Brazilian Footballer Ricardo Kaka

Before there was Tim Tebow there was Ricardo Kaká. A talented football player, Kaká has always highlighted his faith whenever he has seen an opportunity.

Those who love football all agree that Kaká has a great attitude along with great skill and the two qualities combined is what makes many people love and admire him.

He was not always known as Kaká, though. His real name is Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite.

So how did he end up being known as Ricardo Kaká?

As a child his younger brother, Rodrigo (known as Digao in the football world), could not pronounce Ricardo and called him Caca (probably because the ca in the name Ricardo stood out to him) this stuck and all that changed was the spelling. Caca became Kaka.

He started playing football at a very young age. When he was just seven he was discovered by the Sao Paulo Football Club. He stayed on their youth team for eleven years and then at nineteen years of age he joined their senior team.

Just a year before that, Kaká had been in a terrible accident damaging his back. Doctors were amazed that he was not crippled and called it luck, but Kaká proclaimed that it was the Lord who protected him and continues to give God the glory to this day.

His success on the senior team caused European teams to look closely at him and in 2003, he was signed with the Italian football club, A.C. Milan.

Kaká At A.C. Milan

At A.C. Milan, Kaká proved himself to be a valuable player. He was not only a skilled player but he was a team player. He showed his worth in countless matches and it may have seemed like there was not a time when Kaká was not at A.C. Milan. His loyalty was a kind of loyalty one does not see very often. When he was asked whether he would leave the club he said that if it was up to him he would become an old man on the team and he would play on A.C. Milan for his entire career. His love for his team was something that made those who love the game of football have respect for him because it is not a quality that many players have.

Then the dreaded news arrived - Kaká would be leaving A.C. Milan. He had stated emphatically that he was against it and there were even tears on his part but eventually his fight to stay at the club he loved was over and he started a new chapter of his career at Real Madrid.

Kaká At Real Madrid

In August 2009, Kaká started his football career at Real Madrid. Kaká was not the only new player to the team. Cristiano Ronaldo had joined Real Madrid in July and there was much speculation about how the two would get along. It is well-known that Kaká's attitude to life and the game of football is somewhat different to Cristiano Ronaldo's and many wondered if the two would clash on the field as well as off of it.

Those who were concerned, it appeared, were concerned over nothing. The two seemed to hit it off immediately and Ronaldo's attitude towards Kaká was nothing like anyone expected. Unfortunately, not very long after signing, Kaká was injured and was on the bench for a few months and those who were rooting for the player felt concern about the amount of time he received after his recovery. Kaká remained positive stating that he believed that whatever happened to him he believed to be God's will.

The patience he displayed while quietly waiting for his turn bore fruit, and he was able to display his talent on the field once again, showing that he had not lost his touch and that he was still very much a force to be reckoned with on his team. He has continued to build and show that patience and perseverance are qualities that are beneficial to everyone.

After leaving Real Madrid, Kaka went on to play once more with A.C. Milan for a short time. In 2013, after being injured, he refused to receive his wages until he was able to play. He left Milan to be on loan to Sao Paulo while waiting to begin his time at the American football club Orlando City. It was said that he chose to return to Sao Paulo for that time because he has always appreciated his old club.

Although he was not chosen to play for his country, Brazil, in the 2014 World Cup, Kaka still rallied around those who did get selected and made sure to voice his total support for the team.

Although he loves football, Kaká loves being a husband and a father more, and even more than that, he loves to have the chance to tell anyone who will listen about Jesus Christ and what He has done. It was well known that while on A.C. Milan, he would speak to his fellow players about Him and it has been said that he continues to witness today to the players on Real Madrid. They could not expect less for that is a quality that defines who Kaká is.

Fun Facts About Kaká

• His wife's name is Caroline Celico
• He has a son named Luca and a daughter named Isabella
• Along with being a citizen of Brazil by birth, he is an Italian citizen
• His best friend is Marcelo Saragosa another football player
• His birthday is one day apart from his daughter's being the 22nd of April (1982) while his daughter Isabella's is the 23rd of April (2011)
• His favorite color is white
• He has won the Ballon d'Or, the FIFA Player of the Year, the Oscar del Calcio, Serie A Foreign Player of the Year, Golden Ball, UEFA Champions League Top Scorer Award, and the World Soccer Player of the Year Award to name a few.
• His favorite cologne is Hugo Boss and Calvin Klein
• His parents names are Forest Izecson Pereira Leite and Simone Cristina dos Santos Leite
• He wears contact lenses while playing a match
• His brother Digao played for A.C. Milan
• His favorite book is the Bible
• He is 6' 1"
• Gareth Bale is actually his tenant as he stays in Kaka's mansion while playing for Real Madrid.

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