Former Brazilian footballer Kaká told a church gathering in São Paulo that the most difficult seasons of his career—not his global success—were what ultimately deepened his Christian faith and shaped his identity in Christ.
Speaking at a men’s event at Igreja Família in Sorocaba on Nov. 14, the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year reflected on how uncertainty, injury and media scrutiny pushed him to rely more fully on God. The event drew a large crowd, including families seated in aisles due to limited space, despite having no press or television coverage.
Kaká, who was raised in a Christian home, said the realization that he was a “child of God” did not emerge during his peak years, but in moments of vulnerability. At 18, he suffered a serious cervical fracture that sidelined him for months. Later, after joining Real Madrid, he endured what he described as one of the most frustrating and identity-shaking periods of his career due to declining performance and intense expectations.
He said it was “through the presence of God” that he found stability. “I gained the firm conviction that I was neither the best in the world nor the worst signing by Real Madrid—I was a child of God,” Kaká told the audience.
Faith, he added, was never an accessory to his career but its foundation. “The goal was not to exalt myself, but the opposite. Everything I was doing was for the glory of God,” he said.
Kaká also described the peace he experienced at a time when he feared his professional life was collapsing. Although he did not know what awaited him, he said he felt “a peace that surpasses all understanding,” which helped him recognize that his identity rested in God’s presence rather than in trophies, goals or public acclaim.
Using his own story, he encouraged Christian men to trust in God’s goodness and to remember that work and success may flow from who they are, but should never define their worth.
During the message, Kaká briefly mentioned his theological studies, which he completed privately. He clarified that he does not consider himself a pastor and that since leaving the Igreja Renascer em Cristo, he does not publicly disclose which church he currently attends. He continues, however, to accept invitations to share his testimony in various congregations.
In the wider Latin American context—where many Christians face social, economic and cultural pressures—Kaká said his journey underscores the importance of grounding personal identity in faith rather than in professional achievement.
Kaká’s full sermon is available here:
Originally published by Diario Cristiano, Christian Daily International's Spanish edition.
