Ze Roberto: The Brazil star who flopped at Real Madrid because video game
A former Real Madrid star has opened up about why he believes his time at the Spanish giants ultimately turned into a disappointment.
Brazilian midfielder and left-back Zé Roberto joined Real Madrid in 1997. During his spell with Los Blancos, he won La Liga in the 1996–97 season and was also part of the squad that lifted the UEFA Champions League in 1998.
However, his time in Madrid was short-lived. Zé Roberto scored just once for the club, finding the net against Rosenborg BK before leaving halfway through the season to return to Flamengo.
The Brazilian had previously explained that his decision to depart was driven by his desire to secure a place with the Brazil national football team ahead of the World Cup.
But he has now revealed additional reasons why his time at Real Madrid did not go as planned, admitting that late nights spent gaming and a lack of discipline away from the pitch affected his performances.
Speaking to O Globo, Zé Roberto said:
“The video game disrupted me a lot. I was young, newly married, and I bought a PlayStation. One of my dreams, besides becoming a gamer and buying a car, was to have a PlayStation. And we bought it… newlywed, I was like a rooster.
“We [he and his wife] would spend the whole day together and at night we would play video games. I played until the early hours of the morning, I ate poorly and slept very little.
“I lost all my performance, I gained weight. I arrived at training with dark circles under my eyes.
“It was the stress of trying to ‘beat’ games like Crash Bandicoot. I wanted to complete it, and I couldn’t. Then I would get hungry at dawn and go eat cookies. I ate a lot of cookies.
“I’d say: ‘Bring me a cookie.’ I would go to eat one and end up finishing the entire box.
“Then came snacks, soda… I was gaining weight without realizing it. And I was stressed because of the game.
“This is something that distracts and unfocuses many athletes today.”
Despite his struggles in Spain, Zé Roberto went on to enjoy a highly successful career in European football.
He later starred for clubs including Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich and Hamburger SV, establishing himself as one of the most consistent midfielders of his generation.
Towards the end of his playing days, he returned to Brazil where he represented Grêmio and Palmeiras before finally retiring from professional football in 2017.
Away from the pitch, Zé Roberto shares three children with his wife, Luciana.
Source: YEN.com.gh
