Chapter 212: A Battle of Patience

São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro—these two states were the twin pillars of Brazilian football. Aside from the national league, the most prestigious tournaments in Brazil were the state championships held in these two regions.

Rio had its traditional "Big Three" clubs—Vasco da Gama, Flamengo, and Fluminense—who dominated the Rio State Championship year after year. Meanwhile, São Paulo boasted an even stronger lineup of clubs: São Paulo FC, Corinthians, Palmeiras, and Santos. These teams were perennial contenders for the Brazilian league title. With the exception of a few outliers like Atlético Paranaense and Internacional, nearly every Brazilian league champion had come from these two states. They were the heart of Brazilian football, producing the country's finest players.

And this time, José's targets were in São Paulo.

However, he wasn't aiming for São Paulo FC's biggest stars. He had no interest in their legendary goalkeeper, Rogério Ceni, who had scored more goals than even José Luis Chilavert. Nor was he after their rising striker, Luís Fabiano, who had been making waves over the past year.

No—José had his sights set on just two players.

The first was São Paulo's starting right-back, the 26-year-old Belletti.

The second? A 20-year-old midfielder who had already played two seasons as a regular starter and was currently representing Brazil at the World Cup.

His name?

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite—better known as Kaká.

Securing these two players, however, would be far more difficult than signing Marcos Senna.

Both Belletti and Kaká were part of Brazil's World Cup squad, which automatically raised their profile. Belletti had nearly joined Valencia the previous summer, but for some reason, the transfer had fallen through. Perhaps it was because Valencia already had solid right-backs—an experienced stalwart in Angloma and a rising talent in Curro Torres. They had no pressing need to sign another player in that position.

So when José arrived in São Paulo, he was warmly welcomed by the club's sporting director, Julio Juventusio.

But when it came to transfers, Juventusio immediately began dodging the subject.

São Paulo had just won the Campeonato Paulista, the São Paulo State Championship. Their squad was strong, arguably the best they had assembled in the last decade. Aside from Kaká, Belletti, Ceni, and Fabiano, they also had Júlio Baptista, another rising star.

Despite being a historically prestigious club, São Paulo hadn't won the Brazilian league title in ten years. They were finally in a position to reclaim their place at the top, and their management wasn't eager to dismantle this squad just yet. They wanted to win trophies first.

But more importantly, Juventusio knew that the World Cup was still ongoing. If Belletti or Kaká performed well on the biggest stage, their market value would skyrocket. Selling them now, before the tournament was over, would be foolish.

José understood this strategy perfectly.

But he wasn't in a hurry.

If either of these players were destined to shine at the World Cup, he wouldn't have waited until now to make a move.

No one knew this World Cup better than José.

Yes, Brazil had struggled through the qualifiers, but once the tournament began, they were unstoppable—seven straight wins, flawless performances. Ronaldo shattered the so-called "six-goal curse" for Golden Boot winners.

But this World Cup?

It belonged to Ronaldo, who had returned from injury to reclaim his throne.

It belonged to Rivaldo, who was enjoying his final moments of brilliance.

It belonged to Ronaldinho, who announced his arrival as the future of football.

It belonged to Cafu and Roberto Carlos, who dominated the flanks with perfection.

It belonged to Kleberson and Gilberto Silva, who ran tirelessly in midfield.

It belonged to Lucio, Edmílson, and Roque Júnior, who held the defense together.

And it even belonged to Marcos, the previously unheralded goalkeeper who turned into a hero.

But it did not belong to the bench players.

Belletti? He was Cafu's backup, and Cafu played every single minute of the tournament. Belletti never even touched the field.

Kaká? He made just one brief appearance, coming off the bench for a few minutes in Brazil's final group-stage match against Costa Rica. Later, when Ronaldinho was suspended for the England match, Kaká personally asked coach Luiz Felipe Scolari for a chance to start. But Scolari ignored him and went with Edílson instead.

For Belletti and Kaká, this World Cup was nothing more than a gold-plated vacation.

José knew all of this in advance.

So while Juventusio played hard to get, José simply waited.

Unlike other clubs scrambling to negotiate, José took his time. He strolled through São Paulo, enjoying the sights. He met with Juventusio occasionally, not to push for a deal but just to chat about football, subtly reminding him of Mallorca's growing ambitions.

Other clubs were interested in Belletti and Kaká.

But José wasn't worried.

First, he knew their value wouldn't suddenly skyrocket post-World Cup. Football clubs didn't just buy players based on trophies—they wanted proof of ability on the big stage. Just like in the NBA, a benchwarmer with multiple championship rings would never get a max contract. Meanwhile, stars like Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, or Allen Iverson—who never won a ring—were still paid as superstars. Talent mattered more than trophies.

Second, the competition wasn't as fierce as it seemed.

For Belletti, Mallorca's only real rival was Villarreal, another La Liga club. But Villarreal had no European competition next season, while Mallorca would be in the Champions League. That was a huge advantage.

For Kaká, several clubs had expressed interest—but they were all mid-tier teams. At this point, top European clubs were still hesitant about young South American players. The standard pathway was clear: talented players would first join a mid-level team, prove themselves, and then earn a move to a giant club.

Mallorca's biggest competitor was Paris Saint-Germain.

PSG had missed out on signing Ronaldinho and now wanted to bring in another Brazilian playmaker. But José wasn't worried.

La Liga was at its peak, while Ligue 1 was the weakest of the five major European leagues. Mallorca, with back-to-back second-place finishes in Spain and a Champions League quarterfinal appearance, was far more attractive than a struggling PSG.

And Kaká?

He was a smart player. He came from a middle-class family—he wasn't desperate to move to Europe just for money. His priority was choosing the right club for his development.

In real history, Kaká stayed at São Paulo for another year before joining AC Milan. That extra year actually hurt his progress—his coach played him out of position, often as a forward, which negatively impacted his performances.

José knew that if he could just talk to Kaká in person, he could convince him that Mallorca was the best choice.

Right now, AC Milan hadn't even entered the conversation. Leonardo hadn't made his move yet.

This was José's window of opportunity.

His only real threat was Milan.

Other clubs? Not a problem.

But for now, all he could do was wait.

In the meantime, José kept in close contact with Mallorca's management.

Pirri, who was overseeing things back in Spain, kept him updated:

Deportivo La Coruña had officially inquired about signing Albert Luque. Valencia also made an initial offer.

Inter Milan wanted to sign Carlos Gamarra.

Walter Pandiani—no clubs were showing interest in him.

José's response?

Luque: Stall the negotiations. No decisions until after the World Cup.

Gamarra: Sell him. Inter needed defensive reinforcements, and Gamarra was a solid backup option. Selling him would free up a non-EU spot—which could go to Kaká.

Pandiani: Not José's problem.

Then, Pirri proposed something unexpected—a move José had never even considered before.

It was bold. It was ambitious.

And after discussing it in detail over the phone, José felt his heart racing with excitement.

This might just be the most brilliant transfer move yet…