Biography of "Ricardo Kaka" - part 2 >> Sao Paulo

São Paulo

Kaká began his career with São Paulo at the age of eight. He signed a contract at fifteen and led the São Paulo youth squad to Copa de Juvenil glory.

Swimming Pool Incident Sao Paulo FC

In his first season as a professional player for Sao Paulo, Kaka didn’t play for the Brazilian team, but he used this time to accommodate himself with his new colleagues and the hardships of professional soccer in Brazil.

He was probably going to get his debut that season still, but an unfortunate swimming pool incident almost ended his career as a footballer, Kaka fracturing his spine in September 2000. Not only did he risk his future, but this fracture almost cost him his life and he was in real danger of being paralyzed for the rest of his life.

Miraculously, Kaka made a full recovery and came back to training after his full strength came back to him. From that day forward, Kaka found faith in God and some of his profits as a professional footballer always go to the Church, as a small gesture of thanking God for saving his life and his career. The famous Kaka celebration, after he scores a goal, is related to that incident, as each time, he thanks God for allowing him to play soccer and be there on the pitch.

CLUB CAREER

2001: 

Kaká’s first year at the Sao Paulo first team, after he took part to the Youth Sao Paulo Cup, without playing. He suffered some criticism, “Nice to see him playing, but he cannot play important games”. One day his coach Oswaldo, replaced him on minutes 38, and he left the field crying. Nobody believed in him, except his coach. And he was right: 27 games and 12 goals in his first professional season. in addition to leading São Paulo to its first and only Torneio Rio-São Paulo championship, in which he scored two goals in two minutes as a substitute against Botafogo in the final, which São Paulo won 2–1.

2002:

the season where Kaká made his name, and caught many European clubs attention. He scored 10 goals in 22 appearances, and made his debut in Brazil National Team.

2003:

just a few matches in 2003 with the “Tricolour” jersey, as in June he signed for AC Milan for 8,5 Million Euro. He finished his experience at Sao Paulo FC with 146 matches played, scoring 58 goals.