Have we seen the last of Kaka?

Kaka, the one who played with a smile on his face

They say players who make people love football come few and far between. Well, Ricardo Kaka is one such player. He was blessed with blistering pace , great technique and could make sublime turns to lose a man. Kaka had a combination of explosiveness , touch and technique that made him a counter attacking threat and last but not the least , those exquisite flicks in the middle of the park and a tendency to find the perfect final ball almost every time are some unique qualities possessed by the 2007 Ballon D’or winner. Though the pace is probably not the same now , but Kaka is still very quick for a 31year old play-maker.

Kaka , who’s move left Milan fans in tears , cemented a place in every football fan’s heart before leaving for Madrid. Now, after four hard years he’s come home to “grow old” as he said earlier this year. The day he captained Madrid against Ajax, was a day where in the the feeling in the capital was that Kaka will be leaving Madrid soon.

He had achieved everything at AC Milan , but his decision to come back or rather to “come home” to help and contribute his wealth of experience to a club which was not going through one of its best spells, really says a lot about him. Milan had given Kaka everything and not to the surprise of many , Kaka was ready to give back something to the club he loved.

Be it at Milan or at Real Madrid , Kaka has always taken chances given to him and has time and again showed what a unique player he is. He had a hard time in Spain and it clearly didn’t go according to what everyone expected. Although it was a joy to watch him play with some of the best players in the world , he suffered long term injuries. His knees giving out were a major part in him not being able to remain fit on a consistent basis. It was clear that he didn’t have any luck on the injury front but also when fit , Jose Mourinho didn’t see Kaka in his plans.

Kaka on the other hand constantly kept showcasing his abilities in the limited time which he was afforded; he performed well in the Champions League matches as he added to his goal tally which now stands at 29, the most by any Brazilian, but him playing a major role for Madrid just wasn’t in the script. His talent was always only utilized in patches over his four year stay in the capital.

Kaka at Real Madrid

Finally, he put an end to the misery and returned to his beloved AC Milan this season. He’s so loved in Milan that when he arrived for his medical at the Guissepe Meazza , journalists lined up just for an autograph of this happy go lucky Brazilian legend . Kaka this season has been the glue holding Milan players together and when given a chance , he’s always had the final say either in delivering a decisive final pass or scoring a vital goal.

A 31 year old being the driving force at a club as big as Milan speaks volumes for the influence that he has at Milan. This does take some doing. As thankful as a player he is , he’s been a symbol of loyalty for all clubs he’s represented in his career.

He’s been loyal to football in general and clearly is thankful to God for the talent he has; characterized by his trademark celebration. This year he’s showed what love and passion mean, by helping Milan in what has been a hard season for the Rossoneri. Unfortunately, the match against Atletico Madrid arguably was his last game in the Champions league. AC-Milan don’t look to have a squad required to challenge for a top four place next season. Furthermore , there have been reports that Kaka is on his way out looking for new experiences as he’s rumoured to have a pre-contract agreement with MLS side Orlando City.

Sadly, It’s looking more and more like that Europe has seen the last of this immensely talented footballer who will go down in the history books as a great champion, a player who was wonderful to watch and the beauty of his football was for the world to admire; the one who got neutrals off of their seats celebrating in joy.

Kaka will be missed, as Europe bids him adieu…..