Kaká Makes the Time 100

The annual Time 100 list of the world’s most influential people (according to them anyway) is out. It’s a lot of the usual suspects – Dalai Lama, Tyler Perry, Rupert Murdoch and various politicians (including a profile of George Bush written by Silvio Berlusconi.) The one footballer on the list is Milan’s own Ricky Kaká, with a profile written by none other than Kasey Keller.

My first reaction was that Time had just kopped out and gone with Kaká because they wanted to put a footballer on the list and he’s the current FIFA World Player of the Year. But seems they’ve put a bit more thought into it than that.

Thought the Time 100 isn’t ranked, it is divided by categories, and Kaká is in the “Heroes & Pioneers” section. So while Time rightly celebrate Kaká’s skills, they’re not necessarily the reason he’s in there. I’ll let Kasey Keller explain. After describing how Kaká led a Brazilian comeback against the USA in the 2003 Gold Cup semi-final, the increasingly bald goalie goes on to say:

There is, however, more to him than sport. In 2004, Kaká became the U.N. World Food Program’s youngest ambassador. And he is devoted to his faith. An evangelical Christian, Kaká has talked publicly about becoming a minister when he retires from the game. After winning the European Champions League final last year, he took off his jersey to reveal a T shirt that read, “I Belong to Jesus”.

I might question whether soccer stadiums are the right venue for promoting religion, but in an age in which many professional athletes care more about cars, women and controversy, it’s refreshing to see one who is committed to having a positive impact on the world around him.

Which is probably why Ben Alnwick, Liam Lawrence and Chris Brown failed to make the list.

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Category: World Football