Kaka says offseason reports out of Brazil that he’ll leave Orlando City at the end of the 2017 MLS season were misconstrued, and he has made no decision about his future after his three-yearcontract ends.
“It was just something that was a mistake, a misunderstanding,” Kaka said at MLS Media Day. “I’m very happy here and my idea is to stay here. Of course, you never know whatcan happen at the end of the season or during the season, but my idea for now is to stay in Orlando and stay in the league.”
A friend of Orlando City owner Flavio Augusto da Silva,whom he met a charity event in Brazil, Kaka signed with Orlando City eight months it played its first game in MLS in 2015.
Kaka had nine goals and seven assists in 2015 but went scorelessin his last 16 games. Injuries limited him to nine appearances in Orlando City’s first 19 games in 2016. But he ended up finishing with nine goals and 10 assists.
Orlando City finished with a 12-14-8 record in 2015 but took a step backin 2016 and finished with a 9-11-14 record after Jason Kreis replaced Adrian Heath as head coach.
Still, Kaka said he was content with his two seasons in MLS.
“I am very happy with this experience,” Kaka said. “The professional part, my personal life and everything I could learn from the country, from the city, from the culture here.”
Kaka has been overshadowed by Canadian youngster Cyle Larin, who was the 2015 MLS Rookie of the Year with a record 17 goals and followed that up with 14 goals and three assists in 2016.
“Cyle is a big surprise,” he said. “The second year is usually hardest for the young guys, but he had another good year. I think Cyle can go far. He is a very good playerand the third season for us will be great, but I think Cyle can play for a big team in Europe as well.”
Kaka and Larin will move into a new stadium, abandoning the turf of CampingWorld Stadium for Orlando City Stadium, where a lot of work has been done since he left for Brazil after the 2016 season.
“It’s amazing,” Kaka said. “We’ve been there atthe end of the season, so of course we didn’t see it finished, but now the image that we can see about the stadium, it’s amazing.”
The opening game is on March 5 againstNew York City.
Photos courtesy of Orlando City SC