AC Milan's Kaka gets Italian citizenship
AC Milan playmaker Kaka has become an Italian citizen after a ceremony in Milan on Monday afternoon.
'It is an honour. Now I am both Italian and Brazilian. I am very happy. This helps not only me but also Milan', said the prolific midfielder. Kaka will continue to play national team football for Brazil. He is not eligible to play for Italy as he has already starred in the Brazilian side on a number of occasions. Kaka, whose full name is Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, enjoyed his debut for the Brazilian national side in January 2002 in a friendly against Bolivia and has scored 16 goals in 46 matches for Brazil. The Brazilian midfielder, 24, joined the Rossoneri from Sao Paulo in 2003 and has been an integral part of their successes, including winning the Scudetti and Italian Super Cup in 2004 and reaching the Champions League final in 2005. He signed a contract extension last year to keep him at the club until 2011, putting paid to speculation linking him with a move to Real Madrid. Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani was also present as Kaka received his citizenship.
