Football fans at Real welcome Kaka

July 1, 2009

MADRID (AFP) – Real Madrid’s new ‘Galactico’ signing Kaka received a triumphant welcome from tens of thousands of fans as he was presented at the club’s stadium on Tuesday.

“I want to write my name into the history of this club,” the Brazilian midfielder told the crowd at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in the Spanish capital.

Kaka showed off his new “number eight” shirt, which he took over from Argentinian Fernando Gago, who now takes the “number five.”

The Brazilian, whose full name is Ricardo Izecson Dos Santos Leite, was signed for 65 million euros from AC Milan in early June.

Real president Florentino Perez praised Kaka as “one of the best players in the world”, for his “impeccable behaviour” and as “one of the icons of our time.”

The 80,000-capacity stadium appeared mostly full for the presentation, with many of the fans waving Brazilians flags.

The 27-year-old Kaka signed a six-year contract worth nine million euros a year.

He arrived in Madrid earlier on Tuesday with his father from South Africa, where he won the Confederations Cup with Brazil. He later passed a medical exam at the club.

Another of the so-called “new Galacticos” at the club, Cristiano Ronaldo, was signed from Manchester United for a world record 93 million euros, and will be presented to the supporters on July 6.

“It will be a privilege to play with Ronaldo, there will be no rivalry,” Kaka told a news conference.

Perez, who returned as president of Real last month, said he wants Real “to one day be elected the best in history.”

He first led Real from 2000 to 2006, when it earned the nickname “Los Galacticos”, winning the Primera Liga twice and European Champions League with such stars as Zidane, Ronaldo, Luis Figo, David Beckham and Michael Owen.

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