I feared my career was over after knee surgery, says Kaká
"I was afraid when I thought about when or if I was going to come back," says Brazilian midfielder
Real Madrid playmaker Kaká has revealed he feared he would never play again after undergoing knee surgery last summer.
The 28-year-old, who made his first appearance for Real this season on Monday, had not played competitive football since the Netherlands beat Brazil at the World Cup in South Africa in July.
A month later the winner of the 2007 Ballon d’Or underwent an operation on his left knee which ruled him out of the first half of the La Liga campaign with Real.
“At times, I was afraid when I thought about when I was going to come back or if I would,” said Kaká. “I must now earn a spot as the team’s in great form.”
Kaká rose to prominence as one of the world’s finest midfielder at AC Milan and the Brazilian international was instrumental in helping Milan to their 2007 Champions League success. However, he has so far failed to recreate the same form in Madrid.
“I’ve had some tough times and the things I’ve missed the most are the team get-togethers, training with my team-mates, being with them in the dressing room, playing before our supporters,” he continued.
“I lacked the joy I get from playing. I’m available now and I will do my best to play with joy again. A player feels very much alone when he is seriously injured and you go through it alone despite the help you get from others.”
Kaká returned to action for the first time since his operation earlier this week when he brought on during Real’s 3-2 league win at Getafe. And Los Blancos’ medical team insist the player is in “perfect shape” following the surgery.
“Kaká needed to have the surgery, he could not play with the pain he was feeling and the treatment he has had since the operation has been perfect,” said Dr Marc Martens.
“Now he has a new knee, it is like he had never had the operation. He is in perfect shape.
“After the surgery we really did not know when he would return. There was an estimated timeline but we did not think he would return so early and in such good physical condition.”
