Roberto Carlos reveals he lost 99% of football earnings

Roberto Carlos has disclosed that financial and family problems left him rebuilding his personal and professional life after football. The former Brazil and Real Madrid left-back made the revelation while discussing players’ preparation for life after retirement at the Portugal Football Summit.

Carlos said he had lost 99% of the money earned during his playing career, amounting to millions of euros. He blamed mistakes involving agents and serious family difficulties, and said people had emptied his account. He also described receiving a large set of documents he did not know existed, an episode that made him lose control of aspects of his past.

The 53-year-old said he had to reorganise both his finances and his family situation. He is now using his experience to warn young players against repeating similar errors, while stressing the importance of planning a second career before leaving the game.

Carlos had already obtained a sporting director’s licence before retiring in 2015 and had commercial work in place. A brief attempt to combine playing and coaching in Turkey and India did not develop successfully. The 125-cap former international, a 2002 World Cup winner and three-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, now works as an ambassador for the Spanish club and FIFA.