Sir Alexander Chapman Ferguson, CBE, more commonly known as Alex Ferguson, Sir Alex, or Fergie (born 31 December 1941 in Govan, Glasgow) is a Scottish football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United , where he has been in charge since 1986. He has won more trophies than any other manager in the history of the English game.
With 22 years as manager of Manchester United, he is the second-longest serving manager in their history after Sir Matt Busby, while his tenure is the longest of all the current League managers. During this time, Ferguson has won many awards and holds many records including winning Manager of the Year most times in British football history. Manchester United have won more honours during Ferguson's tenure than they did in all the years combined prior to his appointment.
He was an inaugural inductee into the English Football Hall of Fame for his great services to the English game, was knighted in 1999 by Queen Elizabeth II and currently holds the Freedom of the City of Aberdeen for his services to the city, having managed the city's football club to a host of major trophies in the early to mid 1980s.
With 22 years as manager of Manchester United, he is the second-longest serving manager in their history after Sir Matt Busby, while his tenure is the longest of all the current League managers. During this time, Ferguson has won many awards and holds many records including winning Manager of the Year most times in British football history. Manchester United have won more honours during Ferguson's tenure than they did in all the years combined prior to his appointment.
He was an inaugural inductee into the English Football Hall of Fame for his great services to the English game, was knighted in 1999 by Queen Elizabeth II and currently holds the Freedom of the City of Aberdeen for his services to the city, having managed the city's football club to a host of major trophies in the early to mid 1980s.
Sir Alex Ferguson is the most successful manager in British football history – winning more than 30 tro
phies during his time in charge of the Reds. Yet despite more than two decades at the United helm he remains focused on increasing that tally, bringing yet more silverware to Old Trafford.The Reds boss enjoyed a playing career north of the border that saw him take in spells with Queen's Park, St Johnstone, Dunfermline, Glasgow Rangers, Falkirk and Ayr United. But it is not for his playing of the game that Sir Alex was to become a success. Following a spell out of the game he moved into coaching, taking up the role of manager of East Stirlingshire, St Mirren then Aberdeen. It was his time at Pittodrie where he earned his reputation as a top coach. He broke the Glasgow dominance of Scottish football to lead Aberdeen to three Scottish titles, four Scottish cups, one League Cup and one European Cup Winners’ Cup.Following the sacking of Ron Atkinson as manager of Manchester United, the Old Trafford hierarchy moved quickly for his services. They got their man on 6 November 1986.Ferguson inherited a dispirited team of underachievers supporters’ discontent, failed to break Liverpool’s domination. Stuck in the bottom four of the Division One table, Ferguson immediately set about attempting to stave off the very real threat of relegation. Without resorting to the transfer market, he guided United up the table to and eleventh place finish. By now it was clear to Ferguson that he faced a major job in turning the club around. United were an entertaining side but one that seemed unable to cope with the more physical aspects of League football. In his second season the Reds fared better finishing second behind Liverpool, but the position painted a false
picture. The turning point came in the 1989/90 season. Following a run of games in which the Reds were drawn away in every round, United picked up their first silverware of the Ferguson era. Lee Martin scoring the only goal in a final replay against Crystal Palace to in the FA Cup.This first trophy opened the flood gates. The European Cup Winners’ Cup was won the following season in Rotterdam, Barcelona defeated 2-1 thanks to a brace from Mark Hughes. Then in 1991/02 the League Cup was added to United’s list of honours.Sadly the title remained elusive. It was the Holy Grail to United fans, the 26 championships free years being exacerbated by Liverpool’s dominance of the domestic and European game. In 1992/93 the long wait for the League championship came to an end. The Reds, inspired by £1m signing Eric Cantona, pipping Aston Villa in the final weeks of the season.The shackles were broken: the double followed in 1993/94, the double-Double (with ‘kids’) in 1995/96, and another title in 1997. Finally United were matching off-field might with on-field success. Liverpool’s dominance was well and truly over.Sir Alex’s greatestachievement came in 1998/99. No side before or since has achieved a treble haul of Premiership title, FA Cup and European Cup. On an unforgettable night in Barcelona his decision to throw on substitutes Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer assured history was made. The pair scored injury-time goals to win the Champions League and complete the treble.Ferguson was knighted following that success and some suggested he should retire, believing his desire would wane following the realisation of a dream. Not a bit of it. Another title followed in 1999/2000 and he made it three-in-row in 2000/01. His eighth Premiership duly arrived in 2002/03; his fourth FA Cup a year later, against Millwall in Cardiff. The Reds had by now entered a period of rebuilding. The side of homegrown players he’d first put together in 1995/96 was now breaking up and he’d recruited new stars like Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo to spark a new era of success.The rebuilding paid off with victory in the Carling Cup in 2005/06 and a ninth Premier League trophy in 2006/07. In May 2007 Sir Alex swooped for three players - Anderson, Nani and Owen Hargreaves - to bolster an already strong squad. This evolving team claimed more glory in 2007/08, defending the Premier League title and securing Sir Alex's second Champions League triumph.United followed European success by winning the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan in December 2008. The Reds then claimed the Carling Cup in March 2009 by beating Tottenham on penalties in the final. On 16 May 2009, United achieved what had seemed an impossible mission when Sir Alex arrived in 1986, equalling Liverpool's long-standing record of 18 league championships. Beating Liverpool to the 2008/09 crown - Sir Alex's 11th title in 17 seasons - made the feat even sweeter.
phies during his time in charge of the Reds. Yet despite more than two decades at the United helm he remains focused on increasing that tally, bringing yet more silverware to Old Trafford.The Reds boss enjoyed a playing career north of the border that saw him take in spells with Queen's Park, St Johnstone, Dunfermline, Glasgow Rangers, Falkirk and Ayr United. But it is not for his playing of the game that Sir Alex was to become a success. Following a spell out of the game he moved into coaching, taking up the role of manager of East Stirlingshire, St Mirren then Aberdeen. It was his time at Pittodrie where he earned his reputation as a top coach. He broke the Glasgow dominance of Scottish football to lead Aberdeen to three Scottish titles, four Scottish cups, one League Cup and one European Cup Winners’ Cup.Following the sacking of Ron Atkinson as manager of Manchester United, the Old Trafford hierarchy moved quickly for his services. They got their man on 6 November 1986.Ferguson inherited a dispirited team of underachievers supporters’ discontent, failed to break Liverpool’s domination. Stuck in the bottom four of the Division One table, Ferguson immediately set about attempting to stave off the very real threat of relegation. Without resorting to the transfer market, he guided United up the table to and eleventh place finish. By now it was clear to Ferguson that he faced a major job in turning the club around. United were an entertaining side but one that seemed unable to cope with the more physical aspects of League football. In his second season the Reds fared better finishing second behind Liverpool, but the position painted a falsepicture. The turning point came in the 1989/90 season. Following a run of games in which the Reds were drawn away in every round, United picked up their first silverware of the Ferguson era. Lee Martin scoring the only goal in a final replay against Crystal Palace to in the FA Cup.This first trophy opened the flood gates. The European Cup Winners’ Cup was won the following season in Rotterdam, Barcelona defeated 2-1 thanks to a brace from Mark Hughes. Then in 1991/02 the League Cup was added to United’s list of honours.Sadly the title remained elusive. It was the Holy Grail to United fans, the 26 championships free years being exacerbated by Liverpool’s dominance of the domestic and European game. In 1992/93 the long wait for the League championship came to an end. The Reds, inspired by £1m signing Eric Cantona, pipping Aston Villa in the final weeks of the season.The shackles were broken: the double followed in 1993/94, the double-Double (with ‘kids’) in 1995/96, and another title in 1997. Finally United were matching off-field might with on-field success. Liverpool’s dominance was well and truly over.Sir Alex’s greatestachievement came in 1998/99. No side before or since has achieved a treble haul of Premiership title, FA Cup and European Cup. On an unforgettable night in Barcelona his decision to throw on substitutes Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer assured history was made. The pair scored injury-time goals to win the Champions League and complete the treble.Ferguson was knighted following that success and some suggested he should retire, believing his desire would wane following the realisation of a dream. Not a bit of it. Another title followed in 1999/2000 and he made it three-in-row in 2000/01. His eighth Premiership duly arrived in 2002/03; his fourth FA Cup a year later, against Millwall in Cardiff. The Reds had by now entered a period of rebuilding. The side of homegrown players he’d first put together in 1995/96 was now breaking up and he’d recruited new stars like Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo to spark a new era of success.The rebuilding paid off with victory in the Carling Cup in 2005/06 and a ninth Premier League trophy in 2006/07. In May 2007 Sir Alex swooped for three players - Anderson, Nani and Owen Hargreaves - to bolster an already strong squad. This evolving team claimed more glory in 2007/08, defending the Premier League title and securing Sir Alex's second Champions League triumph.United followed European success by winning the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan in December 2008. The Reds then claimed the Carling Cup in March 2009 by beating Tottenham on penalties in the final. On 16 May 2009, United achieved what had seemed an impossible mission when Sir Alex arrived in 1986, equalling Liverpool's long-standing record of 18 league championships. Beating Liverpool to the 2008/09 crown - Sir Alex's 11th title in 17 seasons - made the feat even sweeter.
