were at the very beginning of the league, who didn’t make a lot of money and can sometimes be a bit self-righteous about foreign players coming in and making loads of money and not trying – saying this, but you are never going to hear that complaint from anybody when it comes to him.”

Considering Kaká is on $7.2m a year – in excess of any of his fellow DPs and roughly 100 times what Wynalda earned at his peak – to spread his Orlando largesse as far as possible, it is a remarkable statement from the ex-MLSer.

The former San Jose Clash striker does not stop there, either. “The players who have the opportunity to play with him are getting the most fantastic up-close education, and his influence on that side of things has been tremendous,” Wynalda observes. “It really is wonderful to have him in the league and people need to recognise that this doesn’t happen every day. It has been a great experience for everybody.

“I think there has always been an echo from the public about why haven’t we seen more South American players in the league. We had Marco Etcheverry in the very beginning, who was evidence that players from that region could bring tremendous value to the league, but we hadn’t seen much more until now, and a lot of it just has to do with the fact he is a brilliant footballer. He is everything he was supposed to be, and more besides.

“I wouldn’t go so far as to say he has had the same kind of influence over here as Pele, but it is pretty damn close. What he has brought has really enlightened a lot of people to this game.”

Steve Nicol is another player-turned-pundit who has a wealth of MLS knowledge and sees Kaká as the latest manifestation of the ‘new’ MLS. The former Liverpool star and New England head coach explains: “I think David Beckham set the standard for designated players, and we are now seeing the benefits of the level of professionalism that he brought.

“Prior to Beckham, I think that all the other superstars that came over were pretty much a failure as they saw it as an easy payday. David changed all that. Now, you are no longer bringing in guys who are mailing it in at the end of their careers, and Kaka is another example of that.

“You can see the pride in his performance and his willingness to work and pass on his experience and know-how. Those Orlando players are getting a real lesson in professionalism because, as much as anything else, he leads by example.”

Wynalda also points to the immense social media reach that Kaká enjoys as indication of the extra depth of his influence. Orlando City has close to 700,000 likes on their Brazilian Facebook page alone, almost as many as New York Red Bulls do for their regular Facebook profile. The Lions also have fan clubs in Britain, Italy, Norway, Portugal, China and Spain, as well as throughout Florida and parts of Latin America, which is testament to Orlando’s nature as a tourist Mecca going hand-in-hand with its new sporting icon.

Is it possible, then, that Kaká could have an even greater effect than Beckham? “Well, you can certainly say Kaká is the better footballer,” said Wynalda. “I think what David brought was a little bit more on the commercial side, as well as the awareness of the league because of his popularity. What David brought was fantastic, but Kaká has engaged fans who don’t know who he is.

“To the casual soccer fan in America, being introduced to him in a different way to the way Beckham was, and being judged solely on his ability as a player, you can’t fail to be impressed. Even when what he tries on the field doesn’t work out, you can see the genius in the man. Being an American and having been a part of the league since the beginning, I think it’s wonderful to have this guy out there.

“I guess I could just say it for what he is – the complete package, everything you would want in a DP. This is a man who isn’t going to let you down.”

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Soccer Superstar Ricardo Kaká Leite: Virgin Until Age 23

Of course, everyone has their own opinions but I think it was worth the wait.
 

If you live in the United States (the only country who isn’t obsessed with Soccer), then you may not recognize the name Kaká. But to the rest of the world, Kaká is a household name. And it’s little wonder why: Kaká is a true natural, dominating the ball from the first moment he stepped onto the field at age 7 (he made it to the finals that first season). Despite the fame and money showered upon him from an early age, Kaká married his childhood sweetheart and waited until marriage to have sex.

I am a great example. The majority of people say that after marriage, they don’t like jumping into bed with their partner because there is no desire. However, this is not true, my wife is the person I love and it was worth waiting.

A lot of people were surprised and shocked with me but I think it’s the best decision. I am an evangelist and I believe in those values. I think people need to prevent themselves from making love before marriage.

Of course, everyone has their own opinions but I think it was worth the wait.
Quotes from Kaka’s Wife, Caroline Celico

I found out that he was the love of my life when I got to know him on a daily basis. But I’m not gonna lie, when I saw him for the first time (I was 14, saw him at the airport and he was with his back to me.) I felt something completely different for him, and then I learned who he was. When he saw me for the first time. I asked him to sign an autograph to my friend and one to me. He wrote to my friend: “with love, from Kaka”, and to me he wrote: “Kisses, with love from Kaka”. He told me that he liked me ever since.

