Football
Reuters 15y

FACTBOX-Soccer-New Real Madrid signing Kaka

June 8 - Factbox on Brazil playmaker Kaka, who
will join Real Madrid from AC Milan:

Born: April 22, 1982 in Brasilia, Brazil

EARLY CAREER

* Makes an immediate impact for Sao Paulo scoring 12 goals
in 27 appearances in the 2001 season.

* Plays just 18 minutes in the 2002 World Cup which Brazil
win.

ITALIAN MOVE

* Moves to AC Milan in 2003 and makes his debut on Sept. 1
in a 2-0 win over Ancona. He goes on to score 10 league goals
and four Champions League goals in his first season and then
spurs Milan to the Italian title in 2004.

* Helps Brazil to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in
2006.

* Real Madrid make their interest well-known following the
tournament and Kaka firmly establishes himself as one of the
best in the world as he inspires Milan to their seventh European
Cup title in 2007.

* Wins FIFA World Player of the Year award and the Ballon
d'Or in 2007.

* A nagging knee injury hampers his 2007/08 season at Milan,
who finish a disappointing fifth in Serie A and lose to Arsenal
in the Champions League first knockout round.

* Manchester City bid a world-record fee of more than 100
million euros ($142 million) for him in Jan. 2009 but talks fall
through. Milan end the season third in Serie A.

REAL TRANSFER

* Kaka expresses his love for Milan but following coach
Carlo Ancelotti's departure for Chelsea and Florentino Perez's
re-election as Real president, a deal worth a reported 68
million euros is done quickly with the Serie A side in need of
funds to reinvest.

(Compiled by Mark Meadows; Editing by Clare Fallon)

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