Ronaldo confident of Real switch Ronaldo expects to successfully complete a medical before joining Real Madrid
Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo says he expects his record £80m move from Manchester United to Real Madrid to go through, despite a minor hernia injury. The 24-year-old winger told Fox Sports in the US: "I do not require surgery. The hernia is nothing to worry about.
"I learned about the deal on holiday and heard that United have accepted. Madrid want to have a medical team look at me, but that's as expected."
Emerging reports suggest a deal to take Ronaldo to Real has long been in place.
The Spanish giants conducted a long - and public - pursuit of the winger throughout last summer, only to see a potential deal fall through.
WORLD PRESS REACTION Spain's Marca: "The signing of the century." Spain's AS: "Praise is mixed with criticism for the price, a new world record." Spain's El Mundo: "Madrid pay for Ronaldo 57 times his weight in gold."Spain's El Pais: "Florentino Perez lives in another galaxy."Portugal's Record: "Real Madrid spend 94m euros for Ronaldo in times of crisis."Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport: "That's not fair. Mad Real. After Kaka, Real Madrid sign Cristiano Ronaldo." France's L'Equipe: ""Benzema's turn?" America's Los Angeles Times: "The hair-gel industry in north-west England suffered a catastrophic blow on Thursday."More media headlines in Friday's gossip column Their conduct appeared to anger United, and manager Sir Alex Ferguson in particular, and the club even reported Real to Fifa over their approaches.
Ramon Calderon, Real president at the time, later attempted to smooth over the apparent rift, saying: "We don't want to get into trouble with them as they are one of the biggest clubs in the world."
However, Calderon - who resigned as Real president in January - has told BBC Radio 5 Live that it was agreed between all parties at the time that Ronaldo would move to the Bernabeu this summer.
"Last season, Manchester United decided not to do it because they thought it was too early," he said. "Everyone involved in the operation agreed to do it this season. That is what I can say."
And that view is supported by Juande Ramos, the former Tottenham boss who managed Real Madrid for six months from December last year.
"Am I surprised (that Ronaldo is joining Real Madrid)? No, because I knew it would happen at some stage," he told 5 Live.
"We already knew that Real Madrid had a pre-contract agreement with Cristiano Ronaldo and that it was only a matter of time.
"I don't know exactly when that agreement was made, but I do know it was in place."
Ronaldo gave little clue about any pre-contract agreement, though, when talking about the move from his holiday base in Los Angeles - to where Madrid officials will fly to conduct a medical before the transfer is completed.
FOOTBALL BLOG United's manager could not afford to spend huge swathes of every close season persuading a player - no matter how vital - to stay at Old Trafford
BBC Sport's Phil McNulty "It's flattering when two of the top teams in the world want you to play for them," said the 2008 Fifa Player of the Year, who has yet to finalise personal terms with Real.
"The deal is historic - £80m is quite a sum of money."
Should, as expected, the deal be concluded by 30 June, Ronaldo would report for training on 10 July ahead of a pre-season training camp in Dublin, Ireland, which will include a friendly.
The La Liga giants will then compete in the Peace Cup in Spain, where their opponents include Aston Villa and Celtic, before heading to Canada, where they will face Toronto FC, and Washington, for a game against DC United.
A United statement on Thursday revealed the record bid was accepted after Ronaldo had "again expressed his desire to leave".
And a spokesman for United's owners, the Glazer family, insisted that the decision to sell Ronaldo was taken solely by manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
The spokesman told the BBC: "It was purely a football decision and had nothing to do with the financial structure of the club."
Fifa president Sepp Blatter said on Friday that he had no problem with the size of the transfer fee, despite the global economic downturn.
"It means that our product is still a good product. If this is the game of the people, they need stars," he said.
"OK, it is a lot of money, but he is performing. In football, we are still in a good market."
However, Uefa president Michel Platini labelled the world record fee as "excessive", adding: "These transfers are a serious challenge to the idea of fairplay and the concept of financial balance in our competitions."
And chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, Gordon Taylor, believes football has to be mindful of such large transfer fees given the current financial climate.
"It sets a standard that so many clubs will be unable to compete with - and if you do try to compete (financially with Real Madrid) you are building massive volumes of debt," he said.
"Football isn't immune to the world's problems and, as such, is very vulnerable."
Madrid signed Brazilian Kaka for a reported £56m earlier this week, surpassing the previous world record fee in pounds sterling of £45.6m, which they paid for Zinedine Zidane in 2001.
That deal was sealed by the ambition of returning Real president Florentino Perez, who previously led the Spanish club from 2000 to 2006 - during the famous galacticos era
Full name: Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite.
Date of birth: May 15th 1982.
Place of birth: Brasilia, the administrative capital of the Brazilian Federal District.
Height: 1.82 m (6 ft). At age 12, Kaká was considerably shorter than his father and brother; medical tests showed that his bones suffered growth delay; for two years, Kaká was submitted to growth treatment, to reach normal height.
Kaká was born in Brasília. From age 4 to 7, his family lived in Cuiabá, followi
ng his father, a civil engineer.At age 7, the family moved to the city of São Paulo, in the neighbourhood of Morumbi, near the Stadium of São Paulo FC. As FIFA says, "Kaka fails to fit the Brazilian stereotype of the kid from the favela who first played the game in the street with a ball made from rags. Coming from a comfortable and cultured family, Kaka kept up his studies for as long as they were compatible with his profession.". His talent was soon recognized. A professor called the family and suggested enrolling him in a football school. At age 8, Kaká was playing with São Paulo FC, where he succeeded in all categories. At age 14, Kaká used to wake up two hours early, to keep up with his studies; Kaká managed to conclude the intermediary cycle (eleven years) in Brazil, before dedicating exclusivel
y to football.Kaká is religious. Since early adol
escence, he's been attending the evangelical Church Renascer. Religious, Kakácommemorates GodHis religiosity grew stronger after an accident in 2000. During holidays, Kaká dove into a shallow pool and beat the head against the floor; immediate exams didn't show anything. A few days later, while training in São Paulo, Kaká felt a strong pain and found out that he had broken a cervical vertebra; Kaká had to wear a treatment jacket for two months. Returning to football was uncertain; "the doctors said I was lucky; I am certain that it was God's will", says Kaká. In 2000, Kaká was champion of the Junior championship, in São Paulo. In 2001, he became professional; his first match was on February 2nd, and his first goal on February 5th. In the decision of the high profile Rio-São Paulo tournament, Kaká (then Cacá) scored the two goals that gave the title to São Paulo over Botafogo. .On 31st January 2002, Kaká debuted with the National Team, playing against Bolivia; on March 7th, against Iceland, he scored his first goal.In 2002, Kaká went to the 2002 World Cup. He played only a few minutes in the match against Costa Rica. In the final match, against Germany, when the Brazilian victory was defined, coach Scolari attempted to put Kaká to play; the last images of the game show Kaká waving desperately to the referee, asking for a break, but there was no time. Kaká was, anyway, world champion.
ng his father, a civil engineer.At age 7, the family moved to the city of São Paulo, in the neighbourhood of Morumbi, near the Stadium of São Paulo FC. As FIFA says, "Kaka fails to fit the Brazilian stereotype of the kid from the favela who first played the game in the street with a ball made from rags. Coming from a comfortable and cultured family, Kaka kept up his studies for as long as they were compatible with his profession.". His talent was soon recognized. A professor called the family and suggested enrolling him in a football school. At age 8, Kaká was playing with São Paulo FC, where he succeeded in all categories. At age 14, Kaká used to wake up two hours early, to keep up with his studies; Kaká managed to conclude the intermediary cycle (eleven years) in Brazil, before dedicating exclusivel
y to football.Kaká is religious. Since early adol
escence, he's been attending the evangelical Church Renascer. Religious, Kakácommemorates GodHis religiosity grew stronger after an accident in 2000. During holidays, Kaká dove into a shallow pool and beat the head against the floor; immediate exams didn't show anything. A few days later, while training in São Paulo, Kaká felt a strong pain and found out that he had broken a cervical vertebra; Kaká had to wear a treatment jacket for two months. Returning to football was uncertain; "the doctors said I was lucky; I am certain that it was God's will", says Kaká. In 2000, Kaká was champion of the Junior championship, in São Paulo. In 2001, he became professional; his first match was on February 2nd, and his first goal on February 5th. In the decision of the high profile Rio-São Paulo tournament, Kaká (then Cacá) scored the two goals that gave the title to São Paulo over Botafogo. .On 31st January 2002, Kaká debuted with the National Team, playing against Bolivia; on March 7th, against Iceland, he scored his first goal.In 2002, Kaká went to the 2002 World Cup. He played only a few minutes in the match against Costa Rica. In the final match, against Germany, when the Brazilian victory was defined, coach Scolari attempted to put Kaká to play; the last images of the game show Kaká waving desperately to the referee, asking for a break, but there was no time. Kaká was, anyway, world champion. São Paulo FC and Kaká had a non-official agreement with Milan AC: he would stay in Brazil until 2004 and then would move to Italy; São Paulo could collect a few championships, and Milan would have a more mature player. However, feeling that other teams were talking to Kaká, the Milan directors (particularly Leonardo, who played with the Brazilian team in the cups of 1994 and 1998) decided, in 2003, to antecipate the transfer.
