kaka in armani
lol,,cant believe he got one?,,huh?,,
we'll forgive him for this pic
Player to Watch: Kaka is the new "White Pele"
26 May 2004
by FIFAworldcup.com
"In Brazil, we have very good players in all positions, but I think the outstanding talent at the moment is Kaka. He is very skilful and already one of the best players in the world." If anybody knows what they are talking about, it is the king, Pele, especially when the subject is one of his compatriots. The facts speak for themselves in any case, as young Brazilian prodigy Ricardo Izecson Santos Leite, nicknamed Kaka by his brother, has established himself as the driving force and brains of the AC Milan side in a matter of weeks. Although barely twenty-two, his meteoric rise to prominence has propelled fellow countryman and megastar Rivaldo towards the exit door and relegated Portuguse legend Rui Costa to the bench.
A world champion in 2002 with Brazil despite only playing for a few minutes against Costa Rica (5-2), Kaka's stock has risen steadily since, with the result that he is now a vital cog in the latest Brazil side. "On the pitch, he always takes as many risks as possible, but he rarely gets caught out," acknowledges the Brazilian coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira. "With him and Adriano, the team shouldn't have any problems for quite a few years to come. They are young and gifted, so we're going to have a lot of fun," believes the evergreen Cafu, who, during his extended term of duty in the famous gold and green strip of the five-times world champions, has seen many a hot young prospect come and go.
Rai, the former Seleçao and Sao Paulo captain, has always been the idol of Kaka, who was born in Brasilia but grew up in Sao Paulo. Indeed, there are some striking similarities between the pair, as just like Rai, Kaka fails to fit the Brazilian stereotype of the kid from the favela who first played the game in the street with a ball made from rags. Coming from a comfortable and cultured family, Kaka kept up his studies for as long as they were compatible with his profession. When his talent was inevitably recognised and he received his first financial rewards, he opted to fund his brother's enrolment at the best college in Sao Paulo rather than splash out on a flashy car.
Having miraculously survived a serious swimming pool accident in 2000, he has had to work relentlessly to get to the top, even if he does possess way-above-average natural ability. "At 15, he was small and tired quickly. I used to reassure his parents by saying, 'don't worry, he'll grow, the rest of you are all tall.' At 17, he was 1.80m but thin as a rake, but during 18 months of special work, he put on ten kilos of muscle and was then able to start fully expressing his talent on the field," recalls Turibio Leite de Barros Neto, Sao Paulo's physical trainer and coordinator of the centre for sports medicine at the University of Sao Paulo.
In spite of all the obstacles, Kaka was already mentally programmed to play for Milan. One of his closest friends, Juca Pacheco, still remembers the interminable Playstation sessions enjoyed by Kaka and Julio Baptista, the attacking midfielder currently with Seville. "Baptista liked to be Manchester United, while Kaka always chose AC Milan. It was the only club he thought about and, in the end, he has conquered it," Pacheco reminisces.
As a matter of fact, Kaka was not originally due in Italy until July 2004, but when scouts from Chelsea began sniffing around the phenomenon, former Brazilian international Leonardo, now a Milan executive, convinced Kaka not to drag his heels in Brazil and to have an early crack at the Calcio. With any doubts allayed by a contract worth 8.5 million euros over five years, Kaka set out on his quest to win over the club of his dreams, and in less than one season, he already has the San Siro in his pocket.
Zico: "Brazil's finest discovery"
"He's a well-balanced, laid-back young man, who is not prone to either over-excitement or depression," explains his coach Carlo Ancelotti with evident admiration. He is mentally very strong and already very mature beyond his years. I don't think there's much risk of him getting bigheaded. He is a great champion." He actually finished his first season with an average mark of 7.69 per game, ahead of Golden Ball winner, Pavel Nedved, with 7,30. By way of a yardstick, other great playmakers of world football recorded considerably lower ratings during their debut seasons, such as Maradona (6.93), Falcao (6.79), Zico (6.74), Michel Platini (6.48) and Socrates (5.83).
Holland and Manchester United striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy is one of the many admirers of this young man who "seems to play the game for fun and be a free spirit who never gives things a second thought."
At this moment, Kaka has the world at his feet. With his national team, as with Milan, he has the unequivocal support of his teammates. Undeniably, at the age of 22, he still has a great deal to learn, but in the words of Zico: "with the character he shows on and off the pitch, Kaka reminds me of Socrates. He is without a doubt Brazil's finest discovery".
For Wanderley Luxemburgo, the former Cruzeiro coach who has closely followed the career of the young sensation, Kaka "has the technique of a Brazilian and the physical qualities of a European. He is the standard-bearer of the modern game." High praise indeed!