Real Madrid has no shortage of players with a winning mentality, but some have very bad tempers
Only the Blancos of the 1960s have had comparable success in Europe in the entire history of football. The standards at their Valdebebas training ground are undoubtedly maintained at a high level, and Thibaut Courtois has ensured that there are one or two who ensure their team-mates are always fit.
Croatia captain and legend Luka Modric has been nicknamed ‘Vinegar’ for his bitter attitude towards defeat, even in training, but Courtois explained that another of his colleagues can be particularly demanding. Speaking to Ibai Llanos on his Twitch on Wednesday night, Courtois explained that Dani Carvajal was also a nightmare to face during the week.
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“When we play, Carva is the one who likes to annoy people the most. And when he wins, even more,” Courtois told streamer Llanos, as quoted by Diario AS.
“When he loses, you can’t talk to him. Luka too. In the end, it’s Carvajal’s winning mentality. When you make one or two mistakes, he doesn’t tell you anything. On the third or fourth pass, he tells you to change your bib or follow the others.”
It’s no surprise that Carvajal can be a particularly bad loser, as he embodies the win-at-all-costs attitude on the pitch. Few are as adept at the ‘dark arts’ as the 32-year-old, and sometimes, as he demonstrated against Germany’s Jamal Musiala at Euro 2024, he doesn’t try too hard to hide it. It’s undoubtedly a key element of Real Madrid’s success in Europe.
