Wednesday 06 October 2021, 13:04

Roberto Carlos: Football needs to evolve

  • Brazil World Cup winner Roberto Carlos has been part of the debate on the future of football

  • He joined FIFA’s Technical Advisory Group in Doha to discuss the international match calendar

  • Roberto Carlos wants changes to start now

FIFA World Cup™ winner Roberto Carlos has maintained that pulling on the national team jersey for any player is the proudest moment of their career.

The former Brazilian left-back, who won 125 caps for his country and whose experience has been called upon within FIFA’s Technical Advisory Group in their wide-ranging consultation of the future of football, has welcomed recent proposals to change the international match calendar.

Discussions around a biennial World Cup have begun with Roberto Carlos, who played at three World Cups, believing that it is important that football has the ability to evolve in the face of a changing landscape.

“The important thing is to start, so that the players adapt to playing a World Cup every two years, for example,” he said. “Or, for example, play the qualifying matches within a month. So, you have to start now.

Roberto Carlos of Brazil takes a free kick with Rivaldo watching

“Now would be the time for football to show the world that we can also evolve once again.” For Roberto Carlos, too, the pride that comes with international representation is something that trumps all honours within football.

“The players always want to play for their national team,” he said. “It doesn't matter what kind of match. When you put on your national team’s jersey, you’re extremely happy when you’re playing, especially when you get called up to be in the team.”