Kaka: A Legend in the Making

Brazil has gifted the football world with names like Ronaldinho, Pele and Ronaldo, but during the last decade one player has emerged, with a name no one is likely to forget in a hurry! Sixty-eight million Euros was the transfer fee paid by Real Madrid to secure the services of Riccardo Isaacson Del Sato Lete, or Kaka, from former team AC Milan. The attacking midfielder has been likened to Brazilian greats in just his first few years playing for the premier league, with his pace and creativity exciting football fans everywhere. July 2004 and AC Milan introduced its new strip in New York. The event at Macyʼs sold thousands of new shirts, and four players, including Kaka, personally signed them. Today, this type of shirt with Kakaʼs signature is worth $1000! It was not long after Kakaʼs joining AC Milan that the national team came calling, and the young Kaka now had a world profile. He was invited by the United Nations to front their World Food Programme which attempts to half the number of hungry people around the world by 2015. Kakaʼs dedication to his faith and determination to do good in the world outside of football has made him a great fit for causes such as this. Kaka is a magical footballer who creates moments of inspiration. In this he is compared to Brazilian team mate Ronaldinho, but the two are not rivals. Instead they commend each other on their talents and admire each otherʼs careers. In 2007, Ronaldinho won the FIFPro Award, voted by players for players. The following year, the honor was bestowed upon Kaka, who felt humbled to have received the accolade from his peers.