Real Madrid Flop Opens Up on How Excessive Partying and Women Destroyed His Career

Real Madrid Flop Opens Up on How Excessive Partying and Women Destroyed His Career

Isaac Darko
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:11 PM
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  • Royston Drenthe has opened up on how excessive partying and promiscuous lifestyle shattered his dream stay at Real Madrid
  • The Dutch winger joined Real Madrid at the age of 20 and was tipped to become a football great in the future
  • But he failed to meet expectations and has since become one of football's greatest journeymen, playing for eleven clubs since he left Real Madrid in 2011

Former Real Madrid winger Royston Drenthe has lifted the lid on how his off-the-pitch antics took a toll on his football career.

The 35-year-old, who currently plays for Spanish minnows Racing Merida, was one of the hottest prospects in Europe during his stint with Real Madrid.

The versatile left-winger was adjudged player of the tournament as the Netherlands won the under-21 European Championship in 2007.

Royston Drenthe, Real Madrid
Royston Drenthe was signed by Real Madrid in 2007 and was unveiled alongside fellow Dutch star Wesley Sneijder. Image: David R. Anchuelo/ Javier Soriano
Source: Getty Images

However, his career became stale after joining the Los Blancos from Feyenoord at the age of 20 in the summer of 2007, admitting that he 'partied too much' with the move to such a big club leaving him feeling like 'god'

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"I wasn't ready to be a professional," Drenthe confessed to La Gazzetta dello Sport, cited by Marca.
"I thought I was a god, but I also liked to party and if you want to be at the top then you can't combine those two things.
"There's the life of a player and then there's the personal life. You can mix them up at points. The most difficult thing for me was understanding that I had to change my life immediately.

Drenthe played 65 times, scored just four goals and provided five assists in all competitions for Real Madrid during his four-year period at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Dutchman later joined Premier League Everton on a season long loan in 2011. He made 27 appearances for the Toffees, netting four goals and registering seven assists.

Drenthe is regarded as one of football's greatest journeymen, playing for eleven different clubs since he left Real Madrid in 2011.

Barcelona Star Raphinha Opens Up on Tough Background, Reveals He Begged on the Streets Just to Feed

Sports Brief had earlier reported that Barcelona summer signing, Raphinha has dislcosed challenges he faced while growing up in Brazil before being successful with football.

The Brazilian forward who grew up in one of the poorest communities in Porto Alegre, revealed he used to ask people for money on the street before he could eat.

Raphinha also said many of his friends got involved in crime and drug trafficking just to escape poverty but revealed his family prevented him from doing the same, Marca reports.

Authors
Isaac Darko photo
Isaac Darko
Isaac Darko is a La Liga, Ligue 1 and Bundesliga editor at Sports Brief with a Degree in Journalism and Communications from Ghana Institute of Journalism (2010)
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