The professor and the nerd, together again?

Do you know the now-legendary story of Kaka’s arrival at Milan? It’s been 22 years since then. Fittingly, the number 22 on his back marked a major chapter in Rossoneri history. If the tale somehow passed you by—or you’ve forgotten it—here’s your chance to hear (or relive) it.

A baby-faced “nerd”—not in the school-sense, but in appearance—landed at Milan’s Malpensa airport. With his glasses and neatly combed hair, Kaka didn’t exactly scream “Brazilian football prodigy.” When coach Carlo Ancelotti first saw him, he couldn’t believe this kid was their new signing.

“He only needed schoolbooks and a lunchbox,” Ancelotti joked. “Kaka looked more like a Jehovah’s Witness than a footballer.” But that impression vanished the moment Kaká stepped onto the pich—jet-lagged, no less. “Suddenly the gates of heaven opened,” Ancelotti recalled. “He was monstrous with the ball. I lost the ability to speak. The Jehovah’s Witness was actually talking to God… and probably about football.”

Kaka’s first training session brought more surprises. Gennaro Gattuso, always ready to greet newcomers with a hard challenge and a “Vaffanculo!”, went in strong. Kaka held his ground. Moments later, he pinged a 30-meter pass that stunned even Alessandro Nesta. Ancelotti immediately called director Adriano Galliani: “Mr. Galliani, I have news.” “Good or bad?” “Very good.” “Karletto, are you resigning?” “No, I’m staying—we just signed a phenomenon.”

We all know what followed. In his six years with Milan, Kaka went from “nerd” to football professor, mesmerizing fans across Europe. He won the Ballon d’Or, broke the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly, and became a global icon. He retired in 2017.

Now, nearly eight years later, Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite—better known as Kaka—might reunite with his footballing father. Brazilian outlet CNN Brasil recently reported that Ancelotti wants to bring Kaka into the national team setup, despite his lack of coaching experience. Kaka is ready.

“If the opportunity comes, I’m prepared to return to the Seleção,” he said. “I’ve been getting ready since 2017. I studied sports business at Harvard, completed coaching courses with the Brazilian Football Federation, and have World Cup experience.”

That “nerd” has clearly done his homework—several times over. And while he may lack coaching hours, that’s hardly a deal-breaker when apprenticing under a master like Ancelotti. Kaka understands the game, knows the players, and embodies the spirit Brazil desperately needs.

What the Seleçao lacks in balance and midfield quality, it could find in Kaka’s footballing mind and Ancelotti’s tactical genius.