"I think we are all winners."
RealKaká
Kaka has just started his third season at Real Madrid with a lot of optimism. The Brazilian midfielder talked about his return to form and his hopes for the present campaign in the official channel's show of exclusive interviews.
Ricardo, thank you so much for joining us on the ‘Real…’ series. You must be delighted with your current form and the way Real Madrid are playing at the moment.
Yes, I’m very happy for this. I’m back in shape so I can play better than I did before. I’m also happy for Real Madrid because we won three games after two bad matches against Racing and Levante. I think the team has a new face.
This is your third season now on the team, but it’s the first time you were able to put in a full preseason with Real Madrid. How has that helped you progress this campaign?
I think the preseason is so important… The last preseason I had, I believe, was in 2007. It’s very important because the season is so long and you have to be in shape to play on Sunday, Wednesday and Sunday again, so having a preseason with the team this year was fantastic for me and very important.
You began your career when you were eight years old at Sao Paulo. You were there for more than ten years. What did you learn there and how did it shape you as a footballer?
I’m so grateful to Sao Paulo because that’s where the groundwork was laid for me to become a football player. I started there when I was eight years old and stayed until I was 21, when I left to play for Milan. Everything I learned as a kid I learned at Sao Paulo. I am very grateful because I learned a lot of things… A lot of things… We learn every day, but I learned many things at Sao Paulo.
We gave the fans an opportunity to ask you a question today and we’ve had e-mails in from all over the world. We picked one of those out and they asked which football player inspired you as a child?
Thank you to everybody who sent messages. My favourite player was Rai. He played for Sao Paulo when they won the first Club World Cup in Japan against Barcelona. Rai was the most important player on that team. Rai was my idol and a great example of a football player for me to follow. He returned to Brazil after he played for Paris Saint-Germain. He’s now got several charities in Brazil… He’s a very nice guy. Rai is my greatest inspiration.
We’ve heard you say in the past (maybe when you were a little bit older) that Ronaldo was a player you really liked to watch. Then you went on to win the World Cup with him, with Brazil. How was that?
That World Cup was amazing because when I went to the World Cup I was 20 years old. Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, Cafu were all there when I got there. It was amazing for me, being 20 years old, to play, train and spend the day with these players. It was a great experience. Especially being with Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo because we more or less played in the same position. I watched them play for so long… Ronaldo is the best footballer I’ve ever played with.
Of course Ronaldo was here under Florentino Perez, who signed you for Real Madrid. He’s always supported you. How does it feel to have the support of the Real Madrid President?
It’s great. Florentino has always said good words to, and about, me. He said I would stay and see my dream of playing with Real Madrid come through. I want to thank Florentino, the club, my teammates and the supporters because the things I went through were not easy, but I managed to pull through thanks to their support.
Yes, it’s not been easy for you. In your first two seasons here at Real Madrid things were a little difficult due to injury. What was that like?
It was very difficult because I first had problems in my groin area and later on my knee. There was a lot of doubt, with people asking themselves if I’d ever be back or not: “Will Kaka play well again? Or not?” So it’s not easy, but I think things are going well now and I can show more of what I can do for Real Madrid.
Also, another person who’s always been a big supporter of yours is Jose Mourinho, and he said on your return from injury that you’d make the difference for this team. What’s it like to have the backing of the best coach in the world.
It’s great to have it because Mourinho always stayed behind me. His staff and everybody who works with him have always been there. It’s not easy. You train every day, but some days things don’t go well, so every time someone would come over and say something positive. The moment I didn’t believe any more Mourinho stood by me and said encouraging things so that I would continue to believe that things would be good for me at Real Madrid.
Well, you are back and it’s been great for us all to see. How is your confidence at the moment and how does it feel to be back to your best?
My confidence is better now. It’s increased, but I know that I haven’t done anything yet, so I have to do a lot of work. We’ll see what the balance is at the end of the season. I feel I have the chance to make a difference this season.
