Roberto Carlos: "If it was up to me, Neymar would have been at Real Madrid ages ago"
The legendary left-back told Fox Sports Radio: "These days, Real Madrid is the main reference for any player. Want to win the Champions League? Come to Madrid".
Legendary Brazilian left-back Roberto Carlos told Fox Sports Radio that, had it been up to him, Neymar would have been a Real Madrid player a long time ago, and expressed his hopes that his friend Ronaldinho Gaúcho, who is in prison in Paraguay will be released soon.
"If it had depended on me, Neymar would have been here long ago, but life doesn't always turn out how you want it to," said the former Real Madrid defender and 2002 World Cup winner with Brazil. "Great players like him should always be at the top clubs in the world. Today, Real Madrid is a reference for any player. Do you want to win the Champions League? Then come to Real Madrid".
Neymar is happy at PSG
However, Roberto Carlos acknowledged that at the moment, Neymar "is happy at París Saint-Germain" and hopes that he will continue playing "with happiness, as he has been doing lately - because that's the Neymar that we all love to see".
RC3 also added that he hopes the player who took his place at Real Madrid Marcelo returns with the Brazil national team because "he is the best left-back around right now", even though Brazil coach Tite has left him out of his most recent squad lists. "Everyone deserves a new chance and I think that Marcelo is growing back into the Marcelo of old - the player that I remember, one who plays with joy and does things that only can do out on the pitch," he explained. "I hope he returns with the national team and competes for his place with Filipe (Luis), Alex Sandro and Renan Lodi".
Ronaldinho behind bars
As for Ronaldinho, his old team mate with Brazil who is in prison in Paraguay, accused of using a forged passport, Roberto Carlos hopes he gets his situation sorted out soon. "We'll wait and see what the court decides. I don't think he's involved in anything illegal (...) He always did things in the right way. I don't know whether they're holding onto him while they try to catch other people," he said. "Ronaldinho is known all over the world and in spite of his legal problems j he hasn't lost his charisma. The only thing I want is to see him get out of prison as soon as possible".