Roberto Carlos lost 160 million: “99% of my income disappeared”

Roberto Carlos, World Cup winner with Brazil and one of Real Madrid's greatest legends, has broken his silence about the financial collapse that nearly cost him everything he earned as a footballer. At 53, the former left-back revealed during the Football Summit in Portugal, held in Lisbon, that 99% of his income disappeared because of his former agent and a complicated family situation. A fortune estimated at more than 160 million euros vanished almost entirely.

• Roberto Carlos estimates he lost 99% of everything he earned from football, more than 160 million euros.
• The former left-back blames his former agent and family problems for the financial collapse.
• The confession was made at the Football Summit in Portugal, in Lisbon.
• The Brazilian has eleven children and won three Champions League titles with Real Madrid.
• He currently works as an ambassador for the Spanish club and remains closely linked to football.

Roberto Carlos opens up in Lisbon

It was in the Portuguese capital where the former player decided to speak about one of the most painful episodes of his life. In front of summit attendees, Roberto Carlos explained that his wealth was reduced to almost nothing by a lethal combination of poor management and family disputes. "He emptied my bank account. Because of agents and family problems, I lost 99% of everything I earned from football," he stated bluntly.

The night Roberto Carlos discovered the nightmare

The Brazilian recalled in detail the exact moment he realized the scale of the disaster. On a Thursday he went to bed at midnight, and on Friday morning he found a flood of documents he did not recognize at all. "That was when I realized I had lost everything I earned during my career. It was a real nightmare," he said. The feeling of having worked for decades only to end up with nothing hit him hard.

The agent and family problems behind the loss

Roberto Carlos did not hold back when assigning responsibility. His former representative is the main target of his accusations, blamed for emptying his bank accounts. But the ex-full-back also acknowledged that conflicts within his family made the situation worse. The perfect storm between professional and personal issues ended up consuming income that seemed untouchable after a legendary career.

Three Champions League titles, a World Cup and eleven children

Few careers sum up elite football in the late 1990s and early 2000s better than Roberto Carlos. At Real Madrid he won three Champions League titles and became a regular in the Galáctico team that dazzled Europe. With Brazil he lifted the 2002 World Cup and the 1997 Copa América. Away from the pitch, his life has been just as intense: he is the father of eleven children by seven different women.

Roberto Carlos today: Real Madrid ambassador

Despite the financial blow, the Brazilian remains closely linked to the club that made him a star. Roberto Carlos serves as a Real Madrid ambassador and represents the institution at events around the world. His charisma remains intact and his figure is still one of the most beloved among Madrid fans, who remember him for his missiles from the left flank and his overwhelming physical energy.

Frequently asked questions about Roberto Carlos' financial collapse