After a sparkling career in which he formed an integral part of Real Madrid’s ‘Galacticos’ and became the personification of a new style of attacking left-back, Roberto Carlos has taken to coaching with an equal measure of enthusiasm and positive energy.
The former Real Madrid and Brazil legend and 2002 FIFA World Cup winner has plenty of experience playing at the highest levels of world football, winning the most important trophies in club football with the Spanish side and forming an essential part of the Brazil squad which claimed a record fifth World Cup for Brazil in the first tournament in Asia.
Now, after agreeing to be the new coach of Qatari side Al Arabi, the world’s most renowned attacking left-back has thrown his support behind the first FIFA World Cup to be held in the Middle East.
“I am very pleased to be part of the project of Al Arabi club and to get to know Qatari football. We have to work very hard to become champions of Qatar. We will form a great team as I share my experiences and help to make it the greatest World Cup of all time,” Roberto Carlos told www.sc.qa in an interview.
The former Real Madrid star was known for his swerving free-kicks—like the famous free-kick goal he scored against France in 1997.
His playing technique was epitomised by an attacking approach and he famously provided the assist to Zinedine Zidane for the winning goal in the 2002 UEFA Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen.
After winning a total of four La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies in 11 sparkling seasons at the club, he sees a successor in the form of a compatriot at the club.
When asked who the next Roberto Carlos could be, he answered succinctly: “Marcelo is the best.”
The current FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand is also something that he follows closely, with an eye both on his national team as well as on the players he will soon be seeing first hand in Qatari football.
“Brazil are playing well in the Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand. We have a lot of quality in the team and the players.
“I have also seen the players of Qatar’s team and above all I want to help them to grow and develop as players. Through modern training sessions, and by taking an example of Brazil and gaining further experience, they will progress well towards 2022.
“With my experience at Champions League and World Cup level, I can transmit the importance of playing in a World Cup to the youngsters here,”
he said.
Having played in three World Cup tournaments himself, he also added that current Barcelona star striker Neymar could lead Brazil to a sixth trophy: “In a short time Neymar will be the best in the world. I think he can help Brazil win the World Cup again.”
Hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar is already showing effects on the ground, according to the Brazilian, who believes that the tournament is attracting top players to the Qatar Stars League which will help increase the level of Qatari football.
“The most important thing is that Qatar will host the World Cup in just a few years’ time, and they can
attract players of a very high level which will help to increase the level of Qatari football. I hope that Al Arabi will play a great season and be a candidate to win the league. We will do our best to help Qatari football grow a little more,” he added.
After making 125 appearances for his national team and winning two Copa America titles in addition to the World Cup in 2002, Roberto Carlos said that after his arrival in Qatar he will also look to potentially strengthen the team with quality players from Brazil: “I am thinking of making a good team, and from the moment I form my team I will look to help football in Qatar grow.
“I think arriving in Qatar will open a lot of doors for players like Robinho, Julio Baptista or Ronaldinho, there are so many possibilities.
“Once I go there to work in Qatar, of course a lot of great players of the highest level will want to be there with me, and that will be important for Qatari football.”
Having agreed to move on to Qatar after starting his coaching career in Turkey, the Brazilian legend is already looking forward to starting the
new challenge in Qatar and getting to know more about the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.
“When I go to sign the contract I will get to know the club, the structures and a little more of the environment there. But of course I have objectives related to the World Cup, I would like to be an ambassador for the tournament and to be part of the structures of Qatari football,” he concluded.
Roberto Carlos
