Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite (Kaká) was born on April 22, 1982 in Brasilia. Since an early age he revealed an affinity with the football and talent for the game. His love for sport came through genetic inheritance. His father, civil engineer Bosco has always been a football fan and connoisseur. Younger brother, Rodrigo, the creator of the famous´ brothers´ nickname is a full back at AC Milan’s youth division. Simone, Kaka´s mother then took on the role avid supporter and fan of her athletic sons. With his exuberant stylish way of playing football, an eight-year-old Kaká alarmed his Physical Education teacher at the Batista Brasileiro School that he could be a consecrated craque (football superstar). Mother Simone subsequently enrolled Kaka in the Sumaré football school, where in they met Andrés a Chilean who indicated him to the Alphaville Tennis Club football side.

The Beginning of his Career At the age of 12, Kaka entered the SPFC U-14 squad where he played a youth tournament in the United States for the Objetivo School. From this trip Kaká and his team brought back the Winners trophy. Professional Success In the year 2001 Kaká was the substitute of the player Harrison in the U-20 youth football category. In that very same week a decisive match for the Sao Paulo Juniors Cup was held. Due to his shinning performance in this match SPFC´s coaching staff also decided upon Kaká´s promotion to the pro level. Only a few days later versus arch rivals Santos FC in the Morumbi stadium Kaká scored his first professional goal as São Paulo crushed their rivals in a 4-2 win. On the 7th of March 2001 Kaka knocked home the two goals as São Paulo FC beat Botafogo of Rio 2-1 in the final of the Rio-São Paulo Tournament, guaranteeing Kaká´s first professional trophy.

He became a regular in the starting eleven of São Paulo FC and was selected for the Brazilian National Team´s U-20 squad for the Youth World Cup in Argentina. His fantastic performances during the 2001 season guaranteed him the trophy awarded by Placar Magazine as The Years Best New Player.

In 2002, 20-year-old Kaká was selected for the Korea-Japan 2002 World Cup squad. Kaka received the number 23 shirt and played for 25 minutes in the 5-2 win over Costa Rica. Brazil won the World Cup for the fifth time in a spectacular performance beating Germany 2-0 in the final. At only 20, Kaka was a World Cup champion. He went on to captain Brazil in the Concacaf Gold Cup in Miami and Mexico City in June and July 2003, where he played amazing performances and scored versus Colombia and the United States. Upon his return to Brazil following the Gold Cup Kaka realized one of his dreams in being negotiated to defending European champions AC Milan, in the legendary historic city of Milan, Italy. The player alongside his family moved to Milan where he competed in the 2003/2004 Champions League and the same season’s Serie A in which Kaka and AC Milan triumphed. Kaka went on to score a winner at Brazil’s emphatic 4-1 victory against Argentina in the very recent finals of the Confederation Cup.