Kaká: Elegance at Full Speed

The Legend of the Number 10

In Brazilian football, the number 10 shirt carries weight. This has been the case ever since the 1958 World Cup, in which a 17-year-old named Pelé wore the shirt and shocked the world by leading the national team to victory through his incredible dribbling, game vision, and goalscoring abilities. Pelé would solidify himself as the eternal king of football over the next 3 World Cups, in which he also wore the 10 throughout.

A position that has since been intrinsically associated with a player who can do it all - both create and score chances, organise the team and exercise the leadership - the 10 shirt has subsequently been held by many of Brazil’s all-time greats: Rivellino, Zico, Raí, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Neymar to name a few. 

Between Elegance and Explosiveness: The Rise of Kaká

In the 2000s, one player took on the mantle of the number 10 shirt, not only for Brazil but also for his clubs, and redefined the position forever. He brought a unique style to the game, resting on a fine balance between control and explosive bursts, between creation and execution, between finesse and strength. He is the last Brazilian player to have won the coveted Ballon d’Or and will be forever considered one of the most important midfielders in the history of the sport. That player’s name is Kaká, and here’s why there will never be another like him.

When 21-year-old Brazilian midfielder Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leites, better known as “Kaká”, signed for Italian giants AC Milan in 2003, few could have expected the impact he would have. 

The youngster was undeniably talented, of course. A product of São Paulo’s youth academy, he had impressed coaches from the start with his ability to find unlikely passes through defensive lines, run past opposition players with ease, and often score his own goals too. He signed his first contract with Sao Paulo aged 15 and made his senior debut in 2001, but his career was almost cut short by a serious spinal fracture, caused by an accident at a swimming pool. Luckily, Kaká made a full recovery, and despite being told his development was slower than that of many other players - leaving him smaller and weaker than the rest, he continued to develop as one of Brazil’s most promising prospects. 

In the same year of his senior debut, Kaká led the club to its first and only title in the Torneio Rio-São Paulo. Brought on as a substitute against Botafogo in the final, the midfielder left crowds stunned as he scored 2 goals in 2 minutes, securing the win for his club.

Over the next season, Kaká continued to put on displays like the one he had in that final. A style of football that seemed to reflect a much older player, someone much more experienced than he was. Composed and collected, yet simultaneously swift and unpredictable, it was a sight to behold - and it wasn’t long before AC Milan came knocking on the door. Encouraged by fellow countryman Rivaldo, Kaká joined the Italian club, where he would play alongside a number of other Brazilians, such as Cafu, Serginho and Dida.

Under the Italian Lights: The Consolidation of a Maestro

Similarly, it wasn’t long before Kaká had broken into the club’s starting lineup - it only took about a month from his arrival. It cannot be underplayed just how impressive this feat was. The midfielders who were playing for Milan in that season were quite simply some of the greatest players in the history of the sport - Andrea Pirlo (nominated for the Ballon d’Or in 2007 and 2012), Gennaro Gattuso (nominated in 2006), Clarence Seedorf (nominated in 2007), and Rui Costa (nominated in 2000). Carlo Ancelotti, manager of Milan at the time, decided to replace Costa with Kaká in the starting 11. It was a risk - the Brazilian was still young and relatively inexperienced - but it paid off.

Kaká’s time at Milan was the stuff dreams are made of. It is often regarded as one of the greatest club tenures of any player in the history of the sport, and rightly so. Named Serie A Footballer of the Year after his very first season in Europe, Kaká proved that his promise for São Paulo could and would be fulfilled for Milan. Playmaking, scoring, providing assists - what couldn’t he do? Every move made by the squad seemed to pass through his feet. And it was through his feet that Milan won the Serie A and the Supercoppa Italiana in 2004, the Super Cup in 2003 and later in 2007, the Club World Cup also in 2007, and of course, the illustrious Champions League trophy that same year.

The title remains Milan’s most recent Champions League trophy, and Kaká was a crucial reason as to why they won it, with the midfielder scoring decisive goals against Celtic, Bayern Munich and Manchester United over the tournament. His second goal against the latter is still considered one of the best goals in the tournament’s history.

As he lifted the trophy, Kaká felt not only joy but also relief. That same trophy had been so close a couple of years prior, during a Champions League campaign in which he had similarly shone, with goals and assists to prove. However, in the final, despite putting his team in the lead by creating 3 goalscoring opportunities, Milan had lost to Liverpool in what would later become known as the ‘Miracle of Istanbul’. Kaká was gutted, but did not let his hope crumble: “I consider it the worst defeat, one of the most painful, and at the same time, one of the greatest lessons I had in football,” the star said (UOL). In 2007, Kaká used the lessons learnt from that loss to win the trophy and solidify his status as one of the world’s greatest-ever midfielders.