Kaká was an instant hit in Italy. In 2004, Milan won the Italian league. In 2005, Kaká was elected the best midfielder in Europe by UEFA.In December 2005, Kaká married Caroline Celico, who attended the same evangelical Church as him. In Brazil, Kaká was as popular among men as among women; thousands of fan pages maintained by young admirers appeared when Kaká was in Brazil, and failed to be maintained after he went away (and got married).
In 2006, only 24 years old, Kaká is one of the main Brazilian players in the World Cup.Despite the abundance of good players, coach Carlos Alberto Parreira already said that Kaká will start as a principle. The groups formed by Kaká, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and Adriano is being called "the Magic Square" by Brazilian media and fans.
The truth about Kaka:
The truth about Kaka, the Brazilian footballer set to take Britain by storm Exclusive: By Ryan Parry And Emily Nash 16/01/2009
He's the God-fearing Brazilian superstar who could rescue Manchester City's flagging football dreams. And AC Milan ace Kaka is a man born to defy almost every football stereotype.
Unlike many money-obsessed Premiership stars, the devout Christian prefers Bible studies and church to nightclubs and booze. He donates 10 per cent of his salary to his church and was, famously, a virgin when he married stunning wife Caroline Celico.
Since the age of 14, Kaka has been a member of Igreja Renascer em Cristo, Be Born Again In Christ, a Brazilian protestant sect. The 26-year-old's trademark goal celebration is to point his fingers to heaven, thanking the Almighty.
And after winning the Champions League with Milan in 2007, Kaka showe
d off a Tshirt proclaiming "I belong to Jesus". Manchester City, bought by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan last September with his s15billion oil fortune, is in talks about signing the superstar in a record breaking s108million deal. He will join fellow Brazilian international Robinho, snapped up by City for a 'mere' s32.5million, as part of a football revolution that has so far faltered, with the team currently 15th in the Premier League. Last night his move remained shrouded in mystery even to Kaka's close relatives. His grandmother Vera told the Mirror: "I haven't talked to him yet. All I know is what I've read in the newspaper. "But I believe he's going to stay at Milan. He likes it very much."
The lure of a s500,000-a-week salary could entice Kaka, but not out of greed, more out of a desire to help others with the money.
The footballer, real name Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, was brought up by fervently Christian parents. His younger brother Rodrigo, gave him his nickname because he could not pronounce Ricardo.
Kaka's story contradicts the familiar tale of the poor boy that escapes Brazil's slums through his prowess at football.
Far from being raised in poverty, Kaka was brought up in a well-educated family in the relatively prosperous capital city Brasilia.
When he was six the family moved to a middle-class suburb of Sao Paulo where he became involved with the city's main football team. Kaka was a late developer, due to a slim frame.
But he was put on a special diet to beef him up and has put on two and a half stone since his professional debut at 17.
His father, Bosco Izecson Pereira Leite, was a civil engineer and his mother, Simone Cristina dos Santos Leite, worked as a teacher.
As a young player Kaka used some of his first football wages to put his younger brother through college.
And to add to his achievements he was made the UN World Food Programme's youngest Ambassador Against Hunger in 2004.
He said at the time: "I hope that my own experience with Sao Paulo and AC Milan can inspire hungry children to believe they can overcome the odds and lead a normal life."
The attacking midfielder also believes that God saved his own career. In October 2000, at the age of 18, he was lucky not to be crippled when he suffered an horrific back injury in a swimming pool accident.
Kaka was visiting his grandparents in Caldas Novas, Brazil, and while there he slipped on a swimming pool slide.
He fell into the shallow water and hit his head hard on the bottom of the pool, twisting his neck and fracturing vertebrae.
But doctors were amazed by his recovery.
Advertisement - article continues below »
They said Kaka was lucky to be able to even walk. To the young player, however, it had nothing to do with luck - God had intervened. "Back at home we always thanked God because we knew that it was his hand that had protected me," he said.
It took Kaka nearly a year to recover enough to play in the first team of Brazil's top side Sao Paulo. He scored two goals in a cup final after coming on as a substitute with 14 minutes left.
He went on to be part of Brazil's World Cupwinning squad in 2002 and was named Serie A Footballer of the Year in Italy in 2004.
In 2007 he was awarded the ultimate prize - FIFA World Player of the Year.
But Kaka presented his church with the trophy, which is now displayed in an exhibition dedicated to the player and his faith.
But the Reborn in Christ Church in Sao Paulo was rocked scandal when its leaders Estevam Hernandes Filho and Sonia Haddad Moraes Hernandes were sentenced to five months' jail in America in 2007 after breaching US customs regulations by failing to declare 56,467 they were importing to Miami. The married couple are also being investigated by Brazilian authorities for financial malpractice.
However, the incident did not rock Kaka's faith. He prays almost every day, always carries the Bible with him wherever he goes and his favourite music is gospel. He is also a member of Brazil's Athletes for Christ, which includes fellow World Cup winners Edmilson and Lucio.
Explaining his faith, he has said: "I was born into an evangelical Christian home.
But when I was baptised in 1994, something supernatural happened to me.
"I cannot explain it, but after that experience I got closer to God; more in tune with him. At that moment I was really born spiritually." The star has even taken a course in theology with a view to one day becoming a Protestant pastor. And his devout attitude meant that he remained a virgin until he married wife Caroline in December 2005.
He met her four years earlier when she was a 14-year-old pupil but they waited until she was 18 before marrying.
He's the God-fearing Brazilian superstar who could rescue Manchester City's flagging football dreams. And AC Milan ace Kaka is a man born to defy almost every football stereotype.
Unlike many money-obsessed Premiership stars, the devout Christian prefers Bible studies and church to nightclubs and booze. He donates 10 per cent of his salary to his church and was, famously, a virgin when he married stunning wife Caroline Celico.
Since the age of 14, Kaka has been a member of Igreja Renascer em Cristo, Be Born Again In Christ, a Brazilian protestant sect. The 26-year-old's trademark goal celebration is to point his fingers to heaven, thanking the Almighty.
And after winning the Champions League with Milan in 2007, Kaka showe
d off a Tshirt proclaiming "I belong to Jesus". Manchester City, bought by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan last September with his s15billion oil fortune, is in talks about signing the superstar in a record breaking s108million deal. He will join fellow Brazilian international Robinho, snapped up by City for a 'mere' s32.5million, as part of a football revolution that has so far faltered, with the team currently 15th in the Premier League. Last night his move remained shrouded in mystery even to Kaka's close relatives. His grandmother Vera told the Mirror: "I haven't talked to him yet. All I know is what I've read in the newspaper. "But I believe he's going to stay at Milan. He likes it very much."The lure of a s500,000-a-week salary could entice Kaka, but not out of greed, more out of a desire to help others with the money.
The footballer, real name Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, was brought up by fervently Christian parents. His younger brother Rodrigo, gave him his nickname because he could not pronounce Ricardo.
Kaka's story contradicts the familiar tale of the poor boy that escapes Brazil's slums through his prowess at football.
Far from being raised in poverty, Kaka was brought up in a well-educated family in the relatively prosperous capital city Brasilia.
When he was six the family moved to a middle-class suburb of Sao Paulo where he became involved with the city's main football team. Kaka was a late developer, due to a slim frame.
But he was put on a special diet to beef him up and has put on two and a half stone since his professional debut at 17.
His father, Bosco Izecson Pereira Leite, was a civil engineer and his mother, Simone Cristina dos Santos Leite, worked as a teacher.
As a young player Kaka used some of his first football wages to put his younger brother through college.
And to add to his achievements he was made the UN World Food Programme's youngest Ambassador Against Hunger in 2004.
He said at the time: "I hope that my own experience with Sao Paulo and AC Milan can inspire hungry children to believe they can overcome the odds and lead a normal life."
The attacking midfielder also believes that God saved his own career. In October 2000, at the age of 18, he was lucky not to be crippled when he suffered an horrific back injury in a swimming pool accident.
Kaka was visiting his grandparents in Caldas Novas, Brazil, and while there he slipped on a swimming pool slide.
He fell into the shallow water and hit his head hard on the bottom of the pool, twisting his neck and fracturing vertebrae.
But doctors were amazed by his recovery.
Advertisement - article continues below »
They said Kaka was lucky to be able to even walk. To the young player, however, it had nothing to do with luck - God had intervened. "Back at home we always thanked God because we knew that it was his hand that had protected me," he said.
It took Kaka nearly a year to recover enough to play in the first team of Brazil's top side Sao Paulo. He scored two goals in a cup final after coming on as a substitute with 14 minutes left.
He went on to be part of Brazil's World Cupwinning squad in 2002 and was named Serie A Footballer of the Year in Italy in 2004.
In 2007 he was awarded the ultimate prize - FIFA World Player of the Year.
But Kaka presented his church with the trophy, which is now displayed in an exhibition dedicated to the player and his faith.
