The final member of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning squad Ricardo Kaka hung up his boots on Sunday.
Former Sao Paulo, AC Milan, Real Madrid and Orlando City playmaker Kaka enjoyed a decorated career, winning Serie A, LaLiga and the Champions League.
The star playmaker took to Twitter and Instagram Sunday to post his goodbye to the sport.
Father,
It was much more than I could ever imagined. Thank you! I’m now ready for the next journey. In Jesus name. Amem.Pai,
Foi muito mais do que eu pedi ou imaginei!Obrigado! Eis-me aqui para próxima jornada. Em nome de Jesus. Amém. pic.twitter.com/PofZBAV0BE— Kaka (@KAKA) December 17, 2017
Kaka, 35, brings to an end an impressive career spanning from 2001 to 2017, which saw him win a World Cup with Brazil, Serie A and Champions League titles with A.C. Milan. In addition, he won the Ballon d’Or in 2007 — the last person before Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi to win the award.
Kaka got his start with Brazilian giants Sao Paulo, before moving to Milan in 2003. There he emerged as one of the world’s best and helped the club to a Serie A title in 2003-04, a Champions League final appearance in 2004-05 and finally the European crown itself in 2006-07.
He would later turn down the opportunity to join Manchester City in a £100 million transfer, and instead joined Real Madrid. There he would not quite reach the same heights he had with Milan, though he did win a La Liga title in 2011-12.
After a brief return to Milan for the 2013-14 season, Kaka signed with then-MLS expansion side Orlando City ahead of the team’s debut, and spent the remainder of 2014 on loan with Sao Paulo before finally joining Orlando City for the start of the 2015 season. He went on to play three years with the MLS side, though injuries and ineffectiveness limited him to just 18 starts in his final season.
He also indicated he could continue his post-playing career in football.
“I am preparing to continue in football and to have a different role, but I will no longer be a professional player, an athlete,” he told Globo television. “I would like to take part in a club in a role more like… a manager, a sporting director – someone between the field and the club.”
