As Brazilian legend Kaka retires, here are some amazing facts about the last Ballon d'Or winner before the dominance of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Ricardo Kaka announced his retirement in a tweet on 17 December. The former AC Milan and Real Madrid playmaker have been one among the most phenomenal footballers, his prime being the 2004-2009 period.

Kaka started playing football at the age of eight. He made his professional football debut in 2001 with Sao Paulo FC in Brazil. He was 18-year-old. (Photo | Youtube) 

He joined Italian giants AC Milan in 2003 for a transfer fee of 8.5 million euros. (Photo | AP)

Kaka later joined Real Madrid in 2009 for a transfer fee was 65 million euros - the second highest bid that the football world had seen till then. (Photo | AP)

He returned to AC Milan in 2013 and scored his 100th goal the same year for the club against Atalanta at the San Siro stadium. The gifted Brazilian's goal tally stands at 109. (Photo | AP)

2007 proved to be lucky for the attacking midfielder. Apart from winning the Ballon d'Or, he won other awards like UEFA Club Footballer of the year, Serie A Footballer of the Year (for the second time, first being in 2004), Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year (2004, 2006 ) and World Soccer Player of the Year. Kaka was the last footballer to win the Ballon d'Or before the dominance of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. (Photo | AP)

Kaka joined America's Major League Soccer side Orlando City at the end of 2013-14 season. (Photo | AP)

Kaka (C) kisses the 2002 World Cup along with teammates Lucio (L) and Gilberto Silva after they defeated Germany 2-0 in the final at the International Stadium Yokohama on 30 June. (Photo | AFP)

In 2004 he became the youngest ambassador of the UN World Food Programme. Kaka was named in the Time 100 list of world's most influential people in 2008 and 2009. He is the first sportsperson to cross 10 million followers on Twitter.

Ricardo Kaka announced his retirement via Twitter on 17 December. (Photo | Twitter grab)