Where has all the money gone? Gone to football, everyone…

Kaká must be doing something right

Born Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite 27 years ago, he is better known by his nickname of Kaká. I think of him as Mr. Money. Listen to this: Kaká is a star football player and according to reports “the most complete Brazilian player of this era.” Remember that football in Brazil is the national religion/culture so this guy must really be good. But he doesn’t play in Brazil – like all these top players he is playing in another country, Italy, where they are even more hysterical about football than Brazil, if that’s possible. Kaká belonged to a club called A. C. Milan, a top Italian club.

They sold him

Along comes the wealthy Spanish club, Real Madrid and they decide that they want Kaká, so they started making offers to buy him. Bartering and negotiating around large sums of money go up and down from Italy to Spain with Brazil listening in and at midnight last night it was announced that the deal had gone through. The price? $90 million. You read it right. This is not the largest price paid for a football player. The same club, Real Madrid, bought a player named Zinédine Zidane from the Juventus Football Club for $106 million in 2001. Oh yes, the owner of A.C. Milan is Silvio Berlusconi the current prime minister of Italy and 70th on the Forbes 100 richest people list with assets of $6.5 billion. It seems that even a billionaire like Berlusconi couldn’t pass up on the offer.

More money

All the money above was between clubs and owners. What about Kaká? He will net $12.7 million per year for six years after taxes. And his agent, who is also his father, will pocket up to $14 million in agent’s fees. A $12.7 million annual salary or around $1 million a month is not bad and will allow Kaká to live it up, if he can. At the price they paid, the club will probably keep him under armed guard with a team of doctors in attendance around the clock. Note to the Loan Processors at the Personal Money Store: you can tear up Kaká’s application for a Cash Advance, he has changed his mind.

Real Madrid

This is the most successful team in Spanish football and was voted by FIFA as the most successful club of the 20th century. Real Madrid’s members have owned and operated the club since its inception. Real is the world’s richest football club with $550 million in terms of annual revenue.

The player gets a deal too

The President of the Board of Directors of Real Madrid, Florentino Perez, is the dynamic force behind the club at present and there’s a great deal going on. Pérez has developed a formula to profit by whatever he spends. He gives the stars he signs a 50-50 deal on their commercial image rights. Whatever Madrid makes by marketing their players around the world is shared between club and player. This is the same deal that was signed with Zidane, Luís Figo, Ronaldo and David Beckham and it made them all rich.

Go and play, Kaká

Get out there and score goals, Kaká. You’ll be earning $22.75 per minute and we don’t want you to waste a single second.