Exclusive: Kaka chooses between Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Manuel Pelligrini when naming favourite manager
Kaka chose between Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pelligrini and Jose Mourinho when revealing the best coach he played under, during an exclusive interview with SPORTbible.
Kaka, 43, was one of the most revered and gifted players of the early to mid 2000s and even shone in a Brazil side which featured icons such as Ronaldinho, Ronaldo Nazario and Rivaldo.
Best known for his time at AC Milan between 2003 and 2009, the 2007 Ballon d’Or winner lit up the San Siro and helped the Rossoneri win the UEFA Champions League title (2006-07), one Serie A title (2003-04), one Italian Super Cup (2004-05), one UEFA Super Cup (2007), and one FIFA Club World Cup (2007).
Most great players put their success down to one particular coach.
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Take Cristiano Ronaldo, for example, he’s been coached by Mourinho, Zinedine Zidane and Massimo Allegri, but often attributes his success to Sir Alex Ferguson’s guidance during his time at Manchester United.
And Kaka is no different. The Brazilian has worked under the tutelage of the 2002 World Cup-winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari before going on to cross paths with Mourinho and Pellegrini at Real Madrid.
But he put Ancelotti, his coach at AC Milan and Real Madrid, above the others.
Speaking to exclusively to SPORTbible, Kaka explained: “Carlo Ancelotti [was the best]. I played for him for six years at AC Milan, and he was the coach that I performed [best under] during my career. Of course, I had a lot of good coaches, like Luiz Felipe Scolari, when we won the World Cup in 2002 with Brazil.
“Jose Mourinho, Manuel Pelligrini… a lot of good coaches. With everyone, I learned something really special. But the best one was Ancelotti.”
Now, having left Real Madrid at the end of the La Liga season, Ancelotti has undertaken a new role as head coach of the Brazil national team.
With the 2026 World Cup in sight, Kaka has offered his services to his former boss and the Seleção.
"If the team thinks I can help in some way, I think that, at this moment, I am ready, I am prepared," Kaká said in an interview with Cazé TV [relayed by ESPN].
"I stopped playing in 2017. Since then, I have wanted to prepare myself. I took sports business courses at Harvard in the United States, I took a coaching course at the CBF [Brazilian Football Confederation], and I have experience with the national team, the World Cup. If the opportunity arises, I am ready to return to serve the Brazilian national team."
The pair have an excellent relationship, with Kaka producing 95 goals and 77 assists in 270 appearances under Ancelotti’s guidance - although it is unclear if any formal approach has been made.
But one thing is for sure, Kaka would love to see his beloved nation lift their sixth World Cup in North America next summer.
Kaka spoke to SPORTbible in association with FC Futures, EA SPORTS FC and LA Liga’s global grassroots program aimed at democratizing access to football by renovating local pitches, equipping communities with innovative training tools inspired by the EA SPORTS FC video game, and fostering youth engagement through football-based development programs.
He attended the opening of a newly revitalised community football pitch in the heart of Paraisópolis, São Paulo, which gave local children an unforgettable experience.
Topics: AC Milan, Brazil, Carlo Ancelotti, Champions League, Football, Jose Mourinho, Kaka, Real Madrid, Spotlight
Luke Davies