But the Reborn in Christ Church in Sao Paulo was rocked scandal when its leaders Estevam Hernandes Filho and Sonia Haddad Moraes Hernandes were sentenced to five months' jail in America in 2007 after breaching US customs regulations by failing to declare 56,467 they were importing to Miami. The married couple are also being investigated by Brazilian authorities for financial malpractice.
However, the incident did not rock Kaka's faith. He prays almost every day, always carries the Bible with him wherever he goes and his favourite music is gospel. He is also a member of Brazil's Athletes for Christ, which includes fellow World Cup winners Edmilson and Lucio.
Explaining his faith, he has said: "I was born into an evangelical Christian home.
But when I was baptised in 1994, something supernatural happened to me.
"I cannot explain it, but after that experience I got closer to God; more in tune with him. At that moment I was really born spiritually." The star has even taken a course in theology with a view to one day becoming a Protestant pastor. And his devout attitude meant that he remained a virgin until he married wife Caroline in December 2005.
He met her four years earlier when she was a 14-year-old pupil but they waited until she was 18 before marrying.
In 2007 he told Vanity Fair: "The Bible teaches that true love waits until marriage.
If our life today is so beautiful, I think it is because we waited."
Caroline, whose mum Rosangela Lyra is director of fashion house Dior in Brazil
and whose dad Celso Celico is an entrepreneur, is now studying in Milan for a business degree. She gave birth to their first child, Luca, in June last year.When it comes to football, to AC Milan fans Kaka is a God himself.
He was sworn in as an Italian citizen on February 12, 2007 and features prominently in Adidas advertising and also has a modelling contract with Armani. At the moment he can be seen in a TV advert for Ringo Biscuits in which he drives around Italy showing kids how to do keepie-ups.
Kaka's moral attitude means that you will never see him losing his temper, lashing out or swearing like so many players. He once said: "One needs to have tranquility, calmness. "I will not brawl, because I am not a brawler. I am not supposed to be punching people up on the field or swearing." "I seek to be a role model in the club. I seek to demonstrate what God has done for me and that He can do it in their lives as well." Kaka's devotion will no doubt be lost on City's army of fans, but one thing is for sure - they are praying he is on is way to the City of Manchester stadium.
10 things you need to know about Kaka - video
Kaka's stats of grace
Man City's s32.5m Brazilian striker Robinho is Britain's current record transfer
10% of his income is donated to the church he belongs to
8 age at which Kaka joined his first club Sao Paulo
62: Number of caps he has won for Brazil
22: His shirt number at Italian Serie A club AC Milan
BBC News about Kaka:
AC Milan fans have protested outside the club's headquarters over the possible sale of Brazilian star Kaka to Manchester City in a £100m transfer.
While hundreds of fans blocked a road outside Milan's offices, Kaka's father held a series of talks over the move.
Bosco Leite met Milan vice president Adriano Galliani over his 26-year-old son' future and was due to talk to City's executive chairman Garry Cook.
Earlier, Galliani met Milan owner and Italy Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
City's astonishing bid - £50m more than the current world transfer fee record Real Madrid paid to Juventus to sign Zinedine Zidane in 2001 - has reportedly been accepted.
But City boss Mark Hughes said the club was "a million miles" from sealing the deal, with Kaka said to be undecided, and urged patience as the newly rich Eastlands club attempt to pull off the complex deal.
I don't think he will leave
David Beckham "The scale is too large and there are too many elements to it," Hughes told BBC Sport. "We're a millions miles away from actually concluding the deal.
"It's not a case of talking to the club, talking to the boy and getting the deal done in 48 hours. You have to give it the time it deserves.
"If we can make it happen, we will do I'm sure because the owners have a real desire to bring the best players in the world to this club," added Hughes, who also stressed Kaka's reported £500,000-a-week wages had not been discussed
Over the weekend Berlusconi admitted the scale of City's offer could make it difficult for the club to keep hold of the Brazilian.
"Nothing has been decided yet, but it's very hard to make someone stay who is going to earn certain figures," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport's website. RECORD TRANSFERS £46m Zinedine Zidane (Juventus - Real Madrid), July 2001£37m Luis Figo (Barcelona - Real Madrid), July 2000£34m Hernan Jorge Crespo (Parma - Lazio), July 2000£33m Gianluigi Buffon (Parma - Juventus), July 2001£32.5m Robinho (Real Madrid - Man City), Aug 2008£31m Christian Vieri (Lazio - Inter Milan), June 1999£30.75m Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham - Manchester United), Aug 2008
Kaka played in Milan's 1-0 win over Fiorentina at the San Siro on Saturday, with the home fans displaying banners such as "Kaka is Priceless" and "Hands Off Kaka", and singing "Don't Sell Kaka".
England international David Beckham, who is currently on loan at Milan from US club LA Galaxy, has predicted the Brazilian would opt to stay at the San Siro.
"I don't think anybody in the dressing room is thinking about how much money they can earn," said the England international.
"It's about playing with the best team, with the best players in the world and winning trophies, and it's not always about money.
"Riccardo doesn't need my advice. He will decide what he wants to do, but he loves Milan. I don't think he will leave." 606: DEBATE To pay someone £500,000 per week to kick a football, no matter how brilliantly, perfectly illustrates just how insane our world actually is
BBC Sport's Paul Fletcher
Kaka joined Serie A giants Milan from Sao Paulo in 2003 and has since won the Italian league title, Champions League and Club World Cup.
The attacking midfielder has scored 86 goals in 244 appearances for Milan. He has also picked up 62 caps for Brazil and scored 23 goals.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, estimated to be worth £15bn, took over as City owner in September 2008 and extensive funds have been made available to Hughes.
Mark Hughes interviewSo far he has secured the services of Wayne Bridge in and Craig Bellamy during the January transfer window.
Kaka is under contract at the San Siro until 2013, and although he stated last February that he wanted to remain at Milan for the rest of his career, he did hint at a desire to play in the Premier League - which he has described as the "best championship in the world".
While hundreds of fans blocked a road outside Milan's offices, Kaka's father held a series of talks over the move.
Bosco Leite met Milan vice president Adriano Galliani over his 26-year-old son' future and was due to talk to City's executive chairman Garry Cook.
Earlier, Galliani met Milan owner and Italy Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
City's astonishing bid - £50m more than the current world transfer fee record Real Madrid paid to Juventus to sign Zinedine Zidane in 2001 - has reportedly been accepted.
But City boss Mark Hughes said the club was "a million miles" from sealing the deal, with Kaka said to be undecided, and urged patience as the newly rich Eastlands club attempt to pull off the complex deal.
I don't think he will leave
David Beckham "The scale is too large and there are too many elements to it," Hughes told BBC Sport. "We're a millions miles away from actually concluding the deal.
"It's not a case of talking to the club, talking to the boy and getting the deal done in 48 hours. You have to give it the time it deserves.
"If we can make it happen, we will do I'm sure because the owners have a real desire to bring the best players in the world to this club," added Hughes, who also stressed Kaka's reported £500,000-a-week wages had not been discussed
Over the weekend Berlusconi admitted the scale of City's offer could make it difficult for the club to keep hold of the Brazilian.
"Nothing has been decided yet, but it's very hard to make someone stay who is going to earn certain figures," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport's website. RECORD TRANSFERS £46m Zinedine Zidane (Juventus - Real Madrid), July 2001£37m Luis Figo (Barcelona - Real Madrid), July 2000£34m Hernan Jorge Crespo (Parma - Lazio), July 2000£33m Gianluigi Buffon (Parma - Juventus), July 2001£32.5m Robinho (Real Madrid - Man City), Aug 2008£31m Christian Vieri (Lazio - Inter Milan), June 1999£30.75m Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham - Manchester United), Aug 2008
Kaka played in Milan's 1-0 win over Fiorentina at the San Siro on Saturday, with the home fans displaying banners such as "Kaka is Priceless" and "Hands Off Kaka", and singing "Don't Sell Kaka".
England international David Beckham, who is currently on loan at Milan from US club LA Galaxy, has predicted the Brazilian would opt to stay at the San Siro.
"I don't think anybody in the dressing room is thinking about how much money they can earn," said the England international.
"It's about playing with the best team, with the best players in the world and winning trophies, and it's not always about money.
"Riccardo doesn't need my advice. He will decide what he wants to do, but he loves Milan. I don't think he will leave." 606: DEBATE To pay someone £500,000 per week to kick a football, no matter how brilliantly, perfectly illustrates just how insane our world actually is
BBC Sport's Paul Fletcher
Kaka joined Serie A giants Milan from Sao Paulo in 2003 and has since won the Italian league title, Champions League and Club World Cup.
The attacking midfielder has scored 86 goals in 244 appearances for Milan. He has also picked up 62 caps for Brazil and scored 23 goals.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, estimated to be worth £15bn, took over as City owner in September 2008 and extensive funds have been made available to Hughes.
Mark Hughes interviewSo far he has secured the services of Wayne Bridge in and Craig Bellamy during the January transfer window.
Kaka is under contract at the San Siro until 2013, and although he stated last February that he wanted to remain at Milan for the rest of his career, he did hint at a desire to play in the Premier League - which he has described as the "best championship in the world".
