WE ALL know money talks. But in the world of football, what counts at the end of a truly passionate footballer's career are trophies.
Kaka's decision to turn down a quadrupling of his weekly wages to 500,000 pounds is earning praise from all quarters.
Good on you, Kaka, for showing the sheikhs over at Man City that they cannot just buy any player they want with their unbelievable wealth.
It was a clear show of loyalty, some AC Milan officials said, as the Brazilian thumbed his nose at the chance to be the planet's best-paid footballer.
Source: AFP
But dig just a little deeper and maybe, just maybe, it was not just about loyalty and money.
Where is Man City in the English Premier League? Four points off the relegation zone, with no chance this season of qualifying for the European competitions.
What would Kaka have done if the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, or Manchester United had come knocking?
The promise of riches and the lure of Champions League football every season, I think, would have been hard to resist. Being part of any of those pedigreed teams would be a great privilege.
It's a big difference playing week-in week-out with stars like Chelsea's Frank Lampard and Barcelona's Thierry Henry, compared to a Michael Johnson or Stephen Ireland from Man City.
Sure, Man City has Robinho. But a team like Real is chock full of brand names that boast skill levels far higher than all the Man City players (bar Robinho).
Challenging for the Spanish Primera Liga, EPL crown, and Champions League every season is what every top footballer wants, and there are only a few teams that can offer Kaka that.
But, Man City isn't quite one of those (not yet!) - no matter how much money their sheikhs throw on the table.
The millions of pounds might buy some fancy houses, private planes and yachts, but it certainly won't buy Kaka the silverware that will ensure he is remembered as one of the best footballers of his time.
Now, who wants to wager if Kaka will decide to move if one of the elite European clubs makes a similar offer?