Kaka BiographyRicardo Izecson dos Santos Leite (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʁiˈkaɾdu iˈzɛksõ duˈsɐ̃tus ˈlejtʃi]; born 22 April 1982), commonly known as Kaká, is a Brazilian football midfielder who currently plays for Real Madrid C.F.[1] and the Brazilian national team. He started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club. By then, he also played tennis,[2] and it was not until he moved on to São Paulo FC and signed his first professional contract with the club at the age of fifteen that he chose to focus on football. In 2003 he joined A.C. Milan for a fee of €8.5 million. While at Milan, Kaká won the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards in 2007. In addition to his contributions on the pitch, Kaká is known for his humanitarian work. In 2004, by the time of his appointment, he became the youngest ambassador of the United Nations’ World Food Programme. International career
Kaká was called up for the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship, but the Brazilians crashed out to Ghana in the quarter-finals. Several months later, he made his debut for the senior Brazil squad in a friendly match against Bolivia on 31 January 2002. He was part of the 2002 FIFA World Cup-winning squad, but played only 25 minutes,[26] all of which were in the first round match against Costa Rica.
In 2003, Kaká was the captain for the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament, where Brazil, competing as with their under-23 team, finished as runner-up to Mexico. He scored three goals during the tournament. He was included in Brazil’s squad for 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup in Germany. He appeared in all five matches and scored one goal in a 4–1 win over Argentina in the final.
Kaká started in his first FIFA World Cup finals in 2006 and scored 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.[27] He was unable to keep up the momentum for the remainder of the tournament, as Brazil was eliminated by France in the quarter-finals. In a friendly against rivals Argentina on 3 September 2006, after entering as a substitute, he received the ball off a deflection from an Argentina corner kick and outran Lionel Messi while taking the ball down three quarters of the field to score.[28]
On 12 May 2007, citing an exhaustive schedule of Serie A, Champions League, and national team play, Kaká bowed out of the 2007 Copa América, which Brazil won.[29] After missing out on the Copa América, he returned to play in Brazil’s friendly match against Algeria on 22 August 2007.
Kaká participated in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, marking his first international tournament since the 2006 World Cup. His only two goals came in Brazil’s group stage opener against Egypt on 14 June, when he scored a goal in the fifth minute and then added a 90th-minute penalty in Brazil’s 4–3 victory.[30] He received the Golden Ball as the player of the tournament at the Confederations Cup and was also named the Man of the Match in the final after helping Brazil to a 3-2 win against the United States.[31][32][33] Personal life
A devout evangelical Christian, Kaká became engrossed in religion at the age of 12: “I learnt that it is faith that decides whether something will happen or not.” He removed his jersey to reveal an “I Belong to Jesus” t-shirt and openly engaged in prayer moments after the final whistle of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup, and Milan’s 2004 Scudetto and 2007 Champions League triumphs. He also had the same phrase, along with “God Is Faithful,” stitched onto the tongues of his boots.[34] During the postmatch celebration following Brazil’s 4–1 win over Argentina in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup final, he and several of his teammates wore t-shirts that read “Jesus Loves You” in various languages.
Kaká is a member of the organization Atletas de Cristo (“Athletes of Christ”).[35] His goal celebration consists of him pointing to the sky as a gesture of thanks to God. Kaká’s favourite music is gospel,[36] and his favourite book is the Bible.[37] Since November 2004, he has served as an Ambassador Against Hunger for the United Nations’ World Food Programme, the youngest to do so at the time of his appointment.
Kaká is a follower of the evangelical Rebirth in Christ Church[38]. He married his childhood sweetheart Caroline Celico on 23 December 2005 at a Rebirth in Christ church in São Paulo.[39] Their first child, Luca Celico Leite, was born in São Paulo on 10 June 2008.[40]
Kaká was sworn in as an Italian citizen on 12 February 2007.[41] He features prominently in adidas advertising and also has a modeling contract with Armani, the latter preventing him from appearing in a photo collection alongside his Milan teammates that was published by Dolce & Gabbana in early 2007.
Raí, the former Brazilian and São Paulo FC captain, has always been the idol of Kaká.[citation needed]
Kaká’s best friend is Chivas USA midfielder and fellow Brazilian Marcelo Saragosa. They both served as best man at each other’s wedding.[42]