Before the Messi-Ronaldo Era: Kaká's Coronation

It was this self-belief, this ability to pick himself up after hard times, that led Kaká to so many incredible achievements throughout his career - the most memorable of which: winning the 2007 Ballon d’Or by a landslide. This victory is memorable not only for being so unanimously agreed upon - it was also the last time (as of 2026) that a Brazilian player won the award, and the last player to win the award before Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. From 2008 onwards, the Argentine and Portuguese stars would almost always go head-to-head to see who would take the trophy home, with Messi triumphing 8 times and Ronaldo 5 times between 2008 and 2023. Ronaldo himself has spoken about his respect for Kaká, whom he played with at Real Madrid, in past interviews: “In my opinion, Kaká is a phenomenon as a person and as a footballer.” (Marca)

"For me, he is the best player in the world and he’ll probably go down as one of the best ever." - Frank Lampard

He would not be the only footballing legend to heap mountains of praise onto Kaká over the years. After announcing his retirement in late 2017, Kaká received tributes from several beloved footballing icons on social media, such as Neymar, Thiago Silva, Sergio Ramos, Casemiro, David Villa and Lucas Moura. All spoke of the honour it was to have worked with him, and the respect they share for him on and off the pitch.

Frank Lampard, one of the greatest midfielders of his era, who finished as a runner-up to the 2005 Ballon d’Or behind Ronaldinho, delivered a lengthier tribute to Kaká at a time when they were both at the top of their game: “He has the lot - fantastic skill, pace, vision, great passing and he scores goals. As a midfield player you are lucky if you have 3 of those attributes. For me, he is the best player in the world and he’ll probably go down as one of the best ever. I’ve admired him for years. I look at a player like that and see if I can learn anything from him.” (The News of the World)

It was not only what Kaká achieved that left other players in awe, but how he achieved these things. He played a beautiful style of football which was both fierce and calm. It is a style which many have tried to emulate but few have mastered. 2006 Ballon d’Or winner Fabio Cannavaro recalls: “It was beautiful to watch him play.” (UOL)

Though many players were already impressed by Kaká during his time at Milan, it was after his Ballon d’Or win that he began to influence a wider generation of young talents around the world. Young stars like Kylian Mbappé and João Félix have spoken about his influence during their youth, and Nigerian player Wilfred Ndidi has mentioned the importance of seeing the Brazilian lift the trophy: “I didn’t watch much of him at AC Milan, but when he won the Ballon d’Or, I started to look at him. [...] I liked his style of play and I liked his lifestyle outside of football. Very professional.” (Daily Post)

Beyond Milan: Kaká's Legacy

Although his peak was at Milan, Kaká also found success after transferring to Spain, helping Real Madrid win La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup.

He returned to Milan for a single season, ten years after his first stint. After a short spell with American side Orlando City and a loan to his formative club, São Paulo, Kaká retired from football at the end of 2017.

His legacy could most recently be seen in the English Premier League. After scoring for Arsenal in a match against Aston Villa, Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus took off his jersey and revealed a shirt with the words ‘I Belong to Jesus’. This gesture was made famous by Kaká, who celebrated with these very same words for both Milan and the Brazilian national team.

There are many who consider Kaká to be football’s last true number 10 - a player who creates, who can move into the box and briefly become a striker, but who can also run back and control play, find unlikely passes and run the entire length of the pitch with the ball at his feet. Iconic Brazilian 10 Zico has even shared this sentiment in the past. But the shirt still carries with it a mystical force - the lasting legacy of those who have worn it in the past. When given the number 10 shirt in 2024, Rodrygo stated: “For me, it's an honor to wear the heaviest shirt in football history.” (ESPN)

And Kaká’s name still carries with it a weight of its own. A player who mixed Brazilian flair and creativity with European control and efficiency. A player who helped his nation win the World Cup and who served as its last Ballon d’Or winner. A player who not only left teammates and opponents in awe of his incredible abilities and sportsmanlike conduct, but also inspired a generation of young midfielders in Brazil and around the world. 

“Kaká has a place in any team in the world, he has a bit of Pelé's characteristics" - Pelé

Pelé's Approval: The King's Recognition

Perhaps Kaká’s greatest honour came at the hands of Brazil’s greatest-ever player and father of the number 10 shirt, Pelé. In a 2007 interview, the king stated: “Kaká has a place in any team in the world, he has a bit of Pelé's characteristics [...] he comes from deep, helps the attack, plays a lot for the team. [...] In any era, including 1970.” (UOL)

In a few sentences, he had not only stated that Kaká would have made it into what is often considered the nation’s greatest national team - the one from the 1970 World Cup - but also compared Kaká to himself. And when the king shares such an enthusiastic seal of approval, few can deny its truth. Kaká shared many of Pelé’s traits with the number 10 shirt, and in doing so, carried on the king’s legacy into a new generation, cementing his position as a Brazilian national legend and one of the greatest midfielders of all time.