This season we’ve seen some fantastic attacking football already from Real Madrid, and you’ve played a key role in that. What’s it like to be part of the team at the moment and what’s the mood like in the dressing room?
It’s very good. The dressing room at Real Madrid is very good. I think the mood is amazing. A lot of people say that it’s not good, that the Portuguese form a group, that the Spaniards form another… That’s not true. Everybody respects everybody. We have a great relationship between us. I think this year can be a good year for Real Madrid.
What’s the chemistry like on the pitch between you players up front: Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema, yourself, Higuain…?
It’s easy to play with them. They are very intelligent, and once we know the dynamic we must have, how we must play, it’s easier. I can play with Ozil and Cristiano; or with Ozil, Di Maria and Higuain… I think everybody can play with everybody. I think that’s the best thing the manager can do with this team.
Long season ahead; three competitions. What are your hopes personally, and then with the team as well?
I think Real Madrid always think about winning, so we need to win something. It’s our responsibility. The footballers who play for Real Madrid think like that because I think we are all winners. So we need to think about winning. I hope at the end of the season we can celebrate good championships.
We all do. Thank you very much for your time Ricardo.
You’re welcome.
TRANSLATED FROM SPANISH: Again, my apologies for poor wording.
Why do you believe that the people love you so much?
I think it is because of some things that have to do with playing football or doing interviews. This is who I am, I do not change my manner of life, and little by little the people are introduced to this. In the last two years I have not been able to do as much with football as I would like, but even as such the people have continued to support me with everything they can and believe in me.
How do you define yourself?
I am very sincere, honest, and even though moments pass where I am sad, I try to be cheerful. My values are my family, my friends… When you are at a high level it is easy for people to want to be with you. But when bad things happen, you know who is truly going to be by your side.
What do you enjoy doing?
Playing football, training every day, and even though the concentración is sometimes difficult, if you want to succeed you must persevere. Six months passed without such focus and I missed it. Also I like to be with my family, my wife, the children. The children are incredible, an unconditional love that you don’t experience until they are born.
In your early days, there was a teacher that advised your mother that you should join a football school…
I played at Colegio Batista in Brazil and one day, the teacher told my mom that I had a distinct style of playing that impressed them. He suggested that I join a school and my mom looked into it and I started.
Is it true that during the day you played football and during the night you studied?
That was toward the end. At first I studied during the morning and trained during the afternoon. After some time passed I trained during the morning and studied at night. Finally I trained during the morning and afternoon and studied at night.
Did you have developmental problems as a child?
For twelve years all the little kids were much taller than me and after a couple tests we found that I had two years of delay in bone growth. Given that, one can only hope. The doctors at Sao Paulo did some work on me to see if I had problems, but they told me no and finally I grew.
If you didn’t play football, what would you be?
I always wanted to be a footballer. I played fútbol sala, eleven, all types. When I was 15, I told myself that everything else would be secondary, I would take it until the end. If not, I would have been the same as my father, an engineer. He is a great example for me, always trying to make things correct, with serious thought and integrity.
At 18, you had a scare that almost stopped you from completing your dream.
I was a junior player in Brazil, and I was suspended for the next game. They gave me free days and I went to my grandparents’ house. There they had many clubs with slides and I played with my brother and took a hit on the head and landed with my head at the bottom of the pool. We went to a hospital and they gave me stitches, later when I arrived in Sao Paulo, I trained and my neck hurt so much. They took tests and discovered that I had a break in the sixth vertebrae of my back. The doctor told me that I was very fortunate to continue playing football and walking.
When you returned you were promoted to the first team…
Upon return I was still a reserve junior player and coincidentally the coach of my first team at Sao Paulo wanted a midfielder. The junior coach would not give the owner a starter and gave him a substitute, and it was me. Since then, I have stayed at this level.
And on July 30, 2009, this boy looked at the Bernabéu from the tunnel of the locker rooms, waiting for his presentation…
I was very excited that day, these things are only possible in a club like Real Madrid. The closest I’ve come is with the Brazilian national team but those situations are from time to time. The things unique to Real Madrid happen 60 or 70 times a year. When I arrived they told me that there were 30 or 40 thousand people that said it could not be, but they were only looking for me! It is very difficult to explain. The emotion when you enter and the people… it leaves an impression.
