In an interview with L’Equipe, Roberto Carlos spoke about Ronaldo and the Ballon d’Or.
He also returned to Zidane’s famous volley and the World Cup lost to France in 1998.
The Brazilian international said he always told Ronaldo that he stole a Ballon d’Or.
Straightforward, he talks about his relationship with his former national team captain: “With Cafu, I have the feeling that we have revolutionized the full-back position, by constantly projecting ourselves, and not just defending. In France, Bixente Lizarazu and Patrice Évra also followed this path”.
The Brazilian admits that the life of a footballer is not always easy. This is how he experienced it when he made the jump to Europe, to Inter, in 1995. “At the beginning, it wasn’t easy, with the cold, so far from home and with a little girl, but after two months, I had already adapted. I have always been ready to overcome any difficulties.”
“In Italy, people were not used to seeing defenders who climbed so high. At the time, the references were Paolo Maldini or Giuseppe Bergomi.
I asked the coach and the president to let me go because I wanted to play left back. I knew that this was the position where my signature was expected.”.
And he arrived at Real Madrid in 1996. “I found myself in a team full of ambition with Seedorf, Karembeu, Panucci, Redondo, Hierro…. In 1997 we won La Liga, but what really matters at Real Madrid is the Champions League, the legacy of Puskas, Di Stéfano, Gento.”he said.
“Even when I was a little unwell, I played, because if you have the opportunity to wear the Real Madrid jersey, you can’t give up, you can’t say no”he suggested.
