By CAITLIN MURRAY

With Kaka making his Major League Soccer debut this year, the 32-year-old star is also forging into uncharted territory.

MLS is a young league with different rules than much of the soccer world and Kaka will be joining Orlando City, an expansion team — but all that change represents an opportunity to try something he hasn’t yet in his impressive 14-year professional career.

“It will be a big challenge for me,” Kaka told reporters in Los Angeles on Tuesday. “I played in (AC) Milan, Real Madrid and São Paulo — three big teams in their countries and around the world. Now it’s a different moment — to start with a new team. The team will be born in the league. It will be a big challenge, but I think it will be great.”

Orlando City announced in July they had signed Kaka, who had opted out of his contract with Milan.

Kaka became the first MLS player to sign for more than $7 million and, with MLS’ salary cap, that puts Kaka’s earnings well above many of the players, and even teams, that he will compete against. But the salary cap is important for building MLS, even as the top leagues in the world place no restrictions on compensation, he said.

“For me, I think this is important, the salary cap, because the clubs will grow (to be more) organized. In Brazil, we have a lot of players that, in their contract, they have so much money, but in the end of the club doesn’t pay,” Kaka said with a laugh. “It’s better to have a small salary if you receive it.”

“This cap will be increased when the television (companies) pay more for the league, when the league grows, so it’s step by step,” he added. “Maybe it takes a little more time, but it’s important to grow and the teams will be healthy.”

At 32, Kaka may not still be in his career’s prime, but he has shown he can still play a high level. He joins MLS after having won the FIFA Ballon d’Or winner in 2007 and is not the first Ballon d’Or winner in the league, but he does join MLS the soonest after his award-winning year.

Despite the pejorative designation some have given MLS as so-called retirement league, Kaka said superstar David Beckham changed that perception when he signed with the LA Galaxy in 2007. The league’s image continues to change as teams sign other stars who are still fit, such as Toronto FC’s signing of 27-year-old Sebastian Giovinco this week.

“Things are changing. At one point, that was the thought,” Kaka said of MLS being a retirement league. “But Beckham did something that was really distinct. He came over at an age where he was still at a good technical level. I can still achieve that here. Younger players are still coming under the age 30.”

As Brazilian players look to ply their trade outside of their home country, the U.S. will be an attractive option, Kaka said. Problems with the club environment in Brazil, including with scheduling and salaries, may drive more of his fellow countrymen to MLS, he said.

“Here (in the U.S.), we are more organized in this moment and have the big possibility to grow faster than Brazil,” he said. “Brazil, in this moment, we have to change a lot of things and it’s not easy.”

Kaka added that Brazilians are fond of MLS and he followed the league from Brazil by watching games there. The U.S. could be a popular market as Brazilians look to get away from problems with the leagues there.

But even as Kaka said Brazilians love to visit Florida, it appears Orlando is not widely known overseas. Kaka’s perception of Orlando has quickly changed since being signed with Orlando City — from Disney city to home city.

“Before, I just knew Orlando as a Disney city and now I am changing,” Kaka said with a laugh. “I’ve been in Orlando twice outside Disney with friends to know the city and I know that Orlando is much more than a Disney city. It’s a very nice city and very nice people so I’m happy to live there.”