Newsgroup: it.sport.calcio.milan
Titolo: Questa non la sapevo....Rivaldo ci ha fatto prendere Kakà.

Lo rivaluto....di sicuro ci ha messo qualcosa di piu' di una buona
parola pure con la dirigenza.
The golden boy of a golden team
Rivaldo gave the world a warning four years ago - Kaka can be the one
to sprinkle magic dust this time
By Andy Mitten in Barcelona
Published: 04 June 2006
"There's a young guy who plays for Sao Paulo called Kaka who plays
just behind the front two. You don't know anything about him in
Europe, but watch him if he is chosen for the World Cup."
"But kaka means 'shit' in Spanish."
"I know, but he's definitely not." Rivaldo, then Barcelona's and
Brazil's main man, laughed. "He has the qualities to be a big star."
Rivaldo's recommendation, made in 2002, came as a surprise. Kaka was
in many ways his antithesis, and Rivaldo had just spoken passionately
about discrimination in Brazil and the gulf in living standards
between his impoverished upbringing in the north-east of the country
and the lives enjoyed by the metropolitan set of Sao Paulo. Rivaldo
was from a background so poor that he walked a 15-mile round trip to
training as a youngster.
In contrast, Kaka (pronounced Ka-kah), the son of an engineer father
and a mother who taught maths, was raised in Sao Paulo among the
opulent Paulista villas of the middle classes. And Kaka was a
potential rival, playing in the same position. Indeed, when Kaka made
his World Cup debut it was at Rivaldo's expense for the final 18
minutes of a group game against Costa Rica. Brazil were leading 5-2,
and while he took no further part in their 2002 success, Kaka enjoyed
the experience, watching and learning from his exalted peers.
By 2003, Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite - the "Kaka" nickname comes
courtesy of his baby brother Rodrigo, who couldn't pronounce "Ricardo"
properly - had played in five Confederations Cup games for Brazil. He
had replaced Rivaldo for his country, and would do the same for his
club. Unselfishly, Rivaldo had also recommended that his then club,
Milan, buy Kaka. Though Chelsea also made a bid, Kaka moved to the San
Siro for £6 million, after three seasons in Sao Paulo's first team.
Granted, Kaka was expected to spend the season among Milan's reserves,
which might have prompted Rivaldo's generosity. But the slight 6ft 1in
newcomer elbowed both him and the sublime Rui Costa to the sidelines
and weighed in with 10 goals as the Rossoneri won Serie A in his first
season.
"He is simply extraordinary," shrugged Rui Costa. Rivaldo? He became
Kaka's manager. Brother Rodrigo, meanwhile, followed Kaka to Milan,
although he struggled to make the same impact and is currently on loan
with Rimini in Serie B.
In 2004, Kaka came joint 10th with Wayne Rooney for the Fifa World
Player of the Year award, a position which he improved to eighth last
season. Rooney didn't make the top 10.
At Milan, he was an integral part of the 2004-05 team. "Brazilians
said that Kaka played like greats such as Rai, Zico or Rivaldo," said
Milan's coach, Carlo Ance-lotti, "but Kaka reminds me of Platini."
Pele opined that Kaka was the new Johan Cruyff, while Zico said he
reminded him of Socrates.
Although comfortable playing anywhere in midfield and either side of a
main striker, Kaka usually led Milan's five-man midfield, positioned
behind Andriy Shevchenko. Milan may have lost to Liverpool in the
final of the Champions' League, but at least Kaka could find
consolation in being named the best midfielder in the tournament,
ahead even of Steven Gerrard.
"I don't know whether he's the best player Milan have had in my time
here," remarked the club president, Silvio Berlusconi, "but I've never
seen a player so young do the things he does for us." His Brazil team-
mate Ronaldinho added to the plaudits, claiming: "Kaka is a magical
footballer who creates moments of inspiration. As well as being a
superb passer of the ball with excellent positioning, he can run past
players, shoot and score."
The pair are key to Brazil lifting a sixth World Cup, and while
Ronaldinho advertises washing powder and Kaka models Armani, they both
point to the sky after scoring. A deeply religious figure, like
several of his Brazil team-mates, who famously dropped to their knees
to pray after their last World Cup win in Yokohama, Kaka's customised
boots bear the legend: "I Belong to Jesus". His faith was strengthened
after a full recovery from a broken vertebra sustained in a freak
accident at a water park in Sao Paulo in 2000.
Kaka returned to South America's largest city last December in happier
circumstances to marry the socialite Caroline Celico. Twice voted his
home country's sexiest footballer, the Brazilian Beckham isn't short
of admirers, although he prefers his bible to babes.
With 37 caps and 12 goals for his country, Kaka has the experience to
excel in Germany playing alongside Ronaldinho behind the likely
pairing of Adriano and Ronaldo. Using a probable 4-2-2-2 formation,
Brazil start their tournament against Croatia in Berlin on 13 June.
The expectations are great, especially for Kaka's precocious talents.

 parola pure con la dirigenza.
è storia nota
disse che sarebbe stato il suo erede nella nazionale e che sarebbe 
diventato presto pallone d'oro e che non era "dispiaciuto" se a 
rubargli il posto era proprio Kaka'
-- 
Umin
  np: Foobaris spento