A Quiet Boy Before the Noise
On the eve of the Under-20 World Championship, São Paulo's young midfielder trains, prays, and packs for his longest journey yet, watched by those who say his calm hides an uncommon focus.
-By Marcos Leitão, Especial de O Estado de S. Paulo
São Paulo, 28 March 1999
*O Estado de S. Paulo accompanied the young midfielder at home on Friday afternoon, a day before his flight to Rio.
When he trains, the noise around him seems to fade.
Sixteen-year-old Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, known at São Paulo FC by the short, soft syllables of Kaká, does not shout for the ball or point where it should go.
He moves into the right space, and the ball finds him.
At the club's Barra Funda training ground, coaches say the rhythm of sessions slows when he plays. Not because he is slow, but because he is measured.
"He thinks before he runs," says one of the youth coaches. "And by the time you notice that, he's already gone."
He is due in Rio de Janeiro tonight, the first stop on a journey that will take him to Nigeria for the FIFA Under-20 World Championship.
His mother has packed his shirts and a small Bible; his father has checked the passport twice.
On the living-room table lies a folded São Paulo jersey, the number still unprinted, the colours vivid under the lamp.
His younger brother sits on the arm of the couch, silent but proud.
He grew up in the Morumbi district, in a modest apartment not far from the stadium whose lights mark São Paulo's skyline.
His father, an engineer, worked long hours; his mother kept order in the house and in the children's studies.
He still thanks them, though not with grand speeches.
"When I see how much time they gave me," he says, "I just want to do things right. I want to make them proud"
Neighbours recall a boy who carried his schoolbooks in one hand and a football under the other arm.
"He always said good morning," a woman from the next building tells the paper. "At night, when the other boys were still playing, he was already upstairs, finishing homework."
On weekends, he could be found helping at the small parish near the neighbourhood park. The priest there remembers him quietly filling plates at the community soup kitchen.
"He never tried to be noticed," the man says. "But when we needed someone to lift a box or serve the older people, he was there. That tells more than words."
Faith, for him, is less subject than routine.
He does not preach it; he carries it.
"Maybe it helps to remember that someone's watching," he says. "On the field too."
Kaká joined São Paulo FC's youth programme at twelve, small for his age but already precise with the ball. He arrived through the futsal circuit, those fast, narrow courts that teach economy of movement and punishment for hesitation.
His early coaches remember a polite boy who apologised when he tackled. "He had manners," one laughs. "That was new to us."
He played right midfield first, then moved inside as he grew taller. A late growth spurt stretched him to 1.80 metres, but he kept the balance of a smaller player. "The control stayed," says an academy trainer. "He can take the ball on either foot without losing tempo. You don't teach that. You just protect it."
By fifteen he was leading São Paulo's youth side. The team won two regional tournaments in a row, and a year later he lifted the Under-17 Paulista title. It was there that the technical staff began to use his name in longer sentences.
One scout's report from that season still circulates among the coaches: "Excellent vision. Rare maturity. Plays as if hearing the game rather than seeing it."
He smiles when told of the praise.
"I just try to play clean," he says.
"Sometimes that's harder than tricks."
On the field, he looks lighter than his size suggests.
His run is upright, his touch deliberate.
He favours quick exchanges, low passes, a sudden turn of acceleration that surprises defenders who think he has given up the ball.
He does not show off.
The joy comes later, usually in a private grin that lasts a second.
Teammates describe him as centrado, grounded.
He keeps the same locker, same seat on the team bus. After training, while others joke or argue over music, he takes notes in a small spiral notebook: drills, corrections, small reminders.
Asked why, he says, "Because forgetting is easy when you think you've learned."
When São Paulo's senior squad used him in a few closed friendlies early this year, some veterans noticed how little noise he made.
"He listens more than he talks," one said.
"That's rare now."
The call from the CBF came in late February.
Brazil's Under-20 coach, João Carlos, had seen him in the youth nationals and wanted him in camp for the final pre-tournament friendlies.
