Former Real Madrid player Royston Drenthe has made some eye-opening revelations about his time in Spain, including a tense clash with Lionel Messi, his fallout with Jose Mourinho, and why he rejected Barcelona before joining Los Blancos.
Speaking on ‘The Wild Project’ podcast with Jordi Wild, the Dutchman reflected on his rollercoaster career, from his dream move to Real Madrid to the bitter disappointments that followed.
Why Drenthe Snubbed Barcelona for Real Madrid
Drenthe, who played for Madrid between 2007 and 2011, revealed that Barcelona and Chelsea were both interested in signing him, but he ultimately chose Madrid because of his admiration for the club’s legends.
“Barcelona wanted me, Chelsea too, but they wanted me to stay at Feyenoord for another year. I didn’t want to wait, so I decided on Real Madrid,” Drenthe explained. “Almost all my family supported Barcelona because of Ronaldinho, but in Holland, people followed Barca a lot.
However, Ronaldo was still playing for Madrid, and he was a king. I wanted to play where Beckham, Ronaldo, and Zidane had been.
In Holland, they call me a legend just for playing at Madrid. That’s why I rejected Barcelona because I knew Madrid was historic.”
Mourinho’s Role in His Madrid Exit
Drenthe also shed light on his controversial exit from Madrid, blaming former sporting director Jorge Valdano while calling out Mourinho for not being upfront about the decision.
“During pre-season in Los Angeles, I was playing regularly. Marcelo got injured, so I played the entire pre-season, and everything went well.
Then, they signed Fabio Coentrão. Mourinho told me, ‘If you train like this, you don’t have to worry.’
But in the last three days of the camp, Valdano told me it was better if I left,” he recalled. “It wasn’t Mourinho who said it he didn’t have the guts to tell me himself. That chapter ended sadly, but I learned a lot.”
The Heated Moment with Messi
While on loan at Hercules in the 2010-11 season, Drenthe had a fiery encounter with Lionel Messi, which left a lasting impression on him.
“In a match against Barcelona, Leo called me a ‘f**ing black man,’” Drenthe revealed. “Later, he told me that in Argentina, they call each other things like ‘negro de mierd’ and that it wasn’t meant to be offensive. He said they even called Garay that, and he didn’t mind. But I had to explain that it was different for me. It’s one thing if my friends say it in training, but another if a rival does.”
Despite the incident, Drenthe insists there were no lingering hard feelings. “We never spoke about it again, and I have a lot of respect for him because he was one of the best players in the world.”
Drenthe’s career didn’t pan out as expected, but his journey through Spanish football remains a fascinating story filled with highs, lows, and a few unforgettable moments.
Esto pasará desapercibido, pero en el podcast de @JordiWild con Drenthe como invitado, dijo que Messi le llamó "negro de mierda" en un partido cuando el holandés jugaba cedido en el Hércules, temporada 2010-2011.
— Fran (@FJRealMadridCF) February 27, 2025
Menudo elemento Messi, nos lo vendían como niño bueno… pic.twitter.com/2OFXyTS86F
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