Kaka On Neymar, Brazil’s World Cup Chances & Why Ancelotti is 'Perfect'

This is Kaká as you rarely see or hear him - one of football’s most private superstars sitting down in Rio's Airbnb for a remarkably open reflection on a career that made him a global icon and one of the last true Ballon d’Or winning number 10s. The Brazilian legend opens up about the swimming pool accident that nearly ended his journey before it had even begun and why his faith became even stronger after what doctors described as a “miracle” recovery. Despite becoming one of the biggest stars in world football, Kaká remains remarkably humble throughout this conversation - discussing how his family kept him grounded and why his mentality was completely different to Cristiano Ronaldo’s obsession with becoming “the best”. He also gives rare insight into the legendary AC Milan dressing room under Carlo Ancelotti, including how Pirlo, Gattuso and Seedorf helped shape him into a Ballon d’Or winner and why Pirlo could “find him anywhere” on the pitch. The conversation leads into a fascinating discussion around the disappearance of classic number 10s in modern football, with Kaká explaining why the game no longer creates enough space for maverick players to thrive. He names Cole Palmer as his favourite English player to watch because of the freedom and simplicity in his game, while also revealing that Lamine Yamal and Neymar still excite him in a way most modern footballers don’t. There are also brilliant stories around Ronaldo, Neymar and Brazil’s dressing room culture - while Kaká explains why Ancelotti is the perfect manager to lead Brazil into the World Cup and why players instantly trust his leadership. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro & Teaser 00:18 Welcome to Rio Meets Kaká 01:14 Why Kaká Rarely Does Interviews 02:20 Growing Up in Brazil & Football Dreams 04:03 The Neck Injury That Changed His Life 07:25 Leaving São Paulo For AC Milan 08:47 Building His Playing Style 10:02 How Ancelotti Changed His Career 11:06 Learning From Milan Legends 12:49 Winning The Ballon d'Or 14:09 Cristiano Ronaldo's Mindset 16:30 Destroying Man United In 2007 20:30 Best Teammates Of His Career 22:06 The Art Of The Number 10 23:27 Building Chemistry With Strikers 25:05 Learning To Play Without The Ball 27:14 Lessons From Ronaldo, Rivaldo & Ronaldinho 28:20 Inside Brazil's 2002 World Cup Squad 30:29 Leadership Inside Brazil's Dressing Room 31:45 What Training With Brazil's Legends Was Really Like 34:20 Neymar's Legacy & Why He's Still Special 36:30 Neymar Behind The Scenes 37:06 Can Brazil Win The Next World Cup? 38:00 Vinicius Jr, Raphinha & Brazil's Key Players 39:00 Carlo Ancelotti & The Future Of Brazil 40:00 Why Ancelotti Is An Elite Manager 43:00 Playing For Brazil & The National Anthem 44:40 Romário, Brazilian Style & The Disappearing Number 10 47:20 Current Players Kaká Loves Watching 49:20 Real Madrid Struggles, Injuries & Identity 50:30 How Faith Helped Him Through His Hardest Period #Kaka #BallonDor #ACMilan #BrazilFootball #CristianoRonaldo #CarloAncelotti #FootballPodcast #FootballInterview #WorldCup2026 #Number10 #ColePalmer #LamineYamal #Neymar #WorldCup #Soccer Brought to you in partnership with Airbnb #ad Subscribe: http://bit.ly/15QO9WE Rio Ferdinand Presents: rioferdinandpresents.com Rio Ferdinand Presents Instagram: https://instagram.com/rioferdinandpresents Rio Ferdinand Presents Twitter/X: https://x.com/RioMeets Rio Ferdinand Presents Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rioferdinandpresents Rio Ferdinand Presents TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rioferdinandpresents Rio Ferdinand Presents Threads: https://www.threads.net/@rioferdinandpresents Rio Ferdinand Instagram: https://instagram.com/rioferdy5 Rio Ferdinand Twitter/X: https://x.com/rioferdy5 Rio Ferdinand Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RioFerdinandOfficial Rio Ferdinand TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rioferdy5 Rio Ferdinand Threads: https://www.threads.net/@rioferdy5