OFFICIAL: Kaka announces retirement
Former Real Madrid star Kaka has announced his retirement from professional football following the end of his stay with Orlando City in the MLS.
The former AC Milan and Brazil midfielder took to Twitter on Sunday to confirm that he was hanging up his boots.
The 35-year-old quits pro football having made over 600 career appearances and with almost a century of Brazil caps under his belt.
At his peak, Kaka was considered to be one of the best players in world football, with compatriot Ronaldinho once saying: "For two, maybe three seasons [at Milan] he was the best player in the world, there was nothing he couldn’t do."
These days, the Brazilian is perhaps best remembered for being the last man to win a Ballon d'Or before the Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo era began in earnest. That triumph came back in 2007, the same year in which a series of virtuoso performances from the star helped AC Milan to Champions League glory.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez had seen enough to be convinced to spend €65m on the Samba star two years later but a series of knee and back problems prevented Kaka from playing to the level he is capable of during his stay in the Spanish capital.
After struggling alongside fellow stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema at the Bernabeu, Kaka returned to Milan but his powers were sadly already on the wane.
The Brazilian never recaptured his best form and wound down his career in the MLS, but those who saw him at his peak know just what a talent he was.
At international level, he was part of the 'Seleçao' squad that was named world champions in 2002, though he barely featured.
A Champions League, a Serie A, a La Liga and a World Cup title are among the trophies that Kaka claimed during his career and but for his injueries, there would surely have been more.
Kaka is known for being deeply religious, with the image of him celebrating his goals in a t-shirt reading 'I belong to Jesus' a sight that remains etched into the minds of football fans everywhere.
"If I wasn't a footballer, I would be an evangelical priest. I've always been very religious," Kaka is quoted as having said.
True to his religious beliefs, the confirmation of his retirement came in a prayer-like style, with the star keen to thank God for an incredible career.
"Father, It was much more than I could ever imagined. Thank you! I’m now ready for the next journey. In Jesus name. Amem," the Brazilian wrote.