He joined Ronaldinho Gaúcho from Grêmio, Edu from São Paulo, and Matuzalém from Bellinzona in what the press quickly labelled "the generation between promises."
At Granja Comary, he trained as attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 formation, linking the creative lines.
The coaches asked him to move faster between the defensive halves and the forward, Baiano.
"He doesn't lose balls," João Carlos says. "He passes early. For this climate, that's what we need."
The coach's only instruction before Nigeria was brief: "Protect your legs, and trust your first thought."
Kaká nods at the memory. "I hope my first thought is good enough."
Those who have followed São Paulo's youth ranks see in him a quieter echo of earlier playmakers, Raí's control without the height, Leonardo's calm without the glare.
He laughs at the comparisons.
"They wore these colours long before me," he says. "I just try to keep them clean."
At the club's cafeteria, one trainer recalls him arriving early to help collect cones.
Another tells of him staying late to watch video cassettes of previous matches.
"He doesn't complain," says the head of youth development. "He listens, he corrects, he shows the next day that he understood."
For all his discipline, he is still a teenager.
He plays computer games with his brother, visits the arcade with his school friends, listens to soft pop songs, and occasionally sneaks an extra dessert when the nutritionist isn't around.
But he avoids night outings, explaining simply, "Too much noise, not enough sleep."
Every Thursday evening, when schedules allow, he still visits the small parish where he volunteered before turning professional.
The coordinator of the soup kitchen recognises his handwriting on the sign-in sheet.
"He never wanted photographs," she says. "He just came, served, washed, and left."
A neighbour who sometimes drives him to training sums it up: "He's the same in the car as on the field, quiet until you ask him something, then thoughtful. You feel safe when he's around. Maybe that's leadership."
His mother once told the same neighbour, half joking, that she has to remind him to talk at family meals. "He listens," she said. "That's his habit."
Last week, São Paulo FC hosted a farewell scrimmage before his departure. The senior squad watched from the touchline.
He played one half, scored once, and assisted another, both from diagonal runs that caught defenders half-turned.
When the whistle blew, he jogged straight to the bench, collected his training top, and shook hands with the staff before walking to the locker room.
That small gesture, unremarkable to most, drew praise from the director of football.
"Some players wave to the stands," the man said. "He waves to the kitman."
On Friday, he collected his travel bag from the club and went home to pack. The national squad leaves for Rio on Sunday, then on to Nigeria.
With the permission of São Paulo FC's press office, the following conversation took place in the club's media room two days before the midfielder's departure for Rio.
The questions were conducted by O Estado de S. Paulo and recorded on tape.
Interviewer: You've been called one of the most disciplined players of your age group. Where does that come from?
Kaká: Maybe from home. My parents always believed work comes before reward. They never told me to win, they told me to improve. That habit stays.
Interviewer: People say you think too much on the field. Do you agree?
Kaká: (smiles) Sometimes. But football gives you half a second; it's enough time to think once. I prefer to make one good decision than three rushed ones.
Interviewer: How would you describe your style?
Kaká: Simple. I like the play to be clean, direct, control, pass, move again. If it looks easy, that means it was done right.
Interviewer: You've trained alongside Ronaldinho Gaúcho in the national setup. What have you learned from him?
Kaká: Joy. He plays with happiness, and it spreads. I'm quieter, but watching him reminds you of the joy of the game.
Interviewer: And from your own club teammates?
Kaká: Everyone teaches something. Edu is precise; our defenders are patient. Ceni teaches me how to shoot and free kicks. Franca teaches me how to move. The good part of being young is you can learn from all of them.
Interviewer: How do you prepare before a match?
Kaká: I pray a little, stretch, and listen to soft music. I picture the first touches, the sound of the ball, the first run. If that goes well, the rest follows.
Interviewer: You sometimes help at a church kitchen. Why keep that when football takes your time?
