Kaka: AC Milan legend's finest career highlights truly are a thing of beauty

Kaka will forever be remembered as one of the leading stars of his era.

The creative talent, who starred for AC Milan, Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team captivated audiences with his dazzling footballing ability throughout the 2000s.

Whilst his deeply religious and kind nature off the field of play made him the perfect role model in a world so immersed with ego and individualism.

Kaka first came to Europe in 2003 as a 21-year-old when, after spending two seasons impressing in the Sao Paolo first team, he was purchased by Milan for a pretty hefty £7.65 million fee.

Sure, that figure pales in comparison to transfer fees which see in modern day football, but 20 years ago, forking out millions for an unproven player certainly represented a very real risk.

A risk, though, that Kaka paid off in exceptional fashion given his impact was near instantaneous for the Rossoneri.

Fourteen goals and seven assists in his first season demonstrated just a glimpse of what was to come in the iconic red and black colours of the Italian side.

And by the time he moved to Real Madrid six years later, Kaka had been instrumental in guiding Milan to two Champions League finals (winning the 2007 edition) as well as one Scudetto.

He was also awarded the Italian Footballer of the Year award twice, and even more impressively, the much-coveted Ballon d’Or in 2007.

But after making the big money switch to Los Blancos in 2009, the Brazilian never really settled and failed to replicate his previously majestic performance levels.

He lasted four years in the Spanish capital before returning to his European home in Milan. However, was never really truly the same player that single-handedly ripped through top level defences.

Many of his