He is very disciplined, and sometimes it can be really annoying when he leaves way too early to avoid being late for something. He is way too nice, and sometimes I think he should be more polite and less friendly with people that misunderstand his affection.

What I admire most in him is gratitude to God. Kaka made me fall in love with God, and know that God made me discover the one and only true love for Kaka. We never were driven by passion or by fleeting moments, but by a deep love. Kaka is admirable; he is extremely disciplined and faithful to everything that is involved with.
Mini Biography

Born Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite on 22nd of April 1982 in Brazil, to Bosco Leite, a civil engineer, and Simone dos Santos, an elementary school teacher.

Age 7: Kaká’s family moves to São Paulo. He hoins a local youth soccer club called “Alphaville,” where he makes it all the way to the finals in a local tournament, where he was discovered by hometown soccer club São Paulo Footbal Club (São Paulo FC).

Age 8: Keeps playing for his local youth soccer club (and being watched by São Paulo FC), while also enjoying a little tennis on the side.

Age 12: Becomes engrossed in religion. Hears his parents speaking about the word of God as written in the bible.

Age 15: Moves on to São Paulo FC and signs his first professional contract with the club. He then leads São Paulo youth squad to Juvenile Cup glory.

Age 16-17: Meets his to-be wife Caroline in high school. They become close friends and start dating right away.

Age 18: Suffers a career-threatening and possibly paralysis-inducing spinal fracture as a result of a swimming pool accident, but remarkably makes a full recovery. Attributes his recovery to God and has since tithed his income to his church.

Age 19: Plays one of his best matches as a Real Madrid player during a 3-0 victory over Ajax Soccer Club in the Champions League. Scores one goal, provides one assist, and participates in one of the best team counter-attacks of the day. Later chosen as the best player of that Champions League Matchday.

Age 20: Makes his senior side debut and scores 12 goals in 27 games, in addition to leading São Paulo to its first and only championship.

Age 21: Moves to Italy an Joins the Milan soccer club for €8.5 million (later described as “peanuts” by the club owner). Within a month, he is placed in the starting lineup, and his Series A debut was in a 2–0 win over Ancona. Scores 10 goals in 30 appearances that season, wins the Scudetto Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.

Joins Brazilian national team. Becomes team captain for the 2003 Gold Cup tournament. Scores three goals during the tournament and is included in Brazil’s squad for 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup in Germany. Appears in all five matches and scored one goal in a 4–1 win over Argentina in the final.

Age 22: Becomes the youngest ambassador of the UN World Food Programme.

Age 22-23: Marries Caroline Celico on 23 December 2005 at a Rebirth in Christ church in São Paulo in a wedding attended by fellow players from his national team, as well as other well-known international players.

Becomes part of the five-man midfield in the 2004–05 season. Scores seven goals in 36 domestic appearances as Milan finished runner-up in the Scudetto race. Despite Milan losing the 2004–05 Champions League final to Liverpool on penalties, Kaká was still voted the best midfielder of the tournament. Scores his first hat-tricks (three goals in a single game) in domestic competition.

Age 24: Starts in his first FIFA World Cup finals in 2006 and scores his first and only goal of the tournament in Brazil’s 1–0 victory over Croatia in Brazil’s opener, for which he was named Man of the Match. Officially sworn in as an Italian citizen.

Age 25: Becomes the focal point of Milan’s offense as he alternates between the midfield and striker positions. Finishes as the top scorer in the 2006–07 Champions League campaign with ten goals.

Age 26: Wife gives birth to first child, Luca Leite. Plays his 200th career match. Named the FIFA Pro World Player of the Year. Adds the Champions League title to his trophy case for the first time when Milan defeats Liverpool. Voted Vodafone Player of the Season in a poll of over 100,000 UEFA.com visitors.

Becomes the eighth Milan player to win the Ballon d’Or after he finished with a decisive 444 votes, long ahead of runner-up Cristiano Ronaldo. Signs a contract extension through 2013 with Milan.

Age 27: Time magazine names Kaká as one of the world’s 100 most influential people, partially for his performance on the field, and partially for his humanitarian work with the World Food Programme). Casts his footprints into the Estádio do Maracanã’s sidewalk of fame, in a section dedicated to the memory of the country’s top players.

Plays in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, marking his first international tournament since the 2006 World Cup. Receives the Golden Ball as the player of the tournament at the Confederations Cup and is also named the Man of the Match in the final.

