One of Orlando City’s best is making his way back to Brazil’s finest.
OCSC Designated Player Kaká was called on Thursday to the Brazilian national team for their Sept. 5 friendly against Costa Rica at Red Bull Arena and their Sept. 8 clash with the US national team at Gillette Stadium.
Brazil manager Dunga was asked why he called the 33-year-old Kaká over a younger player like Liverpool’s 23-year-old playmaker Phillipe Coutinho.
“We gave [Coutinho] a chance in the Copa América,” Dunga told media. “You can’t build with just youngsters, you need experience to help.”
It’s the first time Kaká has been called into a Brazil squad since last October, when he came off the bench for the Seleçao in friendly wins against Argentina and Japan. He has 89 career caps for Brazil, helping the nation to the 2002 World Cup title.
Kaká, who has nine goals and four assists in 22 league games this year, will miss Orlando’s Sept. 5 match at the New England Revolution while with Brazil. The match figures to have huge playoff implications, with the seventh-place Lions likely to need a result against the fifth-place Revs to stay in the postseason hunt.
The full Brazil squad is below:
Goalkeepers: Jefferson (Botafogo), Marcelo Grohe (Grêmio), Alisson (Internacional)
Defenders: Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Danilo (Real Madrid), Filipe Luís (Atlético Madrid), Douglas Santos (Atlético-MG), Miranda (Internazionale), David Luiz (PSG),
Gabriel Paulista (Arsenal), Marquinhos (PSG)
Midfielders: Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Elias (Corinthians), Ramires (Chelsea), Fernandinho (Manchester City), Oscar (Chelsea), Douglas Costa (Bayern Munich), Willian (Chelsea)
Lucas Lima (Santos), Kaká (Orlando City)
Forwards: Neymar (Barcelona), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Lucas (PSG), Hulk (Zenit)