Kaká: A footballer of faith and fableThe Brazilian who dazzles at AC Milan is feted not only for his talent but also for his Christian beliefs and family values, a potential conflict as Manchester City attempt to make him the world's most expensive playerBuzz up! Digg it
Ned Temko The Observer, Sunday 18 January 2009 Article history Milan's Brazilian attacker Kaká - a family man. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
Amid the soaring sermons and gospel hymns in evangelical churches across Brazil this morning, worshippers may well be whispering an additional prayer of thanks - for a Muslim royal family half a world away. This is no simple exercise in interfaith harmony. It is one of the odder offshoots of an audacious bid by the Abu Dhabi owners of Manchester City Football Club to lure one of the world's most gifted players from AC Milan to the English Premiership.
With the offer of a record-smashing transfer fee of more than £100m on the table, and weekly salary estimates ranging as high as £500,000, this is clearly no ordinary deal. But Man City's quarry - the Brazilian star Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, more widely known as Kaká - is no ordinary footballer. And, as the congregations of South America's Apostolic Church of Rebirth in Christ can attest, it is not just Kaká's prodigious skills on the pitch that set him apart.
When he captured Fifa's World Footballer of the Year award two years ago, he didn't bathe it in champagne, go clubbing and stash it on his mantelpiece. He flew back home to São Paulo, where it was given pride of place in a special exhibition at the evangelical movement's city centre headquarters. And for years, as the former São Paulo youth team player progressed from local hero to Milan star and now the most sought-after footballer in the world, he has regularly tithed a portion of his earnings to his church.
Kaká does not drink or chase women. He says that he was a virgin until he married his childhood sweetheart Caroline Celico four years ago. He describes the birth of their first child - and his "victories and conquests" in football - as gifts from God.
And so too, he has always been convinced, was the outcome of a freak accident suffered at the age of 18, when he was beginning to emerge as the special footballing talent he has become. Relaxing at a swimming club, he plunged down a waterslide and hit his head on the bottom of the pool. He had broken one of his vertebrae and the doctors feared the injury might leave him paralysed. Within weeks, he was back on the pitch, a recovery that to this day he believes had nothing to do with luck and everything to do with God.
His favourite book, he says, is the Bible. His favourite band is a gospel rock group called Resgate, "redemption" in Portuguese, who are informally known to its fans as the Four Bishops.
When Kaká scores a goal - something he has done nearly 90 times in his five-and-a-half seasons in Italy - he thrusts his arms heavenwards in gratitude. When Brazil won the World Cup in 2002, and again when Milan triumphed in the Champions League final of 2007, he tore off his team strip to reveal a T-shirt emblazoned with the words: "I belong to Jesus."
The tantalising question now is whether Kaká may soon also belong to Manchester City - and just what he will make of football in England and what it will make of him.
The shock of swapping Milan, a city and a club where, just last week, he said he "hoped to grow old", for rain-lashed trips to Bolton or Newcastle in the dead of winter may prove bracing enough. But there must surely also be the prospect of culture shock. One newspaper sports journalist who has followed the Brazilian's career quipped last night, with Man City preparing for make-or-break talks on the deal, that Kaká seemed "just a really nice guy... in a profession of arseholes".
Kaká doesn't see things that way. The expert Italian football commentator Gabriele Marcotti vividly recalls interviewing Kaká and asking whether his amiable, polite, openly religious demeanour risked getting him branded as "boring" in the wider world of football.
Kaká seemed affronted by the idea. He was, he insisted, a "radical". As a Christian, he was able to respect other players' different choice of lifestyles. But, he said: "I have my life, I have my values. And compared with much of society, especially football, that is radical."
On the pitch, Kaká is anything but a radical. The beauty of his football, a chorus of coaches and fellow players around the football world agrees, lies in its simplicity. His preference is to operate between the midfield and a main striker. It is a role he played with particularly deadly effect in his incisive passes to Andriy Shevchenko - before the Ukrainian left Milan for Chelsea in an ill-fated "big money" deal in 2006. That deal, at a mere £30m, the sheikhs of Man City are now determined to make look like very small change.
But Kaká is a special kind of goal-scorer, too. Rarely bothering with the snaky runs and stepovers that have become Cristiano Ronaldo's stock-in-trade on the red side of Manchester, he is quick, darting and direct.
"He will always try to go vertically rather than horizontally," says AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti. "He will never take the extra, unnecessary touch."
And the "scary" thing, adds one football journalist, is that Kaká is still just 26 years old, entering the prime of his career. He could get even better.
Still, for Ancelotti, Kaká's main strength lies not just in his feet but in his head. "He is an extremely calm and composed boy who is never prone to either euphoria or depression," says the coach who still hopes to hold on to his star.
"He is," adds Ancelotti, "a great champion."
Unlike an array of other Brazilian stars who honed their childhood skills on the streets of the teeming favelas, Kaká was born into a comfortable middle-class home in Brasilia. Bosco, his father, an engineer, moved the family to São Paulo when Kaká was seven.
At each step of his son's footballing career, a path he began late by Brazilian standards, having once dreamed of trying his hand at professional tennis instead, Bosco has been a source of advice, perspective and rock-solid support. While he is said to be in São Paolo on holiday, if this week's talk go ahead, he will again be at Kaká's side.
Over the next few days, Kaká's levelheadedness is likely to be tested more severely than at any time in his career. If the swirl of leaks and rumours is to be believed, the sums of money which Man City's owners are offering are mind-bogglingly large. The reported £105m transfer fee would more than double the previous record - Zinedine Zidane's £45m move from Juventus to Real Madrid in 2001. The weekly salary figures being bandied about would dwarf even the paychecks of Ronaldo, John Terry or Frank Lampard.
The attractions for AC Milan's owner Silvio Berlusconi, are not hard to fathom. After all, he originally signed Kaká for €8.5m, a price tag he later described as "peanuts". A more than tenfold return on that investment is not exactly bad business. AC Milan could rebuild the entire team with the resulting war chest.
But for Kaká, the choice is likely to be nowhere near so easy. Nowadays, other big-name footballers caught up in transfer speculation almost routinely tell reporters, or their current team website, that they are loyal to the club and are not in the football just for the money. In Kaká's case, say those who know him, it may just happen to be true.
He and his young family have built roots in Milan. He recently took Italian citizenship. There seems no reason to doubt that, until the dazzling transfer proposal landed on his club owner's desk, he assumed he would be staying put for some years yet.
And Kaká is already wealthy, way beyond the needs of a lifestyle where a Resgate CD, a glimpse through the Bible and a few hours at home with his wife and their infant son Luca appear to hold far greater allure than flash cars or casinos.
His main consideration in last week's meetings in England, according to credible reports from Italian football circles, is likely to be the footballing implications of a move to Man City, a club which, despite signing Kaká's fellow Brazilian Robinho at the start of this season, is hovering perilously close to the relegation zone with no realistic prospect of Champions League football until the year after next at the earliest.
And the voices he will heed most closely are his faith and his family, especially that of his father.
The club ownership will be talking money. Mark Hughes, his would-be manager, will be talking football. Both, even to a most unusual star like Kaká, will no doubt matter.
But as the Man City strategists ponder their approach and try to anticipate their chances of making him their very own galáctico, they may do best simply to cross their fingers.
After all, Kaká himself, when trying to explain to an interviewer what had inspired him at crossroads in his life and career, suggested that the key had come to him when he was still very young.
"I learned," he said, "that it is faith that decides whether something will happen or not
Who will be the world player of the year 2009-2010?
0 comments Posted by World football stars at 2:14 AMWho will be the world player of the year 2009-2010?
-Christiano Ronaldo?
-Messey?
-Samuel Eto?
-Thery Henry?
-Wayne Rooney?
-Frank Lampat?
-Dier Drogba?
-Kaka?
Park Ji-sung:
Birthday:1981/02/25
Full name:Park Ji-Sung
Place of Birth:Seoul, South Korea
Height:5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight:Position:Winger, Attacking midfielder
Nickname(s):Wife / girlfriend:Lives in:
SEOUL, South Korea, As a symbol of national pride and success, South Korea and Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung, carries more weight on his shoulders than the need to perform.
South Korea's Park Ji-Sung celebrates after at the 2006 World Cup against France.
Park, onc
e rejected from his country's own K-League, is now considered the ambassador of Korean football.
A responsibility he seems to able carry. "I want to push my way through Manchester United's star players and put my name on the list of the best 11 team. Park Ji-Sung talks to CNN "I want to show the world how good Korean players are by playing well in the top flight," Park wrote in his book "Neverending Challenge" before he joined United.
Park's autobiography, which illustrates his life as a football player since he started out at the age of ten, became a bestseller after being published in 2006. It is no surprise. Park is a celebrity in South Korea and is swamped with fans wherever he goes. His hometown, Suwon, near to Seoul, built a park and named a road after Park to commemorate him becoming the first Premier League-r in South Korean history.