Newly-elected Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez offers Milan €68.5 million to trade Kaka, and they accept. Kaká makes his unofficial debut with Real Madrid in a 5–1 victory against Toronto. Scores his first goal for Real Madrid during a pre-season match in a 5–0 victory against Borussia Dortmund.

Kaká would later make his league debut on 29 August 2009 in a 3–2 win against Deportivo La Coruña. He scores his first goal, a penalty kick, in a 2–0 victory against Villarreal.

Age 28: Real Madrid announces that Kaká had undergone a successful surgery on a long-standing left knee injury and would face up to four months on the sidelines. Kaká returns to training after a long lay-off and manager Jose Mourinho said that having Kaká back was like a new signing.

Kaká suffers from Iliotibial band syndrome which kept him sidelined for a few weeks. After returning from injury, he appears in a convincing win over Valencia, scoring two goals.

EA Sports announces that Kaká has been chosen for the cover of FIFA 11.

Age 29: Caroline gives birth to their second child Isabella. After more than one year absence from the national team, Kaká is recalled on 27 October 2011 for the friendly matches against Gabon and Egypt. He later had to be removed from the squad due to an injury, and thus didn’t play either of the matches. Has since recovered and continues to be one of the most valuable players in the game.
How Kaka Met His Wife Caroline
They first met in 2002 when Caroline was just 15 and studying and and Kaká is still playing for the São Paulo Football Club. Carol’s mother met Kaka’s father and they were introduced to each other by their parents in a party. Kaka was immediately charmed and fascinated by her. Soon, they exchanged emails and phone calls and started dating after they become friends. They soon realized they were in love.
While in Venice, Kaka told Carol that he had to sign something, and he asked her to go with him. One night, he took her for dinner before a meeting, and on the top of a building with a view to the city, he asked her to marry him. Carol said “yes” with a big smile on her face and with tears in her eyes.
They got married on December 23, 2005 at Rebirth in Christ Church in front of 600 guests.
Interesting Facts about Kaká
His nickname “Kaká” is a commonly used shortened form of “Ricardo” in Portuguese, however, Kaká got his nickname from his younger brother, Rodrigo, who could not pronounce the word “Ricardo” when they were young. Rodrigo called his older brother “Caca” which later changed its name to Kaká.
Kaka’s wife, Caroline Celico, dresses intentionally conservative to prevent Paparrazi from sexualizing her. The result is that she’s known more for her beauty than “hottness.”
Kaka is the first sportsperson to amass 10 million followers in twitter.
He is a follower of the evangelical Rebirth in Christ Church and devout evangelical Christian.
Kaká has a musical side to himself as he performed a song with his wife, Caroline, on her debut album. The song, entitled Presente de Deus, was written by Kaká himself for his wife and was resonated in the church during their wedding in 2005.
In his first season Milan lifted the Serie A title, and it was at that time that Kaka first invested in his ‘I belong to Jesus’ vest, and had the words ‘God is faithful’ stitched onto the tongues of his boots.

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KAKA EXCLUSIVE: Oscar and Mesut Ozil tell me I should come to the Premier League but I'm so happy in Orlando... and I still want to play for Brazil at the 2018 World Cup

Kaka takes his mind back to the days before he lived up the road from Mickey Mouse.

To when he was one of the original world superstars, the Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi of his day. To 2007, when he was deemed the best player on the planet, receiving twice as many votes as those two young pretenders to become the Ballon d'Or winner and FIFA World Player of the Year.

In the seven years since then, Ronaldo and Messi have fought for the crown between them, but 2007 was Kaka's year; single-handedly obliterating Manchester United over two legs in the Champions League semi-final at AC Milan on his way to winning it and ending the tournament as top-scorer.

Kaka drives forward during Orlando City's 1-0 win against Houston Dynamo in Texas earlier this month

Sportsmail's Sam Cunningham chats with Kaka at the Alfond Hotel in the Winter Park area of Orlando

Kaka celebrates after scoring Orlando City's first ever Major League Soccer goal against New York City FC

Orlando fans celebrate after Kaka scores the first goal in the club's history against New York City FC

The Brazilian's huge grin is on full display as he shows off the Ballon d'O trophy in Paris, France, in 2007

Today he is the star of Orlando City, playing out the final days of a distinguished career on the doorstep of Disney World in the glorious Sunshine State where we meet. But first we are discussing the £56million transfer to Real Madrid in 2009 - a fee then putting him behind only Zinedine Zidane as the world's most expensive player - where he would win La Liga and the Copa del Rey under Jose Mourinho.

