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Kaká (footballer, born 1981)

Brazilian footballer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Claudiano Bezerra da Silva (born 16 May 1981), known as Kaká (Portuguese pronunciation: [kaˈka] ), is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back.

Full name Claudiano Bezerra da Silva[1]
Date of birth (1981-05-16) 16 May 1981 (age 45)[1]
Place of birth São José do Belmonte, Brazil[1]
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Quick facts Personal information, Full name ...
Kaká
Kaká in 2009
Personal information
Full name Claudiano Bezerra da Silva[1]
Date of birth (1981-05-16) 16 May 1981 (age 45)[1]
Place of birth São José do Belmonte, Brazil[1]
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position Centre-back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2006 União Bandeirante
2003São Caetano (loan) 0 (0)
2003Ituiutaba (loan)
2004–2005Luverdense (loan)
2006Jaciara (loan)
2006–2008 Académica 52 (1)
2008–2012 Hertha BSC 15 (0)
2010Omonia (loan) 8 (0)
2011Braga (loan) 12 (0)
2011–2012APOEL (loan) 20 (0)
2012–2013 Videoton 8 (0)
2013Deportivo La Coruña (loan) 6 (0)
2013–2014 Deportivo La Coruña 11 (0)
2014–2015 APOEL 26 (3)
2015–2017 Tondela 45 (3)
2017–2018 Varzim 6 (0)
2018–2020 Anadia 41 (2)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19 January 2020
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Club career

Kaká was born in São José do Belmonte, Pernambuco. Until 2006 he was on contract to União Bandeirante Futebol Clube, also being loaned to several modest Brazilian clubs. For 2006–07 he made the move to Europe, joining Portuguese side Académica de Coimbra and being an undisputed starter in his second season in the Primeira Liga (all 30 games played, 2,700 minutes of action), as they finished in 12th position.[2]

In May 2008, Kaká signed with Bundesliga's Hertha BSC for 1.9 million.[3] He made his debut in the competition on 17 August, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 away win against Eintracht Frankfurt,[4] and finished his debut campaign with 12 matches. After only appearing twice for the Berlin-based team in the first half of 2009–10 – the season eventually ended in relegation – he was loaned to AC Omonia in Cyprus on 31 January 2010,[5] helping it win the First Division title for the first time in seven years.[6]

Kaká continued to be rarely played at Hertha after his return and, in another winter transfer window move, returned to Portugal and joined S.C. Braga, yet on loan.[7] With the Minho club he established himself as a regular, finishing the 2010–11 season with 20 competitive appearances, including eight in the team's UEFA Europa League run to the final, with the player taking the field in the decisive game against FC Porto (1–0 loss).[8]

At the end of the season, Kaká returned to Hertha.[9] On the last day of the 2011 summer transfer window he was once again loaned, this time to Cypriot champions and UEFA Champions League contenders APOEL FC.[10] Kaká made his debut in the Champions League on 19 October 2011 in a 1–1 draw with Porto at the Estádio do Dragão.[11] He added a further three appearances in the competition as they eventually became the first Cypriot club to reach both the knockout stages and the quarter-finals for the first time ever.[12]

On 28 August 2012, Kaká signed with Hungarian side Videoton FC.[13] In late January of the following year he moved to La Liga, loaned to Deportivo de La Coruña,[14] and the move was made permanent in July.[15]

Kaká signed an 18-month contract with APOEL on 29 January 2014, returning to his former club after one and a half years.[16] He made his debut on 9 February, coming on as an 84th-minute substitute in a 2–1 league home victory over Apollon Limassol,[17] and scored his first goal one week later in his team's 3–1 defeat of Alki Larnaca FC.[18]

On 17 May 2014, in the league title decider between AEL Limassol and APOEL, Kaká suffered a head injury when he was hit by a firecracker launched by the opposition's fans;[19] the match was abandoned in the 51st minute when the score was still at 0–0, and replayed 15 days later. He eventually helped his team to the national championship,[20] adding the domestic cup.[21]

Kaká returned to Portugal in its top tier in the 2015 off-season, joining newly promoted C.D. Tondela.[22]

Club statistics

As of 9 October 2015[23][24]
More information Club, Season ...
Club Season League Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Académica 2006–07 Primeira Liga 22040260
2007–08 Primeira Liga 3011010321
Total 5215010581
Hertha BSC 2008–09 Bundesliga 120007[a]0190
2009–10 Bundesliga 20002[a]040
2010–11 2. Bundesliga 100010
Total 1500090240
Omonia 2009–10 Cypriot First Division 800080
Braga 2010–11 Primeira Liga 12000008[a]0200
APOEL 2011–12 Cypriot First Division 200104[b]0250
Videoton 2012–13 Nemzeti Bajnokság I 8010301[a]0130
Deportivo 2012–13 La Liga 600060
Deportivo 2013–14 Segunda División 11010120
Total 17010180
APOEL 2013–14 Cypriot First Division 6340103
2014–15 Cypriot First Division 20040001[c]0250
Total 263800010353
Tondela 2015–16 Primeira Liga 710071
Career total 164516040220102075
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  1. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. Appearance in Cypriot Super Cup

Honours

References

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