Kaká has had quite the first half season in Major League Soccer.
The Brazilian star has been stellar for Orlando City SC, was voted by fans into the MLS All-Star Fan XI, wore the captain’s armband from the start of Wednesday’s AT&T MLS All-Star Game and – after notching a goal and an assist in the 2-1 win against English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur – picked up MVP honors for the midsummer showcase.
“It’s much more than I have expected,” he said after accepting the award in an on-field ceremony at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. “I’m so happy for this night. It’s not bad for my first All-Star. I hope the next years I can enjoy all the All-Star games.”
Kaká started and played the first half of Wednesday’s contest, opening the scoring in the 20th minute and assisting on David Villa’s game-winner in the 23rd. He buried a penalty kick to get the All-Stars on the board, powering his spot kick past Tottenham ‘keeper Michael Vorm and into the lower left corner after Nacer Chadli was whistled for a handling a Clint Dempsey corner.
The 33-year-old turned provider three minutes later, running onto a Dempsey flick in the right side of the area and driving a low ball across the face of goal that Villa redirected inside the left post from six-yards out.
Kaká was deferential while accepting the award, praising his All-Star teammates for beating a European side for the second straight year.
“We proved [MLS’s strength],” he said. “Congratulations to these guys, we played tonight an amazing game. Tomorrow, everybody will see in soccer news that the MLS team beat a very important European team in Tottenham. Thank you very much to all of the supporters here, and to everybody else, thank you.”