'His ambition for victory sets Mourinho apart,' Kaka says of the Chelsea manager. 'He wants to win every game, so he prepares all the smallest details; in training, at the game, everything. I loved to work with him.

'He tries everything to extract the best from the players, to push them. This is what he can do better than anyone else.'

Many consider Kaka, whose real name is Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite but developed the nickname when his younger brother Digao could not pronounce 'Ricardo' growing up, did not live up to his astronomical fee during a four-year spell in Spain.

He has admitted that he lacked consistent playing time under Mourinho for the majority of his time there, despite their success together. Yet Kaka's capacity to forgive, to forgo blame and bitterness, shines through repeatedly over the course of this interview.

Kaka, pictured with Jose Mourinho in 2011, believes the Chelsea boss's ambition for victory sets him apart

Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Matias Laba (right) challenges Kaka for the ball at the Orlando Citrus Bowl

Kaka says he is loving his time in Orlando and is not thinking about joining a Premier League club

Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets and Kaka tussle for the ball in a 2011 Champions League semi-final

Kaka celebrates scoring against Lazio in March 2014 during his second spell with Serie A side AC Milan

KAKA FACT FILE

AGE: 32

CLUB CAREER

Sao Paulo (2001-2003) - 59 games, 23 goals

AC Milan (2003-2009) - 193 games, 70 goals

Real Madrid (2009-2013) - 85 games, 7 goals

AC Milan (2013-2014) - 30 games, 7 goals

Orlando City (2014- ) - 2 games, 1 goal

MAJOR HONOURS

AC MILAN - Serie A (03-04), UEFA Champions League (06-07), UEFA Super Cup (07), FIFA World Club Cup (07)

REAL MADRID - La Liga (11-12), Copa del Rey (10-11),

INDIVIDUAL HONOURS

Serie A Footballer of the Year - 2004, 2007

Ballon d'Or - 2007

FIFA World Player of the Year - 2007

INTERNATIONAL CAREER

Brazil (2002-) - 89 caps, 29 goals

'I am so pleased to have had the opportunity to work with Mourinho, he is one of the best coaches in the world,' he says.

That humbleness is, perhaps, down to his deeply religious upbringing. An iconic image remains from when Kaka finally won the Champions League for the first time. AC Milan beat Liverpool to avenge their astonishing final victory two years previously, a memory he merely laughs at, and he had a message to purvey.

At the final whistle - after having a hand in both their goals - Kaka fell to his knees and stripped off his jersey to reveal underneath a vest with 'I belong to Jesus' written on it, held his hands out wide, palms facing up, closed his eyes and raised his head to the heavens.

The world's eyes were upon a man transcending to the very top of his sport. Sitting in the luxurious Alfond hotel, in the upmarket Winter Park area of Orlando where we meet, he explains his statement.

'I grew up with the bible education and my values come from there. I had an opportunity to say to the world I belong to Jesus and I wanted to do that.

'Often players at clubs I have been at have asked me for prayers or advice. I prefer to show them things, rather than to say things; with my actions, not my words. I don't want to push it on anyone, it's not to push.'

Kaka is excited to have Lampard and Gerrard join the MLS

Kaka famously celebrated AC Milan's Champions League triumph in 2007 with a 'I belong to Jesus' vest

Sportsmail's Sam Cunningham poses with former Real Madrid superstar Kaka in Orlando, Florida

Massimo Oddo (right) and Kaka hold the Champions League trophy after beating Liverpool in Athens

Kaka receives the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year award from Brazil legend Pele at a gala in Zurich

Kaka was immersed in the Christian faith long before a miracle occurred in his life; involved in a frightening accident, aged 18, which broke his back and could have put paid to any football career.

He was playing by a poolside when he slipped on a diving board and cracked his spine. 'I broke my sixth vertebrae,' he recalls, a grimace momentarily replacing the broad grin which is almost permanently etched on his face, running his left hand along the bone which fractured.

'I went to the doctor and he said I was lucky because they had a lot of these problems here and everyone that has suffered them can't even walk.

'My first question was can I play football again? They said "no you need to just be happy you can walk, in a few months we will see what you can do."'

Two months later he was kicking a ball. 'It was a tough period, I was so scared,' he adds. 'I thought maybe I won't play again.'

It could have meant he never got to appear on a pitch alongside both Ronaldos; the Brazilian one for the national team in the early stages of his career and the Portuguese megastar at Real Madrid towards the latter.