Don't MissPark Ji-Sung hopes to make history Inside camp United Who is the world's best footballer? Park may even become the first Asian to win a Championship League medal after this season. Nicknamed "Three-lung Park" for his seemingly overflowing energy supply, the South Korean papers plaster their front pages with Park if he scores and give out the smallest details of how many minutes he ran in each match. But Park's football career had not really drawn much attention until the recent years. He was mostly unknown to the public until he scored the winning goal to defeat Portugal in the 2002 World Cup in which South Korea reached the semifinals for the first time ever. "People like him because there's a touching story behind him," football commentator Park Moon Sung at SBS, one of Korea's major broadcasters, said. "They can see how this player, who never really got much attention, is maturing over the years."
The South Korea player, after receiving no calls from the K-League, started his professional career in Japan with Kyoto Purple in 2000. It was only after the 2002 World Cup that he joined PSV Eindhoven and proceeded to join Manchester United in 2005.
Park has so far managed to keep his private life out of spotlight, most likely due to his quiet personality, a quality that is also reflected in his performances.
"He's someone who pumps energy into the entire team. He's not like a magician who can save the team from its worst moments with dazzling skills," the SBS commentator said.
"It's more like he plays for the others and brings the team together which is something very much needed in a team like Manchester United with all its stars."
Park's joining of Manchester United has enriched the football culture in Korea. Many who started watching European games because of Park have now become avid fans.
"I would like Park Ji-Sung to become a symbol of challenge for all Koreans," 30-year-old Kim Young Woo, who is a great fan of Park, said.
Kim said he admires Park for never giving up and admits to watching at least 70 percent of all Manchester United games even if it means staying up until three in the morning on weekdays.
"I think young people will look at him and tell themselves that they want to take on challenges, too," Kim said.
Something Park wants to see as well. The midfielder signed on a deal to build a Park Ji-Sung football center in his hometown fully equipped with training areas and football fields. He believes there should be a better future for Korean football
South Korea's Park Ji-Sung celebrates after at the 2006 World Cup against France.
Park, onc
e rejected from his country's own K-League, is now considered the ambassador of Korean football.A responsibility he seems to able carry. "I want to push my way through Manchester United's star players and put my name on the list of the best 11 team. Park Ji-Sung talks to CNN "I want to show the world how good Korean players are by playing well in the top flight," Park wrote in his book "Neverending Challenge" before he joined United.
Park's autobiography, which illustrates his life as a football player since he started out at the age of ten, became a bestseller after being published in 2006. It is no surprise. Park is a celebrity in South Korea and is swamped with fans wherever he goes. His hometown, Suwon, near to Seoul, built a park and named a road after Park to commemorate him becoming the first Premier League-r in South Korean history.
Don't MissPark Ji-Sung hopes to make history Inside camp United Who is the world's best footballer? Park may even become the first Asian to win a Championship League medal after this season. Nicknamed "Three-lung Park" for his seemingly overflowing energy supply, the South Korean papers plaster their front pages with Park if he scores and give out the smallest details of how many minutes he ran in each match. But Park's football career had not really drawn much attention until the recent years. He was mostly unknown to the public until he scored the winning goal to defeat Portugal in the 2002 World Cup in which South Korea reached the semifinals for the first time ever. "People like him because there's a touching story behind him," football commentator Park Moon Sung at SBS, one of Korea's major broadcasters, said. "They can see how this player, who never really got much attention, is maturing over the years."
The South Korea player, after receiving no calls from the K-League, started his professional career in Japan with Kyoto Purple in 2000. It was only after the 2002 World Cup that he joined PSV Eindhoven and proceeded to join Manchester United in 2005.
Park has so far managed to keep his private life out of spotlight, most likely due to his quiet personality, a quality that is also reflected in his performances.
"He's someone who pumps energy into the entire team. He's not like a magician who can save the team from its worst moments with dazzling skills," the SBS commentator said.
"It's more like he plays for the others and brings the team together which is something very much needed in a team like Manchester United with all its stars."
Park's joining of Manchester United has enriched the football culture in Korea. Many who started watching European games because of Park have now become avid fans.
"I would like Park Ji-Sung to become a symbol of challenge for all Koreans," 30-year-old Kim Young Woo, who is a great fan of Park, said.
Kim said he admires Park for never giving up and admits to watching at least 70 percent of all Manchester United games even if it means staying up until three in the morning on weekdays.
"I think young people will look at him and tell themselves that they want to take on challenges, too," Kim said.
Something Park wants to see as well. The midfielder signed on a deal to build a Park Ji-Sung football center in his hometown fully equipped with training areas and football fields. He believes there should be a better future for Korean football
Born Edson Arantes Do Nascimento (better known as Pelé) is known as a legend and the best soccer player to ever play the game. He was raised in a very poor family in Tres Coracos, Brazil and 
his parents, Dondinho and Celeste Nascimento called Edson "Dico," growing up.
He first learned the game of soccer from his father, Dondinho, who was a decent center forward until his career was halted by a fractured leg.
Pelé began playing soccer for a local minor-league club when he was a teenager. When he wasn't playing soccer he shined shoes for pennies. He was discovered at the age of 11 by one of the country's premier players, Waldemar de Brito. When Brito brought Pelé to Sao Paulo he declared to the disbelieving directors of the professional team in Santos, "This boy will be the greatest soccer player in the world." He was right! Pelé's impact was immediate! On his first appearance for the team, against Corinthians F.C., he scored a goal right away. He was only 16. Pelé went on to play in four World Cups with Brazil's National Team. At the 1958 World Cup in Sweden -- one he nearly missed because of a knee injury -- Pelé stunned the world scoring six goals, including two in the championship game to help Brazil win its first World Cup 5-2 over Sweden. He was only 17 years-old, but a legend was born. An average-sized man, he was blessed with speed, great balance, tremendous vision, the ability to control the ball superbly, and the ability to shoot powerfully and accurately with either foot and with his head.
Four years later he played on Brazil's World Cup team at in the finals in Chile, but an injury suffered in the first game of the tournament prevented him from helping Brazil win its second title.
his parents, Dondinho and Celeste Nascimento called Edson "Dico," growing up.He first learned the game of soccer from his father, Dondinho, who was a decent center forward until his career was halted by a fractured leg.
Pelé began playing soccer for a local minor-league club when he was a teenager. When he wasn't playing soccer he shined shoes for pennies. He was discovered at the age of 11 by one of the country's premier players, Waldemar de Brito. When Brito brought Pelé to Sao Paulo he declared to the disbelieving directors of the professional team in Santos, "This boy will be the greatest soccer player in the world." He was right! Pelé's impact was immediate! On his first appearance for the team, against Corinthians F.C., he scored a goal right away. He was only 16. Pelé went on to play in four World Cups with Brazil's National Team. At the 1958 World Cup in Sweden -- one he nearly missed because of a knee injury -- Pelé stunned the world scoring six goals, including two in the championship game to help Brazil win its first World Cup 5-2 over Sweden. He was only 17 years-old, but a legend was born. An average-sized man, he was blessed with speed, great balance, tremendous vision, the ability to control the ball superbly, and the ability to shoot powerfully and accurately with either foot and with his head.
Four years later he played on Brazil's World Cup team at in the finals in Chile, but an injury suffered in the first game of the tournament prevented him from helping Brazil win its second title.
Wealthy European clubs offered massive fees to sign the young player, but the government of Brazil declared Pelé an official national treasure to prevent him from being transferred out of the country.
At the 1966 World Cup in England, Pelé was the victim of some brutal tackles from Bulgarian and Portuguese defenders and left the finals injured and in tears. But the best of Pelé was still to come.
At the 1970 finals in Mexico, the 29-year-old Pelé, led one of the greatest teams ever assembled to win Brazil's third World Cup. In the 4-1 title triumph over Italy, Pelé, scored a glorious goal. It was Brazil's 100th World Cup goal, and the one he remembers the most.
"I have a special feeling for that goal because I scored it with my head," he said. "My father was a soccer player and once scored five goals in a game, all with his head. That was one record I was never able to break."
Pelé's statistics are staggering. During his career he scored 1,280 goals in 1,360 games, second only to another Brazilian, Arthur Friedenreich, who recorded 1,329 goals. He scored an average of a goal in every international game he played--the equivalent of a baseball player's hitting a home run in every World Series game over 15 years.
