Roberto Carlos has revealed that David Beckham was the best player he shared the pitch with during his time at Real Madrid. The Brazilian legend also confessed that supporters never truly witnessed just how exceptional a team-mate the England star proved to be.
Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, Carlos declared: 'Beckham, of course Beckham. Zidane was top. But David Beckham was a close friend of mine and a role model. The best in training and the best during games. Running all the time and making incredible passes. He played with all his heart.'
Carlos added: 'No matter what people say about Ronaldo, Zidane, Raul, Luis Figo, in the four years of the Galacticos, in my opinion Beckham was the most consistent and the best. Beckham was for the team. He would attack and defend. He would pass. He did everything the team needed. Things that the public didn't see but we as a team on the pitch saw all these attributes.'
The full-back, who represented Real Madrid between 1996 and 2007, explained that Beckham's commitment to supporting his team-mates garnered tremendous respect from the squad. 'He was very special. Beckham didn't play for the fans. He played for Real Madrid. For his team-mates, to win. That is what we value the most,' Carlos said.
Carlos now serves as an ambassador for Real Madrid and continues to instil the same principles that Beckham embodied. 'I travel around the world to represent it. I work more now than when I played football. Madrid is the first club in the world to have former players represent its name. We also teach academy players and new first-team players to understand what Real Madrid is,' he concluded.