Kaka was the world's second-most expensive player for less than 48 hours before Cristiano Ronaldo followed him to Real for a then-world record £80m.

Kaka applauds Real Madrid fans at his official presentation at the Bernabeu in June, 2009

Kaka scores a solo goal for AC Milan against Manchester United in the Champions League in 2007

Kaka is a cult hero among Orlando City's supporters following his spells with AC Milan and Real Madrid

Kaka celebrates a goal after returning to his boyhood club Sao Paulo on loan from Orlando City last year

The pair remain in touch and, again, there is no resentment that Ronaldo eclipsed their time together. Quite the opposite, in fact; Kaka is delighted he was usurped by Ronaldo in 2008 as the world's best.

'I won the Ballon d'Or and World Player of Year against Cristiano and Messi,' he adds. 'They win it every year now, but I could beat them back then. For me that's important because I had the best opponents. I'm proud when I see that.'

Kaka considers Ronaldo to be a more complete player than rival Messi. He feels he played some part in his former team-mate's development into the three-time Ballon d'Or winner and that they helped improve each other's game.

'I definitely think so,' he says. 'It was great having him as a team-mate. I learnt a lot of things from him, every day I stuck with him and saw how he trained, how he played. It helped me a lot.

'We had a great relationship off the pitch in Spain. We still have a very good one. I'm so happy that he could win the Ballon d'Or at Real Madrid. He really deserved that. He is a special player.'

Two years Ronaldo's senior, Kaka has come to America. Not merely to pick up a vast pay cheque and enjoy the searing temperature. It was two years ago, he says, that he told Orlando City owner Flavio Augusto da Silva, a Brazilian businessman, he wanted to play in the MLS, in search of new achievements and experiences.

One of those was completed when he scored the first ever goal for Orlando City in their MLS debut against fellow newcomers New York City this month.

Kaka remains in regular contact with Premier League stars including Mesut Ozil, Willian and Oscar

Kaka scores his first goal for Orlando (left) and runs off to celebrate at the Citrus Bowl (right)

Kaka greets one of Orlando's fans after securing a dramatic draw with New York City in their opening game

In front of a frenetic 63,000-strong crowd at the Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium he celebrated like he had won a World Cup final after netting an equaliser in stoppage time.

Kaka is the league's biggest star now, Orlando's captain and the city adores him. He wants to use his position to keep his place back in Brazil's squad and insists he could have one more World Cup in him when Russia 2018 comes around.

'It is in three-and-a-half years and if Dunga needs me I'll be ready to play in the national team,' he declares. 'It is a real motivation for me.'

Kaka would dearly have loved to have played in the Premier League but, aged 32 and with a three-year contract at Orlando City, that opportunity is passing him by. He had his chance in 2009, offered to join Manchester City and Carlo Ancelotti discussed a move when he took over at Chelsea, but he regrets none of his choices. He follows the league closely, keeping regular contact with his friends Oscar, Filipe Luis and Willian at Chelsea and Mesut Ozil at Arsenal.

'They joke with me saying, "Come and play for Chelsea or Arsenal" but I am so happy here in Orlando.'

Kaka knows what football means in England. He relishes that he scored what he considers the best goal of his career at Old Trafford in that 2007 Champions League semi-final first leg, beating Darren Fletcher, Gabriel Heinze and Patrice Evra in one of the many graceful, slaloming runs of his career and finishing past Edwin van der Sar.

Kaka understands that Ronaldinho dashed a nation's dreams when he looped a freakish 35-yard free kick over David Seaman to knock England out of the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals, which he maintains to this day was a cross and which would result in him lifting football's greatest prize.

He appreciates what it meant to Liverpool to come back from a 3-0 half-time deficit and beat Kaka's Milan on penalties to win the Champions League in 2005. 'It's still one of the best finals ever,' he insists, 'even if I was on the losing side.'

Those moments - and the many more of his career - belong in the annals of history, just as much as Kaka belongs to Jesus.

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Kaka Biography

Professional soccer player Kaká helped São Paulo take home the World Cup title in 2002. He later lead Milan to Champions League and Club World Cup titles.

Synopsis

Kaká was born on April 22, 1982, in Brasilia, Brazil. He made his professional debut with São Paulo's senior team. He aided his team in taking home the Torneio Rio-Sao Paulo title in 2001. In 2002 his team also took home the World Cup title. In 2003, the midfielder left his home country for a new team and a new contract in Milan, Italy. In 2009, Milan handed Kaká over to the Real Madrid club.

