Roberto Carlos reveals he lost 99% of his football wealth

Roberto Carlos says he lost 99% of the money he accumulated during his football career, leaving him in severe financial difficulty and at one point without a home. The former Brazil and Real Madrid left-back made the revelation at the Portugal Football Summit, turning his experience into a warning for younger players.

His career earnings were estimated at more than €160 million. Roberto Carlos said he understood the scale of the loss after going to bed one Thursday night and receiving a large set of administrative documents the following morning. He said problems involving his former agent and members of his family had emptied his bank account.

The 2002 world champion and former Brazil international, who won 125 caps, said he had made serious mistakes by failing to protect his finances. After retiring, he had planned to pursue sporting-director roles and continued working with several brands, but his financial collapse disrupted those plans. Now an ambassador for Real Madrid, he is urging young players to safeguard their assets and pay closer attention to the people managing their affairs.