Former Brazil star Roberto Carlos has named the best footballer he ever played with, above the likes of Zinedine Zidane.
Carlos, who shared a dressing room with the likes of Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, was asked to name the best player he ever played with on The Obi One Podcast and said: ‘Beckham, of course Beckham.
Manchester United icon David Beckham played 394 games for the team from 1992 to 2003, conjuring up 85 goals and 121 assists and helping the club land a historic treble in 1999.
During his time at Old Trafford, United won a total of six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, the Champions League, two Community Shields and the Intercontinental Cup, with Beckham widely considered a club legend.
Beckham left United to join Real Madrid, where he became teammates with Carlos, who himself is viewed as one of the best left-backs in history.
Brazilian great Carlos was hugely fond of the Englishman and felt he was better than legendary French midfielder Zidane.
‘Zidane was top. But Beckham was a close friend of mine and a role model.
‘The best in training and the best during games. Running all the time and making incredible passes. He played with all his heart.
‘No matter what people say about Ronaldo, Zidane, Raul, Luis Figo, in the four years of the Galacticos, in my opinion, Beckham was the most consistent and the best.
‘Beckham was for the team. Beckham would attack and defend. He would pass. He did everything the team needed.
‘Things that the public didn’t see, but we as a team on the pitch saw all these attributes.’
Beckham made 159 appearances for Real Madrid between 2003 and 2007, registering 20 goals and 52 assists.
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He helped Real Madrid win the 2006-07 La Liga title as well as the 2003 Supercopa de España.
After leaving Real Madrid, Beckham played for LA Galaxy in the United States and had two loan spells at Italian club AC Milan.
The final club of Beckham’s career was French side Paris Saint-Germain as he hung up his boots in 2013.
Zidane, meanwhile, was best known for his spells at Juventus and Real Madrid as well as for winning the World Cup with France.
He played 227 matches for Real Madrid from 2001 to 2006, scoring 49 times and producing 67 assists.
Zidane won the 1998 Ballon d’Or during his time at Juventus – an award which Beckham never won.
