Brazil ready: Kaka hunting in the African plains for gold
Kaka who is one of the world’s best strikers who is out hunting in the South African plains in search of a 36.5 centimetres tall solid gold stump - commonly known as the FIFA World Cup Trophy.
Talking to the media, the maestro explained that he will give his best in the field and remove all sorrowful memories of last years’ World Cup in 2006. Four years back, the defending champions of the 2002 World Cup were beaten by France in the quarter-finals.
With the average quality of each participating football team increasing at a rapid pace, Brazil is no longer the sole candidate for the hot favourite spot. However, Kaka has warned that the Selecao stars should be underestimates.
He said, “This is my third World Cup, a very special experience. The possibility to participate in such a tournament for us as players is tremendous. I already had the satisfaction to win in 2002, 2006 was not very good for us and I hope to give a great satisfaction to our fans in 2010”.
The Brazilian team has faced very few injuries unlike other teams in the World Cup. This is the reason why Brazil had a tremendous line-up for the African journey. Kaka stated, “At the moment the key is the balance, we have a very balanced team and therefore the Brazilian team will be very strong”.
The classic Real Madrid forward told that he would give in his best and lead his team to the top in which case he could be the leading scorer of the tournament.
In reference to that, he said, “In the end you have a few players: Cristiano (Ronaldo), (Lionel) Messi, (Fernando) Torres, Luis Fabiano - all players who can become top scorer of the event. It is decisive how their respective teams do during the World Cup as you cannot become top scorer without a strong team in a tournament like the World Cup”.
Kaka however clarified that he is under no pressure and neither is his team. Brazil Coach Dunga has chosen a very controversial team in this edition of the World Cup; omitting players like Ronaldinho and Adriano from the final 23-man squad.
This means that Kaka would be playing between a forward and a midfield position. In Brazil’s last match against Tanzania, Kaka was seen interchanging his role in the middle in which he scored a goal as well. He has been riddled with injuries since his £56 million transfer from AC Milan to real Madrid last summer.
The veteran has told that he is no stranger to such high expectations, “I do not panic when I think of my role in the current side. It is quite natural that my experience in two World Cups leads to people seeing me in a more prominent position, especially now that a lot of guys from the 2002 and 2006 teams are not with us anymore”.
Though he added that he wasn’t alone and his team is giving him the support that he required. He said, “But I am not the only guy around who can be a reference for the younger guys and the team as a whole. We have a group that has been working together for four years and shown that the collective effort is more important than one player or another".
In fact, he enthusiastically added, “But the responsibility has never been a burden for me. It's a consequence of what I have achieved with the national team. It spurs me on”.
The 28-year-old ace has been in trouble with a groin injury during half of the season last year. However, this injury had caused major concerns in the Brazilian setup. Old and current employers accused each other for hiding his medical records in order to make him play in the season.
Kaka tried to end the issue when he said, “I had problems with the groin injury but then there were muscle problems, something natural when a player spends more than a month out of the game. I am getting better every day and there is enough time for me to start the World Cup in good condition. There is no reason for panic”.
Kaka stated that he is in full form and ready to pounce on the opportunities on offer during the World Cup. Brazil is placed in Group G with Ivory Coast, Portugal and North Korea. The Selecao stars open their campaign on the 15th of June against the Koreans. The Brazilian team has faced tougher competition than this. Coach Dunga understands the situation very well and his men are fully prepared for the charge.
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