At the club le
vel he shattered records in Brazil. He scored 127 goals for Santos F.C. in 1959, 110 in 1961 and 101 goals in 1965, and led the club to two World Club championships. Pelé also holds the world record for hat tricks (92) and the number of goals scored on the international level (97). His statistics are all the more amazing when compared to today's top players who can barely score more that 30 goals in a season. He retired from the game in 1974, but came out of retirement the following year to play in the North American Soccer League for the New York Cosmos for just over two seasons. A reported 7-million-dollar contract for three years made him the highest paid soccer player of the North American Soccer League. His appearance in the NASL gave the American League instant credibility and made millions of Americans aware of the sport, he dubbed the "beautiful game." He said he came out of retirement, not for the money, but to "make soccer truly popular in the United States." During his career he played in 93 full internationals for Brazil and in all first class matches scored a remarkable 1,280 goals, second only to Artur Friedenreich, another Brazilian, who holds the world record with 1,329.In many ways, Pelé was the complete athlete. With his skill and agility, he could have played in any position on the field, but he chose on wearing the number-10 shirt as an inside-left forward. He had great balance, which en
abled him to dribble effortlessly around defenders, and his heading ability was remarkable. On Oct. 1, 1977, Pelé's mission in the NASL ended. His last match, an exhibition game between the Cosmos and Santos, was sold out six weeks beforehand, covered by 650 journalists and broadcast in 38 nations.Muhammad Ali embraced him in the locker room before the match and said, "Now there are two of the greatest." In a speech to dignitaries, celebrities and more than 75,000 fans, Pelé urged his audience to pay attention to the children of the world. At his request, the assemblage shouted, "Love! Love! Love!"Then he went out and played the first half for the Cosmos -- scoring a goal on a rocket from 30 yards out -- and the second half for Santos. On Pelé's retirement, J.B. Pinheiro, Brazil's ambassador to the U.N., said Pelé had "spent 22 years playing soccer, and in that time he has done more for goodwill and friendship than all of the ambassadors ever appointed." In addition to his great accomplishments in soccer, he published several best-selling autobiographies, starred in several documentary and semi-documentary films, and composed numerous musical pieces, including the entire sound track for the film 'Pelé' (1977). He was the 1978 recipient of the International Peace Award, and in 1980 he was named athlete of the century. In 1993, Pelé was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame and is the former ambassador of sports in Brazil. He has also done extensive work for children's causes through UNICEF. In 2000, Pelé was named second for the "Sportsman of the Century" award. The legendary Muhammad Ali got the honors. PeléHe dominated soccer for two decades with a passion matched only by that of his fans throughout the world By HENRY KISSINGER
Dubious Influences: Century's Villains and Antiheroes Five Captivating Romances: When Love Was the Adventure
Monday, June 14, 1999Heroes walk alone, but they become myths when they ennoble the lives and touch the hearts of all of us. For those who love soccer, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, generally known as PelŽ, is a hero.
Dubious Influences: Century's Villains and Antiheroes Five Captivating Romances: When Love Was the Adventure
Monday, June 14, 1999Heroes walk alone, but they become myths when they ennoble the lives and touch the hearts of all of us. For those who love soccer, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, generally known as PelŽ, is a hero.
Muhammad AliThe American G.I.Diana, Princess of WalesAnne FrankBilly GrahamChe GuevaraE. Hillary & T. NorgayHelen KellerThe KennedysBruce LeeCharles LindberghHarvey MIlkMarilyn MonroeMother TeresaEmmeline PankhurstRosa ParksPeléJackie RobinsonAndrei SakharovBill Wilson
CategoriesLeaders/Revol.Artists/EntertainersBuilders/TitansScientists/Thinkers
Performance at a high level in any sport is to exceed the ordinary human scale. But Pelé's performa
nce transcended that of the ordinary star by as much as the star exceeds ordinary performance. He scored an average of a goal in every international game he played — the equivalent of a baseball player's hitting a home run in every World Series game over 15 years. Between 1956 and 1974, Pelé scored a total of 1,220 goals — not unlike hitting an average of 70 home runs every year for a decade and a half. While he played, Brazil won the World Cup, staged quadrennially, three times in 12 years. He scored five goals in a game six times, four goals 30 times and three goals 90 times. And he did so not aloofly or disdainfully — as do many modern stars — but with an infectious joy that caused even the teams over which he triumphed to share in his pleasure, for it is no disgrace to be defeated by a phenomenon defying emulation.
He was born across the mountains from the great coastal cities of Brazil, in the impoverished town of Tres Coracoes. Nicknamed Dico by his family, he was called PelŽ by soccer friends, a word whose origins escape him. Dico shined shoes until he was discovered at the age of 11 by one of the country's premier players, Waldemar de Brito. Four years later, De Brito brought Pelé to Sao Paulo and declared to the disbelieving directors of the professional team in Santos, "This boy will be the greatest soccer player in the world." He was quickly legend. By the next season, he was the top scorer in his league. As the Times of London would later say, "How do you spell Pelé? G-O-D." He has been known to stop war: both sides in Nigeria's civil war called a 48-hour cease-fire in 1967 so PelŽ could play an exhibition match in the capital of Lagos.
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Performance at a high level in any sport is to exceed the ordinary human scale. But Pelé's performa
nce transcended that of the ordinary star by as much as the star exceeds ordinary performance. He scored an average of a goal in every international game he played — the equivalent of a baseball player's hitting a home run in every World Series game over 15 years. Between 1956 and 1974, Pelé scored a total of 1,220 goals — not unlike hitting an average of 70 home runs every year for a decade and a half. While he played, Brazil won the World Cup, staged quadrennially, three times in 12 years. He scored five goals in a game six times, four goals 30 times and three goals 90 times. And he did so not aloofly or disdainfully — as do many modern stars — but with an infectious joy that caused even the teams over which he triumphed to share in his pleasure, for it is no disgrace to be defeated by a phenomenon defying emulation.He was born across the mountains from the great coastal cities of Brazil, in the impoverished town of Tres Coracoes. Nicknamed Dico by his family, he was called PelŽ by soccer friends, a word whose origins escape him. Dico shined shoes until he was discovered at the age of 11 by one of the country's premier players, Waldemar de Brito. Four years later, De Brito brought Pelé to Sao Paulo and declared to the disbelieving directors of the professional team in Santos, "This boy will be the greatest soccer player in the world." He was quickly legend. By the next season, he was the top scorer in his league. As the Times of London would later say, "How do you spell Pelé? G-O-D." He has been known to stop war: both sides in Nigeria's civil war called a 48-hour cease-fire in 1967 so PelŽ could play an exhibition match in the capital of Lagos.
To understand Pelé's role in soccer, some discussion of the nature of the game is necessary. No team sport evokes the same sort of primal, universal passion as soccer. During the World Cup, the matches of the national football teams impose television schedules on the rhythm of life. Last year I attended a dinner for leading members of the British establishment and distinguished guests from all over the world at the staid Spencer House in London. The hosts had the bad luck to have chosen the night of the match between England and Argentina — always a blood feud, compounded on this occasion by the memory of the Falklands crisis. The impeccable audience (or at least enough of it to influence the hosts) insisted that television sets be set up at strategic locations, during both the reception and the dinner. The match went into overtime and required a penalty shoot-out afterward, so the main speaker did not get to deliver his message until 11 p.m. And since England lost, the audience was not precisely in a mood for anything but mourning.
When France finally won the World Cup, Paris was paralyzed with joy for nearly 48 hours, Brazil by dejection for a similar period of time. I was in Brazil in 1962 when the national team won the World Cup in Chile. Everything stopped for two days while Rio celebrated a premature carnival.
There is no comparable phenomenon in the U.S. Our fans do not identify with their teams in such a way partly because American team sports are more cerebral and require a degree of skill that is beyond the reach of the layman. Baseball, for instance, requires a bundle of disparate skills: hitting a ball thrown at 90 m.p.h., catching a ball flying at the speed of a bullet, and throwing long distances with great accuracy. Football requires a different set of skills for each of its 11 positions. The U.S. spectator thus finds himself viewing two discrete events: what is actually taking place on the playing field and the translation of it into detailed and minute statistics. He wants his team to win, but he is also committed to the statistical triumph of the star he admires. The American sports hero is like Joe DiMaggio — a kind of Lone Ranger who walks in solitude beyond the reach of common experience, lifting us beyond ourselves.
When France finally won the World Cup, Paris was paralyzed with joy for nearly 48 hours, Brazil by dejection for a similar period of time. I was in Brazil in 1962 when the national team won the World Cup in Chile. Everything stopped for two days while Rio celebrated a premature carnival.
There is no comparable phenomenon in the U.S. Our fans do not identify with their teams in such a way partly because American team sports are more cerebral and require a degree of skill that is beyond the reach of the layman. Baseball, for instance, requires a bundle of disparate skills: hitting a ball thrown at 90 m.p.h., catching a ball flying at the speed of a bullet, and throwing long distances with great accuracy. Football requires a different set of skills for each of its 11 positions. The U.S. spectator thus finds himself viewing two discrete events: what is actually taking place on the playing field and the translation of it into detailed and minute statistics. He wants his team to win, but he is also committed to the statistical triumph of the star he admires. The American sports hero is like Joe DiMaggio — a kind of Lone Ranger who walks in solitude beyond the reach of common experience, lifting us beyond ourselves.
Born on 24 October 1985 in Croxteth, Liverpool, Merseyside, Rooney is the first child of Thomas Wayne and Jeanette Marie Rooney (née Morrey). He was raised in Croxteth with younger brothers Graeme and John and all three attended De La Salle School. Wayne grew up supporting local club Everton, and his childhood hero was Duncan Ferguson.
