Former Real Madrid and AC Milan coach Fabio Capello has said that Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario didn’t like losing weight but liked ‘life’, adding that he kicked Ronaldo out of the team because he was
turning into a negative influence, despite being the best player he has ever coached.
Ronaldo joined Real Madrid in 2002 and won the 2002–03 La Liga title. He had spells at AC Milan and Corinthians before retiring in 2011, having suffered further injuries.
Ronaldo was named in the FIFA 100 list of the greatest living footballers compiled in 2004 by Pelé and was inducted into the Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame, Italian Football Hall of Fame, Inter Milan Hall of Fame and Real Madrid Hall of Fame.
“Best player I have coached? Ronaldo Nazário. He did not like losing weight; he liked life and I kicked him out of Real Madrid. But if you ask me who is the best, it is him easily, by far,” Capello said while speaking to Marca.
“In 2007, I decided to get rid of Ronaldo Nazario. He was someone who liked to party and encouraged the group to go out with him. One day, Van Nistelrooy came and told me, ‘Sir, it smells like alcohol here in the locker room,’ and it was true,” Capello had said in an earlier interview.
Ronaldo featured in just 13 matches under Capello, scoring four goals, before the manager opted to sell him. He missed 11 league games and was an unused substitute in two more.
Ronaldo opened up about his off-field life on the Charla Podcast last year, admitting that during his time at Real Madrid, he was ‘always at a party or travelling’.
“I was at all of them. I played on Saturday and then went to Paris. I spent Sunday in Paris and went to the party at night. At seven in the morning, I caught the plane to Madrid and arrived at nine in the morning with training at ten,” Ronaldo said.
