KAKA

KAKA

Kaká was born in São José do Belmonte, Pernambuco. Until 2006 he was on contract to União Bandeirante Futebol Clube, also being loaned to several modest Brazilian clubs. For 2006–07 he made the move to Europe, joining Portuguese side Académica de Coimbra and being an undisputed starter in his second season in the top division (all 30 games played, 2,700 minutes of action), as the Students finished in 12th position.

In the 2008 summer Kaká signed with Bundesliga club Hertha BSC, for €1.9 million. He made his debut in the competition on 17 August, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 away win against Eintracht Frankfurt, and finished his first season with 12 matches; after only appearing twice for the Berlin outfit in the first half of 2009–10 – the campaign eventually ended in relegation – he was loaned to AC Omonia in Cyprus on 31 January 2010, helping the club win the First Division title for the first time in seven years.

After his return Kaká continued to be rarely played at Hertha and, in another winter transfer window move, returned to Portugal and joined S.C. Braga, yet on loan.[1] With the Minho club, he established himself as a regular, finishing the 2010–11 campaign with 20 official appearances, including eight in the team's UEFA Europa League run to the final, with the player playing in the decisive match against F.C. Porto (0–1 loss).

At the end of the season, Kaká returned to Hertha.[2] On the last day of the 2011 summer transfer window he was once again loaned, this time to Cypriot champions and UEFA Champions League contenders APOEL FC.[3] Kaká made his debut in the Champions League on 19 October 2011 in a 1–1 draw with Porto at the Estádio do Dragão.[4] He added a further three appearances in the competition as APOEL eventually became the first Cypriot club to reach both the knockout stages and the quarterfinals for the first time ever.

In the summer of 2012, Kaká signed with Hungarian club Videoton FC,[5] and in January 2013 he moved to Spanish La Liga side Deportivo de La Coruña.

On 29 January 2014, Kaká signed an 18-month contract with APOEL FC, returning to his former club after one-and-a-half years.[6] He made his debut on 9 February 2014, coming on as an 84th minute substitute in APOEL's 2–1 home win against Apollon Limassol for the Cypriot First Division,[7] and scored his first official goal one week later, in his team's 3–1 away win against Alki Larnaca.[8]