At the age of eight Kaka already knew that he wanted to play soccer, but a severe childhood accident almost prevented him from reaching his dream. Through prayer and medical treatment he recovered and went on to pursue professional soccer. In Toward the Goal you'll hear his story and see how his faith in Christ has impacted his life.

'I learned that it is faith that decides whether something will happen or not.' At the age of eight, Kaka already knew what he wanted in life: to play soccer and only soccer. He started playing in front of his friends and family, but when he suffered a crippling injury, doctors told him he would never play again. Through faith and perseverance Kaka recovered, and today he plays in front of thousands of fans every year. As the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year and winner of the Ballon d'Or, this midfielder for Real Madrid has become one of the most recognized faces on the soccer field.

Jeremy V. Jones has played soccer throughout his life, including being goalkeeper for his high school team. Now he coaches his daughter's team when he's not writing about sports, outdoor adventure, music, and other fun topics. Jeremy is an award-winning writer and former editor of Breakaway magazine, whose recent books include Walking on Water. He absolutely adores his wife, daughter, and son---and most of the time thinks his two dogs are pretty cool too. The whole family loves to travel and explore the Colorado mountains near their home. SPANISH BIO: Jeremy V. Jones ha jugado futbol soccer durante toda su vida, incluso como portero de su equipo en la escuela secundaria. En estos momentos es el entrenador del equipo de su hija cuando no esta escribiendo sobre los deportes, las aventuras al aire libre, la musica y otros temas divertidos. Jeremy es un escritor que ha recibido premios, y fue editor de la revista Breakaway. Entre sus libros mas recientes se encuentra Walking on Water. Siente verdadera adoracion por su esposa, su hija y su hijo, y la mayor parte del tiempo piensa que sus dos perros tambien son bastante geniales tambien. A toda la familia le encanta viajar y explorar las montanas del Colorado, cercanas a su hogar.

Jeremy V. Jones' Toward the Goal: The Kaká Story follows the life of famed Brazilian soccer star Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, known to the world as Kaká. The book details some of Kaká's more famous games, as well as explains the decisions he made along his journey from elementary school soccer to professional status. In addition, Jones also explores some of Kaká's role models, dilemmas of faith, and life outside of soccer, in order to better illustrate the whole of the star's life.

The book peers into Kaká's life from every imaginable angle, providing interviews with everyone from players on rival teams to childhood coaches, and even the occasional word from the man himself. It reads similar to most biographies, tracking the star's life, both on the field and off, but also provides a thorough background to the game, so relative newcomers to soccer will not be confused. Jones' own amateur experience in soccer, as well as his thorough knowledge of Christianity, place him in a perfect position to comment and relate to the personal and spiritual aspects of Kaka’s life.

Rather than attempt to compartmentalize Kaká's faith, the book boldly shows its influence in his life and makes no apologies for his open proclamation. As Kaká himself says, “More than anything else, I need Jesus in my life. All my blessings are a gift of grace from him.” One sees throughout the book, no matter how successful, wealthy, or famous he becomes, Kaká is never too proud to reflect the Scriptures: “Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD! Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore!” (Psalm 105:3-4).

That being said, the book itself is nothing new or overly powerful. Whereas Kaká's spiritual life is mentioned from time to time, the book seems far more concerned with detailing who passed to whom, or the life story of other famous players. Seemingly random, long-winded facts and descriptions of games often make the account feel more like an almanac or a game record rather than a biography. Although there is nothing objectionable in the book, neither is there anything that ought to inspire a reading by anyone other than the most dedicated fans of world class soccer. In fact, a 30-second search online will turn up the same information, presented more concisely. So, unless you've got a 12-year-old soccer fanatic at home or a strong hatred of Google, you may want pass on this one. Toward the Goal: The Kaká Story shoots, but doesn't score all that well. – Ryan Dennison, www.ChristianBookPreviews.com

Kaka is one of Brazil's top soccer players. Currently playing for Real Madrid, he made his reputation with AC Milan. Unlike some players who cultivate a tough-guy image, Kaka is deeply and openly religious and supports numerous humanitarian causes. Jones covers all of this, along with Kaka's years in the extensive Brazilian player-development system, while interspersed sidebars delve into related subjects, such as why Brazilian players are often known by just one name. More pictures and descriptions of game action would have been welcome, and the biography occasionally becomes bogged down by mundane facts and redundancy; for example, Kaka's unprepossessing disposition is mentioned with almost distracting frequency. Still, this is a solid, well-rounded effort, and with this being a World Cup year, players such as Kaka will undoubtedly receive more American media attention, creating a high demand for this and other similar biographies. -- Booklist

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