Manchester United: Rooney being treated for his broken footRooney made his United debut on 28 September 2004 in a 6-2 Champions League group stage win over Fenerbahçe, scoring a hat-trick
along with an assist. One year later, he was sent off for dissent in a goalless Champions League group draw with Villarreal in Spain on 14 September 2005, after he sarcastically applauded referee Kim Milton Nielsen when he was booked for a foul. His first trophy with United came in the 2006 League Cup, and he was also named man of the match after scoring twice in United's 4-0 win over Wigan Athletic in the final. In the Premier League, however, an erratic start to the season left title glory looking unlikely for United and their title hopes were ended in late April when they lost 3-0 at home to champions Chelsea and had to settle for second place. In September 2005, Rooney was famously sent off in a UEFA Champions League clash with Villareal of Spain (which ended in a goalless draw) for sarcastically clapping the referee who had booked him for an unintentional foul on an opponent.
along with an assist. One year later, he was sent off for dissent in a goalless Champions League group draw with Villarreal in Spain on 14 September 2005, after he sarcastically applauded referee Kim Milton Nielsen when he was booked for a foul. His first trophy with United came in the 2006 League Cup, and he was also named man of the match after scoring twice in United's 4-0 win over Wigan Athletic in the final. In the Premier League, however, an erratic start to the season left title glory looking unlikely for United and their title hopes were ended in late April when they lost 3-0 at home to champions Chelsea and had to settle for second place. In September 2005, Rooney was famously sent off in a UEFA Champions League clash with Villareal of Spain (which ended in a goalless draw) for sarcastically clapping the referee who had booked him for an unintentional foul on an opponent. Rooney was sent off in an Amsterdam Tournament match against Porto on 4 August 2006 after hitting Porto defender Pepe with an elbow. He was punished with a three-match ban by the FA, following their receipt of a 23-page report from referee Ruud Bossen that explained his decision. Rooney wrote a letter of protest to the FA, citing the lack of punishment handed down to other players who were sent off in friendlies. He also threatened to withdraw the FA's permission to use his image rights if they did not revoke the ban, but the FA had no power to make such a decision. Rooney playing for Manchester UnitedDuring the first half of the 2006–07 season, Rooney ended a ten-game scoreless streak with a hat-trick against Bolton Wanderers, and he signed a two-year contract extension the next month that tied him to United until 2012. By the end of April, a combination of two goals in an 8-3 aggregate quarter-final win over Roma and two more in a 3-2 semifinal first leg victory over Milan brought Rooney's total goal amount to 23 in all competitions and tied him with teammate Cristiano Ronaldo for the team goalscoring lead.
Rooney collected his first Premier League title winner's medal at the end of the 2006-07 season, but has yet to pick up an FA Cup winner's medal; he had to settle for a runners-up medal in the 2007 FA Cup Final.
United announced during the post-season that Rooney had taken over the number 10 jersey that was vacated by Ruud van Nistelrooy, who had left for Real Madrid a year earlier. He was presented with the shirt at a press conference on 28 June 2007 by former United striker Denis Law, who had also worn the number during his tenure with the club in the 1960s and early 1970s. On 12 August 2007, Rooney fractured his left metatarsa
l in United's opening-day goalless draw against Reading; he had suffered the same injury to his right foot in 2004. After being sidelined for six weeks, he returned for United's 1-0 Champions League group stage win over Roma on 2 October, scoring the match's only goal. However, barely a month into his return, Rooney injured his ankle during a training session on 9 November, and missed an additional two weeks. His first match back was against Fulham on 3 December, in which he played 70 minutes. Rooney missed a total of ten games and finished the 2007-08 season with eighteen goals, as United clinched both the Premier League and the Champions League, in which they defeated league rivals Chelsea in the competition's first-ever all-English final. On 5 October 2008 in a road win over Blackburn, Rooney became the youngest player in league history to make 200 appearances. After scoring what turned out to be the only goal 54 seconds into a 1-0 defeat of Wigan, Rooney limped off with a hamstring ailment in the eighth minute. His replacement, Carlos Tévez, was injured himself shortly after entering the game, but stayed in. Rooney was out for three weeks, missing one match apiece in the League Cup and FA Cup, along with four Premier League matches.
Rooney collected his first Premier League title winner's medal at the end of the 2006-07 season, but has yet to pick up an FA Cup winner's medal; he had to settle for a runners-up medal in the 2007 FA Cup Final.
United announced during the post-season that Rooney had taken over the number 10 jersey that was vacated by Ruud van Nistelrooy, who had left for Real Madrid a year earlier. He was presented with the shirt at a press conference on 28 June 2007 by former United striker Denis Law, who had also worn the number during his tenure with the club in the 1960s and early 1970s. On 12 August 2007, Rooney fractured his left metatarsa
l in United's opening-day goalless draw against Reading; he had suffered the same injury to his right foot in 2004. After being sidelined for six weeks, he returned for United's 1-0 Champions League group stage win over Roma on 2 October, scoring the match's only goal. However, barely a month into his return, Rooney injured his ankle during a training session on 9 November, and missed an additional two weeks. His first match back was against Fulham on 3 December, in which he played 70 minutes. Rooney missed a total of ten games and finished the 2007-08 season with eighteen goals, as United clinched both the Premier League and the Champions League, in which they defeated league rivals Chelsea in the competition's first-ever all-English final. On 5 October 2008 in a road win over Blackburn, Rooney became the youngest player in league history to make 200 appearances. After scoring what turned out to be the only goal 54 seconds into a 1-0 defeat of Wigan, Rooney limped off with a hamstring ailment in the eighth minute. His replacement, Carlos Tévez, was injured himself shortly after entering the game, but stayed in. Rooney was out for three weeks, missing one match apiece in the League Cup and FA Cup, along with four Premier League matches.International career:
Rooney playing for EnglandRooney became the youngest player to play for England when he earned his first cap in a friendly against Australia on 12 February 2003 at seventeen, the same age in which he also became the youngest player to score an England goal. Arsenal youngster Theo Walcott broke Rooney's appearance record by 36 days in June 2006.
His first tournament action was at Euro 2004, in which he became the youngest scorer in competition history on 17 June 2004, when he scored twice against Switzerland; however, this record was topped by Swiss midfielder Johan Vonlanthen four days later. Rooney suffered an injury in the quarterfinal match against Portugal as England were eliminated on penalties.
Following a foot injury in an April 2006 Premier League match, Rooney faced a race to fitness for the 2006 World Cup. England attempted to hasten his recovery with the use of an oxygen tent, which allowed Rooney to enter a group match against Trinidad and Tobago and start the next match against Sweden. However, he never got back into game shape and went scoreless as England bowed out in the quarterfinals, again on penalty kicks.
Rooney was red-carded in the 62nd minute of the quarterfinal for stomping on Portugal defender Ricardo Carvalho as both attempted to gain possession of the ball, an incident that occurred right in front of referee Horacio Elizondo. Rooney's United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo openly protested his actions, and was in turn shoved by Rooney. Elizondo sent Rooney off, after which Ronaldo was seen winking at the Portugal bench. Rooney denied intentionally targeting Carvalho in a statement on 3 July, adding, "I bear no ill feeling to Cristiano but am disappointed that he chose to get involved. I suppose I do, though, have to remember that on that particular occasion we were not teammates. Elizondo confirmed the next day that Rooney was dismissed solely for the infraction on Carvalho. Rooney was fined CHF5,000 for the incident.
Personal life: Rooney met his wife, Coleen Rooney (née McLoughlin), while both were in their final year of secondary school. They married on 12 June 2008 after six years of dating, during which Rooney admitted to soliciting prostitution in Liverpool in 2004. "I was young and stupid. It was at a time when I was very young and immature and before I had settled down with Coleen. He has a tattoo of the words "Just Enough Education To Perform," from an album title by his favorite band, the Stereophonics; Coleen arranged for the group to play at their wedding reception. In April 2006, he was awarded £100,000 in libel damages from tabloids The Sun and News of the World, who had claimed that he had assaulted her in a nightclub. Rooney donated the money to charity.
The Rooneys reside in a £4.25 million mansion in the village of Prestbury, Cheshire, which was built by a company owned by Dawn Ward, the wife of former Sheffield United striker Ashley Ward. He also owns property in Port Charlotte, Florida. While Rooney was house hunting in Cheshire after signing with Manchester United, he spotted a pub sign that read "Admiral Rodney," which he misread as "Admiral Rooney." He nonetheless considered it a positive omen for his future home. Rooney owns a French mastiff dog, which was reportedly bought for £1,250
Rooney has endorsement deals with Nike, Nokia, Ford, Asda, and Coca-Cola.He appeared on four straight UK-version covers of Electronic Arts' FIFA series from 2005 to 2008. On 9 March 2006, Rooney signed the largest sports book deal in publishing history with HarperCollins, who granted him a £5 million advance plus royalties for a minimum of five books to be published over a twelve-year period. The first, My Story So Far, an autobiography ghostwritten by Hunter Davies, was published after the World Cup. The second publication, The Official Wayne Rooney Annual, was aimed at the teenage market and edited by football journalist Chris Hunt.
In July 2006, Rooney's lawyers went to the United Nations' World Intellectual Property Organisation to gain ownership of the Internet domain names waynerooney.com and waynerooney.co.uk, both of which Welsh actor Huw Marshall registered in 2002. Three months later, the WIPO awarded Rooney the rights to waynerooney.com.
Rooney's wife Coleen announced on 7 April 2009 that the couple are expecting their first baby, due in October
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