Early Life

Professional soccer player. Born Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite on April 22, 1982, in Brasilia, the capital city of Brazil. A top-level player soccer player throughout his youth, Kaká began his move toward the professional ranks at the age of 15, when he signed to the São Paulo youth club. His bright career was brought to a halt only three years later, when a swimming pool accident fractured a vertebrae in his neck. The incident could have paralyzed the athlete, but Kaká fully healed. Crediting God for his miraculous recovery, the budding star began leading an actively Christian life, engaging in daily prayer; tithing a portion of his income to the church; refusing to swear; and remaining chaste until his marriage to childhood sweetheart Caroline Celico in 2005.

Outstanding Rookie Year
A year after the injury, Kaká made his professional debut with São Paulo's senior team in dramatic fashion. In the closing minutes of a tight game he scored two times, sealing a win for his club. The performance proved to be the start of a successful rookie year that would see him score 12 times in just 27 games. He also aided his team in taking home the Torneio Rio-Sao Paulo title in 2001 - the only time the team has won the championship to date. In 2002, while seeing limited action, his team also took home the World Cup title.

Accolades at Milan
In 2003, the midfielder left his home country for a new team and a new contract in Milan, Italy. For Milan, the transfer had cost $10 million, a sum that the club's owner labeled as "peanuts" compared to the talent he was getting. It didn't take long for Kaká to live up to his pricetag. Over the next several seasons, Kaká assembled a player résumé like no other. His accolades included The Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year title in 2004 and 2006, as well as recognition as the Champions League Best Midfielder in 2005.

But his finest season to date came in 2007, when Kaká became the league's top scorer, and led his team to Champions League and Club World Cup titles. In addition, he was named the European Footballer of the Year, World Soccer Player of the year, FIFA World Cup Best Player, and FIFA World Player of the Year.

For much of his time in Milan, rumors circulated that he may leave for another team. In January 2009, talks heated up between Milan and Manchester City about a proposed $145 million transfer that would see Kaká move north to England. Negotiations eventually came undone, but not the rumors about the player's departure. Five months later, the Milan team - a club that was deeply in debt - handed Kaká over to the Real Madrid club in Spain for a $78 million, six-year contract. "Now the soap opera is over," Kaká told reporters.

Personal Life
For Kaká, the change meant a new team and a new contract, but not a new life. In a sport that has its share of glitz and glamour, the playmaker has been unafraid to voice his Christian faith. "Cars and women, things like that, have never been important to me," said the player. "My family, and my belief in God and Jesus are the things which determine my life. I do want to live my life in the right way, and live my life close to God." The player has tried to back up his words with action.

In 2004, he became the U.N. World Food Program's youngest ambassador, a recognition that has seen the soccer star support programs that try to address world hunger. In 2008, for example, he helped the organization launch "Fill the Cup", an ambitious relief effort that works to get food to the estimated 59 million children in developing countries.

In 2008, Kaká celebrated a different milestone when his wife gave birth to a baby boy, Luca Celico Leite. The couple resides in Madrid, Spain.

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Orlando City Made A Great Choice With Ricardo Kaka

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Orlando City is about to join the MLS as of next season after playing in the USL Pro League since its inception. Orlando is known to many as a vacation destination and nothing more but from next season, Orlando City will have within their ranks the former Brazil international and superstar Ricardo Kaka. The initiative taken on by this team is quite amazing. The team wants to be challenging for trophies within their first season and have made a statement by acquiring the services of Kaka. The team is not known by many but it will join New York City FC as the other team to join the MLS.

Kaka has shown his class all over the world for may years. He was the instrumental piece in AC Milan‘s successful period winning many trophies and lifting the team to higher heights. Kaka was a part of the Brazil team which lifted the World Cup in 2002. Kaka left AC Milan in 2009 signing for Real Madrid for 56 million pounds. He was criticized heavily for not being able to reproduce the form which he had at Milan. After such a dismal spell at Milan, Kaka left and returned to Milan. Not having spent too much time in Milan after, he joined the ranks of Orlando City and went on to a loan spell at Sao Paulo until the commencement of the MLS season in March 2015.

With other teams such as NYCFC acquiring superstars, the strength of the league grows tremendously every year. I think that Kaka will be successful at Orlando City because not only does he have a vast wealth of experience but the talent of the once Brazilian superstar is still in him. If Orlando City can strike the perfect balance and compliment Kaka we may see them making great progress towards trophies in their first season in the league.

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