When life tests you and your level of play is not what you hope, how do you fight against it?
What motivates me is the dream of playing on this team and that things go well. Everyone wants to win here, but I want to enjoy playing The first year I had problems with my pubis and everyone said a lot of things about the World Cup. The second year I had problems with my knee, and there were many doubts… During the summer I could have left, tried another club, another championship, but I sat down with the coach and he wanted to talk to me about this season, and Florentino as well. The president asked me one day what my problem was here and I said that it was me. Physically, I was not playing well on the field, things that used to come before in dynamic and natural ways were now static, too predictable.
Do you have in mind the idea of returning the confidence shown by the president or Mourinho, when the people thought that Kaká no longer existed as a player?
One talks about the debt I have with the fans. I want to win for them, for they have always believed in me. My family, my friends. All I’m doing is for these people to have the joy of watching me play well again. This season I started well, people talk about the Ajax game but this meeting is the final result. On other days I played 10, 15 minutes and did well. My motivation is to return to have a high performance and be a decisive player. That at the end of the season I can say it has paid off.
Did you cry when things did not go well?
Many times, because I could not understand why. I looked like the classic profile of an athlete. I slept well, I took care of myself, etc. However, after playing and such things it did not work. Sometimes I played and later, when I went home, I would train by myself to see if I could return my physical condition. Today, soccer is very demanding in the physical aspect, if you cannot beat the rivals. Now you can see the fruits of my labor.
Not only has Kaká returned, but also your smile. Is this your happiest moment since arriving at Real Madrid?
Since the presentation, yes. And on the field now, I am enjoying football again. Before, the field was too long, everything looked difficult and it was no longer a pleasure. But now it has returned.
What is the Real Madrid locker room like?
It’s phenomenal, there is a very good atmosphere. For example, I get along with Carvalho, but that does not mean I do not get along with the Spaniards. There are some who are closer to others, but in general it is great, there is a lot of respect. At the end, we joke about the rumors that things are going poorly. If Madrid wins at the end of the season then all will see that the locker room is strong.
And Mourinho?
I can only speak good things about him. He has done everything he can to help me. A player who has great responsibility, not doing well, we sell, we bring another, it is not a player that I would bring myself. He had it all and at the end he always helped me. We also talked a lot about what the press says. It’s normal in football that the coach has confidence in his players, but this confidence is won on the pitch and in training. I think I am slowly winning the confidence of the coach little by little. It has been difficult because I have had trainings that were for me, a disaster. But it was never a problem of his, only me. And at the end he always stayed with me, telling me things, helped me, called me, told me to be patient, calm. And the rest of the staff too. The psychological part is key in football and this staff has managed to do it well.
What do you want to say to the fans?
I want to thank you for your support because we have started the season well, people feel at one with the team and the madridismo is with the club because you’ll notice that we have a great tea and coach. Against Rayo we condeded a goal after 15 seconds, but the people felt that the team wanted to come back and they started to help by shouting, supporting us, starting a new winning streak of Real Madrid.
A thousand questions have come for you from the fans of Real Madrid and we are going to ask some. The first: Do you believe this team is mentally prepared to win la Décima?
This team is mentally strong and ready for la Décima. Last year we won la Copa del Rey, but this time we will see it until the end. I see a very mature team that can win important things.
From the United States, some ask if you will return to the Brazilian National Team…
I have personal goals. And the first of these is to return to play and continue to have good games. Returning to the national team is another one of my personal goals.
Finally, others ask what you think of Özil.
Phenomenal, we have no problems playing together, he is very intelligent. He is already a star but he still has a great future. He is elegant, has the vision of the game, does little wrong and that is very positive.
english | español
Blessed be our faithful Kaká stans arbitrarilysaid, snuzzie, rikayla, icannotthink, etc.
