Had a difficult time with Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid: Brazil legend Kaka

Bengaluru, April 19: Retired Brazilian football icon Kaka has said that he found it hard to work with the then Real Madrid Jose Mourinho, who never gave the playmaker enough chances to prove himself at Santiago Bernabeu. Mourinho, the Manchester United boss now, has often been criticised for chopping and changing his squad whenever results don't go his way.

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Kaka rose to fame after joining AC Milan in 2003. In Italy, the player won many accolades, including the Serie A and the Champions League, and was also named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2007.

🗣 "When I thought he might give me a chance, he didn't. I didn’t get the chance to prove my form. I trained hard, fought and prayed so much but without the coach having faith in me, I realised I couldn’t work with him. I was so happy to go back to Milan."

- Kaka on Mourinho... pic.twitter.com/oet1yeIDjr

— EPL Bible (@EPLBible) April 18, 2018

His impressive display impressed Madrid too. The attacking midfielder then joined the 'Galacticos' in 2009 from AC Milan for a record €65 million, just a year before Mourinho took over the helm at the La Liga club.

However, during his four-year stay at Madrid, things did not work out well for Kaka in the La Liga. The attacking midfielder never showed his best amid a streak of injury problems and got very little game time. He eventually returned to Milan on a free transfer four years later.

Dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and later by players like Angel Di Maria and Mesut Ozil, Kaka played just 85 matches in three seasons under Mourinho's guidance. The player was mostly used as a backup option in Mourinho's set-up.

Yet, the player registered 20 goals and 27 assists and won the Copa del Rey in the 2011-12 season and the La Liga in 2012-13.

1. El tweet que ha borrado el @diarioas 2. La verdad. #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/vPeQcOseJB

— Kaka (@KAKA) April 18, 2018

The Brazilian, who retired in December 2017 having last played for Orlando City, has suggested in an interview that, regardless of his efforts, he didn't get many chances under Mourinho at Santiago Bernabeu.

"The relationship with Mourinho was respectful, but complicated," Kaka told UOL Esporte. "He was a coach who was very difficult for me. When I thought he would give me an opportunity, it didn't happen. ... In my head I could prove to him I had the right conditions to be best used in his period [as manager], but it didn't work.

"I trained, battled, listened. Without managing satisfaction on the field, the happiness I had with him was receiving a message when he left Real Madrid. He said I was one of the most professional players he had ever worked with."

The 2002 World Cup winner spent one season at Milan after leaving the La Liga side in 2013 and later joined MLS side Orlando City, where he played for three years. The 35-year-old announced his retirement from football last year and is reportedly holding talks with AC Milan over an executive role in their club.