After both Kaka’s brother and agent told the Post that he wants to play for the Red Bulls someday, the Brazilian star confirmed that desire himself. The former World Player of the Year – who owns a condo in New York – wouldn’t say when he plans to become a full-time resident, but told the Post he’d love to eventually.
“I like MLS, I like New York, I like America. So one day, if I can, I would like to play here,’’ said Kaka, who specified by here he didn’t just mean MLS but the Red Bulls, who signed his younger brother Digão this past season.
“Yeah, New York. I have a lot of friends playing in America, so I can say New York. Or maybe Los Angeles, because I have David (Beckham) there as a friend, so he says a lot of good stuff…But one day I would like to play here.’’
Kaka – whom the Red Bulls tried to acquire from Real Madrid this past summer, before buying Tim Cahill from Everton – is in town to play in Brazil’s friendly vs. Colombia Wednesday at Met Life Stadium. And with both family and a condo here, the 30-year-old said New York is like a second home.
“Yes, because I like New York so much. I like that I can come here, play here, now my brother is playing here for the Red Bulls. It’s a nice opportunity for me to play with the national team in a nice city that I like,’’ said Kaka. The Red Bulls parlayed Thierry Henry’s love for New York into a stunning signing; can they do the same again?
Kaka also noted the large Brazilian population in the area, one he expected to give MetLife Stadium an electric atmosphere Wednesday.
“I think it will be a nice atmosphere because we have a lot of Brazilians living here in New York, and also a lot of Latins that like football. Now I can say also a lot of Americans that can come enjoy a nice game, Brazil and Colombia.’’
The more than 75,000 Brazilians living in the greater New York area – with a huge concentration in Newark’s Ironbound section, and East Newark being the most heavy concentration of Brazilians in the country per capita – are another selling point for Kaka to eventually join the Red Bulls.
But Digão may be the biggest selling point, and Kaka’s brother has already said he doesn’t have to convince his famous sibling to love New York. Kaka bought into the Setai Fifth Avenue, a new Midtown condo/hotel that boasts ex-Arsenal star Patrick Vieira as a tenant.
“He’s always mentioned that, yes, he does want to come play here. But obviously with his current contract and where he is, he wouldn’t be able to come now,’’ Digão had said this summer. “But in the future, yes, he obviously likes the city and likes the place, so it’s a possibility.
“My brother obviously really likes New York. That’s why he bought an apartment here. All he had to say was really good things. He really likes it here, and wants to live here obviously, since he bought an apartment…Yes, I’d like to play with my brother again, definitely. Will that influence my brother to come here? I don’t know; it’s very hard to know. But yeah, if it’s a choice, for me, yes.’’
A year after Kaka moved to AC Milan, the Serie A giants signed Digão, and they were on the books together for the 2007-08 season. Now the Red Bulls are hoping the same happens in reverse, signing Digão late in the season and hoping the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year follows at some point.
“My brother is happy now living here. He told me a lot of good stuff about New York, about Red Bulls,’’ said Kaka. “He is happy here and probably he will be playing next season again, so he is very happy and says a lot of good things.’’
It’s unclear how much those good things will impact Kaka’s decision, or even how much that decision is out of his hands. As the Post reported, the Red Bulls lodged a bid with Real Madrid this summer before inking Cahill. Now they have three Designated Players, with Rafa Marquez having one more year left on his contract. Meanwhile, Kaka has two more seasons past this one on his Real Madrid deal.
And while both Red Bulls coach Hans Backe and GM Erik Soler have been ousted, the fact is Designated Player acquisitions are quite frankly negotiated over the coach’s head, with those firings playing little role in Kaka’s future.
“I think it’s normal that teams at the end of the season change some staff, and it’s normal that Red Bull is changing the coach and some directors now,’’ said Kaka. “It’s normal.’’
Kaka would be a game-changing acquisition even if he didn’t come to MLS until after the 2014 World Cup in his native Brazil.
Lothar Matthaus is the only FIFA World Player of the Year to play in MLS, and he didn’t arrive until he was a venerable 39. Runnersup Hristo Stoichkov (34 upon his arrival), David Beckham (32) and Thierry Henry (32) are still among the biggest stars in MLS history, with the former two having led Chicago and L.A. to titles.
“We don’t speak about negotiation…What I can say to you right now is that Kaka have a dream to live in US and play in MLS,’’ Kaka’s agent Diogo Kotscho told the Post earlier. “If isn’t now, in the future probably he will join MLS.’’