Faubert advice to Braithwaite: "They didn't sign you to clean the dressing rooms"

Julien Faubert was one of the worst Real Madrid signings ever after arriving in January 2009. The French footballer arrived on loan for €1.5 million from West Ham and only played 54 minutes in the Madrid shirt. He has spoken to France Football about his time in Spain, retiring from football and Martin Braithwaite.

Braithwaite: "People can say and think whatever they want...we are talking about the main players in football, ultra-organised clubs and very demanding in terms of recruitment and things regarding their style. Including when you come from nothing, if they sign you, they signed you for a reason and not because they're good samaritans or to enrich a group of people because they have a lot of other ways in which to do that. If they sign you, it's because they followed you and because they know your qualities. Sure, people can laugh but many of them have never kicked a ball and those who have kicked a ball are jealous. You have to focus on the positive things and not pay attention to the negative ones. It's all you can do. As i say: 'They didn't sign you to clean the dressing rooms.'"

Time with Real Madrid: "It became a joke. Very few French players can say they played for Real Madrid. I learned a lot there. The test came the season after when I played in England at a much higher level. Madrid, for any footballer, it's the Holy Grail. I learned from players like Sergio Ramos, Raúl and Guti. I learned quickly because I was lucky to have Lassana and Mahamadou Diarra beside me. I got on really well with Marcelo and Salgado. The difficulty was the speed of play. I learned to see the solution before receiving the ball. The play was so fast and in tight spaces."

Retiring from football: "Retirement is a big word. I am getting ready to be a manager. I always had this desire to keep playing football but I think that now is the time. From my career as a footballer, I will always have West Ham and Bordeaux in my heart."