Fabio Capello has never been known for sugarcoating his assessments of the players he has managed, and his latest reflections on his tenure at Real Madrid are no exception. During a wide-ranging discussion at the Festa del Corriere event held at the Teatro Comunale in Ferrara, the legendary Italian tactician offered a candid, often biting retrospective on two of the most talented yet volatile figures of his career: Ronaldo Nazário and Antonio Cassano.
Speaking with Aldo Cazzullo, Capello did not hold back when describing the influence of the Brazilian striker at the Santiago Bernabéu, labeling the legendary “Fenômeno” as a negative leader
during their time together in Spain. Even as Capello has previously acknowledged Ronaldo’s immense skill, the Ferrara dialogue focused on the behavioral and physical lapses that eventually led to the player’s departure from the Spanish capital.
The ‘Negative Leadership’ of Ronaldo
The friction between Capello and Ronaldo Nazário centered on a perceived lack of professionalism and a disregard for the rigorous standards of elite athletic conditioning. Capello recalled a specific moment of confrontation regarding the striker’s weight, noting that Ronaldo had ballooned from 84 kg during his World Cup peak to 94 kg upon his arrival in Madrid.
“He was a negative leader. He didn’t train as he should and didn’t motivate his teammates. So, together with President Berlusconi, we decided to let him go. Berlusconi calls me and asks: ‘How is Ronaldo?’ I replied: ‘President, he is good. But he is not a good example, always in discotheques, he has place on weight, he only thinks about women.’ The next day, in the Gazzetta: ‘Ronaldo to Milan’.” Fabio Capello, former Real Madrid and AC Milan manager
For global fans, this anecdote provides a rare glimpse into the internal dynamics of the early 2000s “Galácticos” era, where the tension between individual superstar lifestyles and the disciplined demands of a manager like Capello often reached a breaking point. The result was one of the most famous transfers in Italian football history, as Ronaldo moved to AC Milan shortly after these assessments were made.
Cassano and the ‘Lost Talents’
If Ronaldo was a challenge of leadership, Antonio Cassano represented a challenge of temperament. Capello grouped the Italian forward with Mario Balotelli as the primary examples of immense natural talent wasted by a lack of discipline. When reflecting on Cassano’s brief and turbulent stint in Madrid, Capello admitted that the player’s antics were nearly too numerous to quantify.
Capello stated that in Madrid, Cassano did so many foolish things that This proves hard for me to remember them all
. He lamented the trajectory of both Cassano and Balotelli, describing them as two examples of talents that were lost
and calling the situation a shame
.
(Note for readers: Antonio Cassano’s career was frequently marked by public disputes with managers and teammates, a recurring theme that Capello highlighted during the Ferrara event as a tragedy of wasted potential.)
Reflections on a Global Career
The conversation at the Teatro Comunale extended beyond the drama of the Bernabéu. Capello touched upon the various chapters of his journey, from his playing days to his managerial stints in Russia and China. He shared a poignant memory of scoring a goal at Wembley, dedicating the victory to the 20,000 Italian waiters working in London at the time.
Capello also addressed his professional regrets, specifically his decision to leave the Spanish capital. Despite winning La Liga twice with Real Madrid, the Italian manager admitted that leaving Madrid to return to Milan was the biggest mistake I ever made
.
His critiques extended to other legends as well. While acknowledging Johan Cruyff as an incredible
player and a very good
coach, Capello described the Dutch icon as arrogant
, suggesting that many Dutch figures believe they know everything
.
The event served as a reminder of Capello’s uncompromising editorial philosophy on the pitch: talent is secondary to discipline, and leadership is measured by example, not just by the quality of a finish.
The sports world now awaits further reflections from the veteran coach as he continues to share insights from a career that spanned the most influential eras of European football. For the latest updates on football history and managerial legacies, stay tuned to Archysport.
Do you agree with Capello’s assessment of Ronaldo and Cassano? Let us know in the comments below.
