Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos sat down with former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel to look back on his playing days, discuss the state of the sport and explain what he is doing now. Club president Florentino Perez hired the former left back as a global ambassador, and he now represents Real Madrid around the world.
Life after retirement
“Right now I am an ambassador for the club. I travel everywhere to represent Real Madrid. I work more now than I did when I played. Madrid was the first club in the world to have former players officially represent its name. We also teach academy kids and new first team players what Real Madrid means. I miss training and competing at the highest level. I miss it a lot.”
The best Real Madrid Galáctico
“Beckham was the best of them all. Zidane was top, the best, but David was number one in training and in games. He never missed, pure heart. He was the most consistent player we had. He did not play for the fans, he played for his teammates, for Madrid, to win. He always thought about the team. Others thought about themselves.”
Growing up with Ronaldo
“We grew up together. It is tough for me to talk about him. I saw his highs and his lows with his injuries. He was the best player of our generation if he had not gone through so many injuries. Even when he was a little heavy, he was still the best. In soccer, music and parties are part of life. A player’s career is short and we made the most of it. Ronaldo always needed to celebrate. I would choose his parties before Ronaldinho’s.”
Zidane: “Like watching ballet”
“Everything Zidane did was a spectacle. I sent him a highlight video of his plays and he told me he was number one. Watching him was like watching ballet. He was different. I had him next to me every day. He was an example for all of us and I am very grateful for how many scoring chances he set up for me. The assist for the ninth Champions League title, I played that ball without knowing he was there. It was actually a bad ball.”
Figo and the Camp Nou incident
“I do not like remembering what happened at Camp Nou. It felt like a war, not soccer. It was the game I wanted to end as fast as possible. Out of all the matches I ever played, it is the only one I wish I had not taken part in. The fans were extremely aggressive. I congratulate Florentino for signing Figo. I could not sleep before playing Barcelona because it was so hard to defend him. It was a relief when he joined us. I thank him for that.”
Gravesen and the post-Makélélé era
“Madrid knows it made a mistake letting Makélélé leave. Then they signed Gravesen. Every team needs a crazy guy and he was ours. Robinho nutmegged him once and he wanted to kill him. It was very funny. He always yelled at the referees because they did not know English. He did not understand jokes and he got very angry with us. I could not stop laughing.”
Ronaldinho’s peak
“When he hit his highest level, he only wanted to have fun. He knew exactly how far he could push himself. He needed more professionalism than mindset. He got tired and just wanted to enjoy himself. I do not think the parties affected him. He wanted to enjoy life. He got tired of making people happy.”
Leaving Real Madrid
“Chelsea, Everton and Aston Villa wanted me in 2007, but it never happened. I was very close to signing with Chelsea. I wanted a long contract, but they only offered two years.”
Ancelotti’s impact on Brazil
“He knows how to adapt to any club or national team. Brazil with Ancelotti can have a great World Cup. With Neymar, Vinicius and Rodrygo healthy, the team is very strong. Their problem is when they do not have the ball.”
Cristiano Ronaldo vs Messi
“For a professional player, Cristiano is the example. He sacrifices more than anyone. Messi is more like Zidane, pure magic. But every kid who wants to become a soccer player should look at Cristiano’s dedication.”