As Kaka moves from AC Milan to Real Madrid in what is expected to be a world record transfer we look at the career of the Brazilian superstar.

1982: Born Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite on April 22 in Brasilia, Brazil.

1997: Signs contract with Sao Paulo aged 15.

2000: Suffers a career-threatening spine fracture at the age of 18 as a result of a swimming-pool accident, but makes a full recovery.

2001: March - Makes his professional debut for Sao Paulo and goes on to score scored 12 goals in 27 appearances in his debut season to help the club claim the Torneio Rio-Sao Paulo title.

July - Member of the Brazilian team that reached the FIFA World Youth Championship quarter-finals in Argentina.

2002: January - Handed his international debut by Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari against Bolivia.

June - Part of the 2002 World Cup-winning squad, but plays only 19 minutes in a first-round match against Costa Rica.

December - Wins Campeonato Paulista and finishes his second season with Sao Paulo with 10 goals in 22 matches. Picks up the prestigious Bola de Ouro award.

2003: June - Makes switch to AC Milan for 8.5 million euros, a fee later described by club owner Silvio Berlusconi as "peanuts".

July - Appointed Brazil captain for the Gold Cup tournament, where Brazil finished as runners-up with Kaka scoring three goals in the competition.

September - Makes his Serie A debut in a 2-0 win over Ancona.

2004: - Wins Scudetto in debut season in Serie A, scoring 10 goals in 30 appearances and is named Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year.

2005: May - Scores in Champions League final penalty shoot-out defeat to Liverpool in Istanbul. Named UEFA midfielder of the season.

June - Scores in 4-1 win over Argentina in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup final.

August - Wins Italian Super Cup.

2006: May - Named Serie A Foreign Footballer of the Year for second time.

June - Scores his only goal of the 2006 World Cup in Brazil's opening match against Croatia. Part of the side which crashed out at the quarter-final stage to France.

November - Included in the FIFPro Team of the Year.

2007: January - Named in the 2006 UEFA Team of the Year.

February - Awarded Italian citizenship.

May - Wins the Champions League with AC Milan after a 2-1 victory over Liverpool in Athens. Finishes as competition's top scorer.

August - Collects the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year and UEFA Club Forward of the Year prizes. Part of UEFA Super Cup-winning side.

October - Awarded the FIFPro World Player of the Year title.

December 2 - Named European Footballer of the Year (Ballon d'Or).

December 16 - Wins FIFA Club World Cup, scoring in 4-2 win over Boca Juniors in final. Scoops Player of the Tournament award.

December 17 - Named FIFA World Player of the Year.

2008: February 29 - Signs a contract extension with Milan until 2013. Tells Milan TV he wants to stay at the club for the rest of his career.

May 25 - Undergoes knee surgery which rules him out of the Olympics and the start of the Serie A season.

October 16 - Inducted into Brazil's Hall of Fame at the Maracana.

October 27 - Included in the FIFPro Team of the Year for the third year running.

2009: January 14 - Turns down big-money move to Manchester City, saying: "It's not the money that will see me leave. I want to grow old at Milan."

May 31 - Scores opener as Milan win 2-0 at Fiorentina in final round of Serie A matches to clinch third spot - the last automatic Champions League berth - in Carlo Ancelotti's final game at the Rossoneri helm.

June 8 - AC Milan and Real Madrid confirm Kaka has moved to the Bernabeu on a six-year deal.