Brazilian star Kaka announces retirement

Rio De Janeiro, Dec 18 (AFP) Former Brazilian World Cupchampion Kaka announced his retirement as a player, suggestingthat a management career at hi...

Rio De Janeiro, Dec 18 (AFP) Former Brazilian World Cupchampion Kaka announced his retirement as a player, suggestingthat a management career at his old club AC Milan could be onthe cards.

"I am preparing to continue in football and to have adifferent role, but I will no longer be a professional player,an athlete," the 2007 Ballon d'Or winner told Globotelevision.

"I would like to take part in a club in a role morelike... a manager, a sporting director -- someone between thefield and the club."Kaka, 35, said AC Milan "recently made this proposal".

On his Twitter feed, devout Christian Kaka, who was partof Brazil's 2002 World Cup-winning team, wrote: "Father, Itwas much more than I could ever imagined. Thank you! I'm nowready for the next journey. In Jesus' name. Amem."He started his storied career with Sao Paulo in Brazil,where his performances attracted the attention of Europe'sleading clubs and prompted a move to Milan in 2003.

It was while at Milan that Kaka picked up the Ballond'Or, awarded annually to the world's best player. He was thelast player other than Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi toreceive the prize.

He also helped the Italian side to a Serie A title in2003-04 and propelled Milan to 2007 Champions League glory,scoring a competition-best 10 goals as the club were crownedkings of Europe for the seventh time.

The hugely talented attacking midfielder joined RealMadrid in 2009 for a then world record transfer worth 68million euros ($89 million, £56 million), but Kaka struggledto consistently reproduce his top form in the Spanish capital.

- 'One of football's greatest talents' -========================================He won the Copa del Rey in 2011 and was part of JoseMourinho's team that won the league crown a year later, but hefell out of favour in Madrid and returned to Milan on a freetransfer in September 2013.

Kaka was unveiled as the face of Major League Soccer'sexpansion franchise Orlando City in 2014, heading home for abrief reunion with Sao Paulo ahead of the US club's debutseason in 2015.

He scored the MLS team's first ever goal and was theNorth American league's highest-paid player for three yearsrunning before leaving Orlando in October.

He scored 29 goals in 92 international appearances forBrazil, although having been overlooked for the 2014 World Cupon home soil he was also ruled out of last year's Copa AmericaCentenario by injury.

In November, media reports said he had been considering amove to Guizhou Hengfeng Zhicheng in the Chinese Super League.

Spain's La Liga paid homage to Kaka on its Twitteraccount, saying: "One of football's greatest talents ishanging up his boots after a glittering career."However, Kaka said his transition off the pitch wasn'tbeing taken for granted.

"The fact of having had successes as a professionalplayer does not mean I will or won't be a good manager. So Iwant to prepare myself for this going ahead, to study, tofollow, to be closer to certain clubs, especially those whereI played," he told Globo. (AFP) PDSPDS.

This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.

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