Roberto Carlos compares 2002 and 2006 World Cups
The former left-back of the Brazilian team, Real Madrid, Palmeiras, among others, was one of the greatest sides in the history of world football and this is no secret to anyone. At the age of 22, he landed at Real Madrid with 5 titles won by Palmeiras (all as a starter) and a resume with ascents to attack and goals that could easily pass as an experienced forward.
Most of Roberto's career was with Real Madrid, where he spent eleven years, with many goals, individual awards and titles. Practically during all these eleven years, Roberto Carlos was the owner of “shirt 6” and holder of the Brazilian team. The period was so long, that today he is the second player who most played with the "hopscotch" in history with 126 matches, behind only his contemporary and teammate, Cafu.
This long period of time as the holder of the Selection gave the side an opportunity to compete in three World Cups; France in 1998, Japan and South Korea in 2002 and Germany in 2006.
Right at the first Roberto Carlos Cup, with Ronaldo leading the Brazilian attack, the national team reaches the final of the competition against host France, in a match that Brazil suffers a painful and resounding 3-0 defeat.
In the following World Cups, Brazil went from heaven to hell, respectively. The “Scolari family” arrived in the East surrounded by distrust for having “suffered” to qualify during the Qualifiers. However, game by game, the confidence of the fans and the players who reached the final and beat Germany by Oliver Kahn increased.
Four years later, the country arrives at the World Cup as an open favorite after winning the Copa America and the Confederations Cup, in addition to the prominence each of the attacking players had in their clubs, Ronaldo of the “Galácticos do Real Madrid”, Ronaldinho Gaúcho as conductor of Barcelona, Adriano “Imperador” at Inter Milan and Kaká, who in the following year would be elected best player of the year defending Milan.
Too much expectation and too little football and Brazil fell to France in the quarter-finals almost without kicking the goal for 90 minutes. What remains an image for the Brazilian people is that these very talented players were completely careless and threw too many parties. What Roberto Carlos denies in an old interview with Playboy: “If we had won [in 2006] nobody would have talked about it [lack of commitment]. We did worse things in 2002 and nobody knew. In Japan it was more liberated than in 2006. We rolled it up ”.
The former athlete says that there were not many fans or journalists following: “As it was far, no one followed us. It was impressive: the game was over, we were free. I'm glad they didn't take pictures of us there. It was beautiful ”.
Roberto Carlos pointed out that he enjoyed the parties in the middle of the World Cup because he was single. Today, he is married, has just had his eighth daughter and says that now he no longer thinks about the night.
“We had a lot of fun. Everyone was single, everyone enjoyed it. It was good. Nobody got high, nobody got drunk. Everything in life has a limit. Today I am married, Ronaldo is married. We enjoyed our single days, and now we have our wives ”.