Spanish Inquisition: Who Will Be The Real Galactico At Madrid - Kaka Or Cristiano Ronaldo?

They say that money can't buy you love or happiness. But, apparently, it can buy you two successive World Footballers of the Year.

Just three weeks into the month of June and the second Galactico era is in full swing in the Spanish capital, with Florentino Perez making it perfectly clear that he is sparing no expense in his return to Real Madrid.

In the first two moves of his presidency, Perez has brought the best player in Serie A and the best player in the English Premier League to La Liga, as the twin centrepieces for his new Real Madrid vision.

A year ago, such a partnership would have been dismissed as the fantasy of a maniacal video game enthusiast. Today, that fantasy is a reality and, what’s more, with David Villa, Franck Ribery, Xabi Alonso, Maicon and others in the discussion, the dreaming may not be  over just yet.

But, with the most expensive (Ronaldo) and third most expensive (Kaka) transfers in footballing history, it is tentatively safe to say that Madrid have made the two largest moves they could possibly make this summer. And so, one must ask, in light of this addition of immense star power, who will fulfil the role of Madrid’s talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo or Kaka?

Both Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo served as the essence of their former teams’ identity. Dubbed the ‘golden boy’ of Milan, Kaka was, far and away, the crowd favourite and it seemed more likely that Milan would rather drop into the depths of a financial swamp than part with their most classy of midfielders. Kaka was viewed as a humble individual with unwavering principles and, as far as footballing images are concerned, the red and black of Milan was Kaka and Kaka was Milan.

At Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo was the ultimate entertainer, a flashy footballer who played with panache and creativity, complete with Hollywoodesque model looks and the exorbitantly expensive sports cars. Like Beckham before him, Ronaldo coupled athletic superiority with an almost feminine sex appeal to create an image that became very much a brand in its own right.

The city of Madrid loves both types of players.

In fact, in a strange way, Perez has satisfied both varieties of Madrid fan with his two superstar signings.

Traditional Madrid supporters view their players not just as athletes who must perform at the highest level, but men who must conduct themselves with class and character. Where Zidane served as the soft-spoken professional before him, Kaka now steps into the role of upstanding Galactico citizen.  Ronaldo, of course, is much better known for his showboating, his short temper and his audacious comments, all of which satisfy the cravings of the post-modern Madridista, who expect the spectacle of sport to entertain and reflect the cosmopolitan glamour of the city.  

In terms of sheer talent and ability, both are surely amongst the top five players in the world, although each is a year or two removed from his top form.

Last year, Ronaldo scored an astronomical 42 goals in all competitions - a figure of such extraordinary exception, it will be all but impossible for the Portuguese winger to repeat the feat. But this year, niggling injuries led to a slight dip in CR7’s form and it is still uncertain how the player will recover from the sports hernia with which he is currently encumbered.

Meanwhile, Kaka suffered his own bout with injury this past season and the Brazilian struggled to find consistency on the pitch, although, just like Ronaldo, he did finish the campaign strongly. With injuries in mind, Kaka’s age (27 years) does present an added concern, but even in his late twenties, the Brazilian is one of the fastest players in the sport, especially when running with the ball at his feet.

Of course, the greatest question is how the two superstars will play together.

Both players rely heavily upon their technical ability in their play, which will suit them well for adjusting to La Liga, but having endured the physical strains of the Premier League, Ronaldo brings an added dimension of strength to his quality. Depending upon how Manuel Pellegrini aligns them, they could play in very close proximity to each other, with Ronaldo pushing forward on one of the wings and Kaka in the attacking midfield. For the Brazilian national side, Kaka combines with Robinho in this manner to superb effect; one can only speculate how the Brazilian will pair with the more talented Ronaldo, possibly communicating, not only by way of their native Portuguese, but on a wavelength that few pairings ever achieve.

As for determining who will be the real Galactico? It may just come down to who scores more goals…

Cyrus C. Malek, Goal.com

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