Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite born 22 April 1982, commonly known as Kaka’ is a Brazilian retired professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.
Kaka began his professional career in 2001 at Sao Paolo before joining AC Milan in 2003 he won the World Footballer of the Year Award in 2007 after helping the Rossoneri to win the 2007 Uefa Champions League by beating Liverpool 2-1.
Kaka also played for Real Madrid, he had a stint MLS side, Orlando City before he retired in December 2017.
Internationally, Kaka had a stellar career winning the FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan in 2002 he also represented the Selecao of Brazil in major Competitions.
Kaká does not drink or chase women. He said that he was a virgin until he married his childhood sweetheart Caroline Celico. He describes the birth of their first child – and his “victories and conquests” in football – as gifts from God.
Being baptized at 12 was an important milestone for Kaká and one that had a profound effect on his young spiritual life. “Little by little, I stopped simply hearing people talk about the Jesus my parents taught me,” he says. “There came a time when I wanted to live my own experiences with God.”
Kaka said before hanging up his Boots
“It may seem that I have everything,” he says. “Due to my wealth and fame, some people ask why or if I still need Jesus. The answer is simple: I need Jesus every day of my life. His Word, the Bible, tells me that without Him, I can’t do anything. I really believe that. The ability I have to play football and all that has resulted from it are gifts from God. He has given me the talent to use for Him, and I try to improve on it every day.”
When he won the FIFA World Player of the year in 2007, he didn’t bathe it in champagne, go clubbing.
One Incident almost claimed his life, but he believes God saved him and he was not lucky but Grace found him
Relaxing at a swimming club, he plunged down a waterslide and hit his head on the bottom of the pool. He had broken one of his vertebrae and the doctors feared the injury might leave him paralyzed. Within weeks, he was back on the pitch, a recovery that to this day he believes had nothing to do with luck and everything to do with God.
“Many people think that I became a Christian after the accident, but that is not true,” Kaká says. “My parents always taught me the Bible and its values, and also about Jesus Christ and faith.”
He flew back home to São Paulo, where it was given pride of place in a special exhibition at the evangelical movement’s city center headquarters. And for years, as the former São Paulo youth team player progressed from local hero to a Star he regularly gave a portion of his earnings to his church.
His favorite book, he says, is the Bible. His favorite band is a gospel rock group called Resgate, “redemption” in Portuguese, who is informally known to its fans as the Four Bishops.
When Brazil won the World Cup in 2002, and again when Milan triumphed in the Champions League final of 2007, he tore off his team strip to reveal a T-shirt emblazoned with the words: “I belong to Jesus.”
“Today, I have my ministry through sports, but I play because I have a God-given gift,” he says. “I play because He has perfected the gift He gave me in my life. Jesus said ‘without me, you can do nothing’ and I believe this.”