I wrote this post a year ago when it was rumored that Kaká would return to Milan. It is now a reality.
#BemvindoKaka #BenvenutoKaka
 |
| can he rise like the phoenix? |
 |
| Sao Paulo youth team |
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, or Kaká*, has become a hero to many football fans around the world in the past decade, including myself. I can't think of another athlete I have admired more than him. Being the only player I have followed since before professionalism until achieving the highest personal awards a footballer can reach, the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year. His work ethic, his attitude on and off the field, and his personal life, make it something to look up to. He is a rare breed; an athlete that had reached the highest level, and is not clouded by tabloid rumors or any media controversies. He refers to himself as a Christian, father and husband, who loves football. When he was transferred to Milan and won everything that could be won at the club level, he reached legend status.
Kaká is not the typical Brazilian football player. He doesn't come from the favela. He comes from a wealthy family. He focused on both school and football. But like most Brazilians, he praises God for every game he plays. His career almost died before it began when he suffered a back injury, but recovered miraculously. I guess you can say the man was made to play football. I moved to Brazil at the same time that he made the first team at Sao Paulo FC, and me living 2 blocks away from the Morumbi made it impossible not to be called to become a Tricolor supporter. At only 18 years old, Kaká was already an idol. In 2003 I left Brazil, and so did Kaká, to join my childhood team AC Milan; that season Milan won the Scudetto, and Kaká became a starter months after joining the team. He was part of the team that gave up the biggest lead ever in a Champions League final when they gave up a 3-0 lead against Liverpool to lose in penalties. Still, he was voted one of the top players that tournament. 2 years later, they were able to reach the final against Liverpool again, with Kaká scoring 3 goals against Manchester United in the semifinal. He was the leading scorer for the Champions League that year and won FIFA Player of the year and the Ballon d'Or. He was then awarded the number 10 jersey for the Brazilian national team, the greatest honor for anyone wearing the verde-amarela.
 |
| Winning the 2007 Champions League in Athens |
Unfortunately, Italian football had been going through financial problems, Milan not excluded. The sale of Kaká would not only prove to be an immediate relief for the books, but also a future relief by saving on his wages. Only adding the sale of Pato back then, would've brought the club out of the "rosso" and into the "neri". In January 2009, Manchester City came with an almost insultingly huge offer for Kaká, £100M; it would've shattered any record for any transfer in any sport. He was reportedly going to make £1M a week. I remember checking the news hourly for those 3 days, and as I was sad to see him leave, I stepped in Galliani's shoes for a moment and began to dream of all the players Milan would purchase with the money. Galliani and Kaká's agent looked at the financials. Kaká looked into his heart. He stayed with Milan, and his excuse was that Man City could not offer him top flight football, no Champions League football, but the truth was that he did not want to play for any other club. Kaká had stated he wanted to retire at Milan, and wear the captain's armband doing so. That summer it was impossible to resist a second offer. This time it was Real Madrid, Kaká had no excuse this time as they were offering him everything Man City was not. He left, and never played the same again. You could see an air apathy. He was still brilliant, and his skill was there, but you could tell he could care less with Madrid won or lost.
 |
Kaká won the '02 World Cup and
'09 Confederations Cup with Brazil |
Recent rumors quote Mourinho telling Kaká "You are a reserve, go find yourself another club". Which make the other set of rumors even more believable. Galliani meting with Kaká's agent. Thanks to twitter, we can almost get a play by play, with pictures sometimes, of all the meetings, agreements, rumors, it's almost as if we are in Via Turati being part of the negotiations ourselves. Can Kaká return? Galliani has stated before that it's impossible unless he cuts his wages, a lot. It's true, Kaká is a shadow of the once Ballon d'Or winner, but if his love for the club that brought him to Europe is as he says he is, and the real world is anything like the movies paint it, I'm sure Kaká's return will be poetic. I'm sure me and all Milan fans are hoping for the same. I'm certain, that a return to Milan will be the necessary motivation for Kaká to rise again to the level and intensity we once saw when he used to wear the Red and Black. Of course, this is all a big "what if"? It had already been tried with, but it was a complete flop, he never really returned to his top form. But if history
Shevchenko is any proof, I know Mr Galliani, the negotiator, will surprise the fans, I don't know how, I don't know when, but Milan's motto these past years has been "In Galliani we trust".
*Kaká is not his last name, it's short for Ricardo, stop calling him Ricky Kaká, you sound like an idiot.
Kaká is not the typical Brazilian football player. He doesn't come from the favela. He comes from a wealthy family. He focused on both school and football. But like most Brazilians, he praises God for every game he plays. His career almost died before it began when he suffered a back injury, but recovered miraculously. I guess you can say the man was made to play football. I moved to Brazil at the same time that he made the first team at Sao Paulo FC, and me living 2 blocks away from the Morumbi made it impossible not to be called to become a Tricolor supporter. At only 18 years old, Kaká was already an idol. In 2003 I left Brazil, and so did Kaká, to join my childhood team AC Milan; that season Milan won the Scudetto, and Kaká became a starter months after joining the team. He was part of the team that gave up the biggest lead ever in a Champions League final when they gave up a 3-0 lead against Liverpool to lose in penalties. Still, he was voted one of the top players that tournament. 2 years later, they were able to reach the final against Liverpool again, with Kaká scoring 3 goals against Manchester United in the semifinal. He was the leading scorer for the Champions League that year and won FIFA Player of the year and the Ballon d'Or. He was then awarded the number 10 jersey for the Brazilian national team, the greatest honor for anyone wearing the verde-amarela.
Comments
Post a Comment