Kaká: Because it reminds me that life isn't only football. When you help serve meals, you see how many people fight bigger battles than a match. It keeps you grounded, and grateful.
Interviewer: What's your biggest challenge now, travelling so far from home?
Kaká: Adapting. Different air, food, rhythm. But football is the same everywhere, eleven against eleven, one ball, one idea.
Interviewer: Which players do you admire most, past or present?
Kaká: There are too many to name. But, my top three are Van Basten, for his intelligence and calm. Raí, because he made São Paulo elegant. Ronaldo, because he plays with courage, he believes the impossible can fit in one touch.
Interviewer: Is there a team outside Brazil you dream of playing for one day?
Kaká: I don't think that far yet. But Italian football is beautiful to watch, disciplined, tactical, technical. Maybe someday, if it's deserved.
Interviewer: What music do you listen to before games?
Kaká: Soft pop, sometimes gospel. I like songs that slow the heart, not speed it up. Pressure is already fast enough.
Interviewer: Your favourite food after a long match?
Kaká: Rice, beans, grilled chicken, and fruit. Simple things. They make you feel home again. Maybe a Brigadeiro.
Interviewer: You were in France last year for the World Cup semifinal. What do you remember from that night?
Kaká: Everything. The sound first, the anthem echoing through Marseille, the flags. I was sixteen, watching players I'd grown up admiring. When Taffarel saved the penalty against the Netherlands, the stadium exploded. I remember looking at my father and not believing how loud happiness could be. That night showed me what football can mean to people. It wasn't just a game anymore; it was a feeling that filled the air.
Interviewer: What do you expect from this tournament?
Kaká: To learn. To see new styles, new players. Winning would be special, of course, but experience lasts longer.
Interviewer: And when you return?
Kaká: Back to training. And win some trophies for Sao Paulo.
Brazil's Under-20 team will play its first match on April 5 in Calabar, against Spain. The federation expects a humid pitch and 30-degree heat.
For the young midfielder from Morumbi, it will be a new continent, a new rhythm, the same game.
"Sometimes you need to go far to see who you are," João Carlos says.
At the training ground on Friday evening, as the sun fell behind the stands, Kaká stayed after the final whistle. He collected stray balls, carried cones to the shed, and then stood a moment longer on the empty pitch.
From the fence, a groundsman called out: "Already thinking of Africa?"
He smiled and shrugged. "Just thinking."
Later that night, in the small apartment, his suitcase stood by the door.
The television played softly in another room.
His younger brother was still awake, pretending to read.
Before turning in, the boy checked his boots, placed them side by side, and touched the laces once more, as if memory itself could crease.
Outside, Morumbi was quiet.
Somewhere, a radio played the weekend results.
Tomorrow, he would board a plane carrying the country's colours stitched over his heart.
He says little about what he hopes for.
"Playing well would already be a blessing," he murmurs.
Then he smiles the small, private smile that those who know him recognise.
The kind that belongs to someone who believes that calm is a form of strength, and that sometimes, the quietest boys carry the loudest futures.
PLAYER FILE
Name: Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite "Kaká"
Age: 16
Club: São Paulo FC
Position: Midfielder / Attacking midfield
Height: 1.80m
Weight: 73kg
Strong foot: Right
First club: São Paulo FC (Youth)
Current Club: São Paulo FC
Skills: Dribbling, Passing, Pace
Notable achievements: Campeonato Paulista U17(1998), Torneio Rio- São Paulo (1999), Selected for team representing Brazil in the U-20 World Championship (1999, Nigeria)
Author's Notes:
My ADHD has been acting up and I went through a fucking rabbit hole yesterday. I've been researching player articles from 1999 in Brazil. It all started with a placar article on Ronaldinho in 1999. When he was at Gremio.
From then on, I kept going through archives, libraries, old newspaper clippings, scans etc. I know most of you wouldn't want to see these, but I couldn't let it go.
So, there it is. I will get back to business now. My itch is done for now. Next up, U20 world cup.