Roberto Carlos reveals losing '99%' of playing earnings to agents, family

Former Brazil and Real Madrid defender Roberto Carlos said he had lost 99 percent of his earnings as a footballer because of problems involving agents and family matters.

The 53-year-old, who is one of football’s most celebrated left-backs, said he prepared for life after playing while still competing at the highest level, but all his plans unravelled soon after he hung up his boots.

“I always thought about the stage after my career. It’s about building a story as a player and making the most of my image. When I decided to leave football, I already had the sporting director’s license and was working with many brands,” Carlos said while speaking on a panel at the Portugal Football Summit about building a brand and legacy beyond the pitch on Friday.

"I had a serious problem with my former agent. I had an extremely serious family problem. On Thursday I went to bed at midnight and, on Friday, I received a pile of documents whose existence I was unaware of. That’s when I lost everything,” he added.

The 2002 World Cup winner spoke about how he managed to restructure his financial situation with professional help.

Carlos, who played 527 matches for Real Madrid and 127 for Brazil, advised the younger players to not make the same mistakes he made.

"I had problems with people who left my bank account at zero. Because of agents and family issues, I lost 99 percent of everything I had earned in football. I made mistakes and, because of that, I ask the younger ones not to do the same.”