ETA: Added translations.
Click to viewKaka has just started his third season at Real Madrid with a lot of optimism. The Brazilian midfielder talked about his return to form and his hopes for the present campaign in the official channel's show of exclusive interviews.
Ricardo, thank you so much for joining us on the ‘Real…’ series. You must be delighted with your current form and the way Real Madrid are playing at the moment.
Yes, I’m very happy for this. I’m back in shape so I can play better than I did before. I’m also happy for Real Madrid because we won three games after two bad matches against Racing and Levante. I think the team has a new face.
This is your third season now on the team, but it’s the first time you were able to put in a full preseason with Real Madrid. How has that helped you progress this campaign?
I think the preseason is so important… The last preseason I had, I believe, was in 2007. It’s very important because the season is so long and you have to be in shape to play on Sunday, Wednesday and Sunday again, so having a preseason with the team this year was fantastic for me and very important.
You began your career when you were eight years old at Sao Paulo. You were there for more than ten years. What did you learn there and how did it shape you as a footballer?
I’m so grateful to Sao Paulo because that’s where the groundwork was laid for me to become a football player. I started there when I was eight years old and stayed until I was 21, when I left to play for Milan. Everything I learned as a kid I learned at Sao Paulo. I am very grateful because I learned a lot of things… A lot of things… We learn every day, but I learned many things at Sao Paulo.
We gave the fans an opportunity to ask you a question today and we’ve had e-mails in from all over the world. We picked one of those out and they asked which football player inspired you as a child?
Thank you to everybody who sent messages. My favourite player was Rai. He played for Sao Paulo when they won the first Club World Cup in Japan against Barcelona. Rai was the most important player on that team. Rai was my idol and a great example of a football player for me to follow. He returned to Brazil after he played for Paris Saint-Germain. He’s now got several charities in Brazil… He’s a very nice guy. Rai is my greatest inspiration.
We’ve heard you say in the past (maybe when you were a little bit older) that Ronaldo was a player you really liked to watch. Then you went on to win the World Cup with him, with Brazil. How was that?
That World Cup was amazing because when I went to the World Cup I was 20 years old. Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, Cafu were all there when I got there. It was amazing for me, being 20 years old, to play, train and spend the day with these players. It was a great experience. Especially being with Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo because we more or less played in the same position. I watched them play for so long… Ronaldo is the best footballer I’ve ever played with.
Of course Ronaldo was here under Florentino Perez, who signed you for Real Madrid. He’s always supported you. How does it feel to have the support of the Real Madrid President?
It’s great. Florentino has always said good words to, and about, me. He said I would stay and see my dream of playing with Real Madrid come through. I want to thank Florentino, the club, my teammates and the supporters because the things I went through were not easy, but I managed to pull through thanks to their support.
Yes, it’s not been easy for you. In your first two seasons here at Real Madrid things were a little difficult due to injury. What was that like?
It was very difficult because I first had problems in my groin area and later on my knee. There was a lot of doubt, with people asking themselves if I’d ever be back or not: “Will Kaka play well again? Or not?” So it’s not easy, but I think things are going well now and I can show more of what I can do for Real Madrid.
Also, another person who’s always been a big supporter of yours is Jose Mourinho, and he said on your return from injury that you’d make the difference for this team. What’s it like to have the backing of the best coach in the world.
It’s great to have it because Mourinho always stayed behind me. His staff and everybody who works with him have always been there. It’s not easy. You train every day, but some days things don’t go well, so every time someone would come over and say something positive. The moment I didn’t believe any more Mourinho stood by me and said encouraging things so that I would continue to believe that things would be good for me at Real Madrid.
Well, you are back and it’s been great for us all to see. How is your confidence at the moment and how does it feel to be back to your best?
My confidence is better now. It’s increased, but I know that I haven’t done anything yet, so I have to do a lot of work. We’ll see what the balance is at the end of the season. I feel I have the chance to make a difference this season.
This season we’ve seen some fantastic attacking football already from Real Madrid, and you’ve played a key role in that. What’s it like to be part of the team at the moment and what’s the mood like in the dressing room?
It’s very good. The dressing room at Real Madrid is very good. I think the mood is amazing. A lot of people say that it’s not good, that the Portuguese form a group, that the Spaniards form another… That’s not true. Everybody respects everybody. We have a great relationship between us. I think this year can be a good year for Real Madrid.
What’s the chemistry like on the pitch between you players up front: Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema, yourself, Higuain…?
It’s easy to play with them. They are very intelligent, and once we know the dynamic we must have, how we must play, it’s easier. I can play with Ozil and Cristiano; or with Ozil, Di Maria and Higuain… I think everybody can play with everybody. I think that’s the best thing the manager can do with this team.
Long season ahead; three competitions. What are your hopes personally, and then with the team as well?
I think Real Madrid always think about winning, so we need to win something. It’s our responsibility. The footballers who play for Real Madrid think like that because I think we are all winners. So we need to think about winning. I hope at the end of the season we can celebrate good championships.
We all do. Thank you very much for your time Ricardo.
You’re welcome.
TRANSLATED FROM SPANISH: Again, my apologies for poor wording.
Why do you believe that the people love you so much?
I think it is because of some things that have to do with playing football or doing interviews. This is who I am, I do not change my manner of life, and little by little the people are introduced to this. In the last two years I have not been able to do as much with football as I would like, but even as such the people have continued to support me with everything they can and believe in me.
How do you define yourself?
I am very sincere, honest, and even though moments pass where I am sad, I try to be cheerful. My values are my family, my friends… When you are at a high level it is easy for people to want to be with you. But when bad things happen, you know who is truly going to be by your side.
What do you enjoy doing?
Playing football, training every day, and even though the concentración is sometimes difficult, if you want to succeed you must persevere. Six months passed without such focus and I missed it. Also I like to be with my family, my wife, the children. The children are incredible, an unconditional love that you don’t experience until they are born.
In your early days, there was a teacher that advised your mother that you should join a football school…
I played at Colegio Batista in Brazil and one day, the teacher told my mom that I had a distinct style of playing that impressed them. He suggested that I join a school and my mom looked into it and I started.
Is it true that during the day you played football and during the night you studied?
That was toward the end. At first I studied during the morning and trained during the afternoon. After some time passed I trained during the morning and studied at night. Finally I trained during the morning and afternoon and studied at night.
Did you have developmental problems as a child?
For twelve years all the little kids were much taller than me and after a couple tests we found that I had two years of delay in bone growth. Given that, one can only hope. The doctors at Sao Paulo did some work on me to see if I had problems, but they told me no and finally I grew.
If you didn’t play football, what would you be?
I always wanted to be a footballer. I played fútbol sala, eleven, all types. When I was 15, I told myself that everything else would be secondary, I would take it until the end. If not, I would have been the same as my father, an engineer. He is a great example for me, always trying to make things correct, with serious thought and integrity.
At 18, you had a scare that almost stopped you from completing your dream.
I was a junior player in Brazil, and I was suspended for the next game. They gave me free days and I went to my grandparents’ house. There they had many clubs with slides and I played with my brother and took a hit on the head and landed with my head at the bottom of the pool. We went to a hospital and they gave me stitches, later when I arrived in Sao Paulo, I trained and my neck hurt so much. They took tests and discovered that I had a break in the sixth vertebrae of my back. The doctor told me that I was very fortunate to continue playing football and walking.
When you returned you were promoted to the first team…
Upon return I was still a reserve junior player and coincidentally the coach of my first team at Sao Paulo wanted a midfielder. The junior coach would not give the owner a starter and gave him a substitute, and it was me. Since then, I have stayed at this level.
And on July 30, 2009, this boy looked at the Bernabéu from the tunnel of the locker rooms, waiting for his presentation…
I was very excited that day, these things are only possible in a club like Real Madrid. The closest I’ve come is with the Brazilian national team but those situations are from time to time. The things unique to Real Madrid happen 60 or 70 times a year. When I arrived they told me that there were 30 or 40 thousand people that said it could not be, but they were only looking for me! It is very difficult to explain. The emotion when you enter and the people… it leaves an impression.
When life tests you and your level of play is not what you hope, how do you fight against it?
What motivates me is the dream of playing on this team and that things go well. Everyone wants to win here, but I want to enjoy playing The first year I had problems with my pubis and everyone said a lot of things about the World Cup. The second year I had problems with my knee, and there were many doubts… During the summer I could have left, tried another club, another championship, but I sat down with the coach and he wanted to talk to me about this season, and Florentino as well. The president asked me one day what my problem was here and I said that it was me. Physically, I was not playing well on the field, things that used to come before in dynamic and natural ways were now static, too predictable.
Do you have in mind the idea of returning the confidence shown by the president or Mourinho, when the people thought that Kaká no longer existed as a player?
One talks about the debt I have with the fans. I want to win for them, for they have always believed in me. My family, my friends. All I’m doing is for these people to have the joy of watching me play well again. This season I started well, people talk about the Ajax game but this meeting is the final result. On other days I played 10, 15 minutes and did well. My motivation is to return to have a high performance and be a decisive player. That at the end of the season I can say it has paid off.
Did you cry when things did not go well?
Many times, because I could not understand why. I looked like the classic profile of an athlete. I slept well, I took care of myself, etc. However, after playing and such things it did not work. Sometimes I played and later, when I went home, I would train by myself to see if I could return my physical condition. Today, soccer is very demanding in the physical aspect, if you cannot beat the rivals. Now you can see the fruits of my labor.
Not only has Kaká returned, but also your smile. Is this your happiest moment since arriving at Real Madrid?
Since the presentation, yes. And on the field now, I am enjoying football again. Before, the field was too long, everything looked difficult and it was no longer a pleasure. But now it has returned.
What is the Real Madrid locker room like?
It’s phenomenal, there is a very good atmosphere. For example, I get along with Carvalho, but that does not mean I do not get along with the Spaniards. There are some who are closer to others, but in general it is great, there is a lot of respect. At the end, we joke about the rumors that things are going poorly. If Madrid wins at the end of the season then all will see that the locker room is strong.
And Mourinho?
I can only speak good things about him. He has done everything he can to help me. A player who has great responsibility, not doing well, we sell, we bring another, it is not a player that I would bring myself. He had it all and at the end he always helped me. We also talked a lot about what the press says. It’s normal in football that the coach has confidence in his players, but this confidence is won on the pitch and in training. I think I am slowly winning the confidence of the coach little by little. It has been difficult because I have had trainings that were for me, a disaster. But it was never a problem of his, only me. And at the end he always stayed with me, telling me things, helped me, called me, told me to be patient, calm. And the rest of the staff too. The psychological part is key in football and this staff has managed to do it well.
What do you want to say to the fans?
I want to thank you for your support because we have started the season well, people feel at one with the team and the madridismo is with the club because you’ll notice that we have a great tea and coach. Against Rayo we condeded a goal after 15 seconds, but the people felt that the team wanted to come back and they started to help by shouting, supporting us, starting a new winning streak of Real Madrid.
A thousand questions have come for you from the fans of Real Madrid and we are going to ask some. The first: Do you believe this team is mentally prepared to win la Décima?
This team is mentally strong and ready for la Décima. Last year we won la Copa del Rey, but this time we will see it until the end. I see a very mature team that can win important things.
From the United States, some ask if you will return to the Brazilian National Team…
I have personal goals. And the first of these is to return to play and continue to have good games. Returning to the national team is another one of my personal goals.
Finally, others ask what you think of Özil.
Phenomenal, we have no problems playing together, he is very intelligent. He is already a star but he still has a great future. He is elegant, has the vision of the game, does little wrong and that is very positive.
english | español
Blessed be our faithful Kaká stans arbitrarilysaid, snuzzie, rikayla, icannotthink, etc.
ETA: Added translations.