Roberto Carlos, Sergio Rodríguez, Felipe Reyes and Rudy Fernández took centre stage on the first day.
The ‘White Week’ at Escuela Universitaria Real Madrid Universidad Europea kicked off with four legends from our club. Roberto Carlos, Sergio Rodríguez, Felipe Reyes and Rudy Fernández took centre stage on the first day, which was moderated by the Director of Institutional Relations, Emilio Butragueño. Roberto Carlos, Real Madrid legend and ambassador, opened this edition: “I am very grateful because having played for the best club in the world has earned me the affection of the people. It is an honour to be an ambassador for this club and to share its story around the world. Off the pitch, you see the greatness of this badge. Here, when we win, we celebrate, but the most important thing is the mentality of this institution. Real Madrid is unique.”
“This club teaches you respect, to behave properly and to learn how to win. Football is a school and, by living alongside people of many nationalities, it teaches you many things. Regarding my retirement, I prepared myself thoroughly whilst I was playing for that moment. I made the decision to stop after achieving everything in football, but the fact that I prepared myself well—which is important—helped me a great deal.”
His career
“Ever since I started playing football at the age of three, every day has been a struggle. I’ve always tried to set an example and I like it when people speak well of me, but I’ve never considered myself the best because some of the finest left-backs have played here. The statistics are good, but all I ever did was enjoy myself and train. I’m grateful that people see me in that light.”
Winning the Champions League with Real Madrid
“When I arrived, I hadn’t played in the Champions League, and I began to understand what this competition meant when the music played before the match started. By 1998, it had been 32 years since the club had won the competition, and doing it against Juventus that year was incredible. When we came together, we were unstoppable. The Champions League is a unique competition and means a great deal to the club.”
Basketball takes centre stage
Sergio Rodríguez, Felipe Reyes and Rudy Fernández brought the first day of Semana Blanca to a close by discussing the basketball team. Sergio Rodríguez, a legend and our club’s basketball sporting director, said: “Being able to sit here now that we’ve retired and talk about how we feel is fantastic. Madrid is a cornerstone of our careers. When we look back on our best moments, they’re always linked to Real Madrid, like those two consecutive EuroLeague titles we won in 2015 and 2016. We’re very lucky.”
His new role at the club
“Throughout my career, I’ve picked up routines that help me understand what works for you. Now, as sporting director, I’m also learning a great deal. I’m really looking forward to this new chapter and I’m very happy to be experiencing it this way. At Real Madrid, you always have to be prepared to handle the pressure at the most tense moments. That’s been the key in the finals I’ve played in, and it’s something I’m trying to continue applying now.”
Achieving goals
“You have to enjoy the journey. We focus a lot on the goal and the end result, but when you reach that goal, you remember what you went through. We can talk about many happy moments, but when we get together we talk about how we achieved that goal and what brought us there. You always have to enjoy that process; it’s a wonderful thing.”
Felipe Reyes: “I’m proud that we’ve been able to give the Real Madrid fans so much”
“I’m very happy to be back for another year at the Semana Blanca. Real Madrid has been our home for many years. We’ve had some wonderful moments, like the La Liga title we won in Vitoria in the fifth match in 2004. I’m proud that we’ve been able to give the fans of this club so much.”
Being captain of Real Madrid
“Leadership is about commitment. It’s about setting an example both on and off the pitch. It’s about going to training every day, giving 100%, and seeing that your teammates look up to you as a role model. That way, you inspire them to do the same. I’ve tried to do that throughout my career and as captain of Real Madrid. That way of being, of giving my all, is part of who I am, and it’s something I’ve really fostered at the club. I’ve learnt never to give up and to fight until the very end.”
Rudy: “Being part of Real Madrid has been a source of pride”
“When we were playing, we knew the responsibility that comes with this badge. Being part of Real Madrid has been a source of pride, as has being able to end our playing careers at the club that has given us so much. The commitment we had as players was immense.”
The tribute at his final match
“The moment of the tribute in 2024 may well stand out above everything else I’ve achieved. The fact that the fans thanked me for all those years of playing has undoubtedly been one of the best moments of my career. The high standards demanded by the club’s supporters make you a better player, and thanks to that, we’ve achieved what we’ve achieved.”
Other contributions
The first day of Semana Blanca also featured Silvia Montes-Jovellar, Project Director at the Real Madrid Foundation, who, alongside Alaia and Mauro, members of the Real Madrid Foundation, spoke about the important work of the Real Madrid Foundation: the soul of the club.
Alaia is part of the Foundation’s adapted and inclusive basketball schools. “Thanks to the Foundation and the coaches, I enjoy playing and representing the values of sport. I feel great when I go to play basketball. One of my favourite moments with the Foundation was when I went to watch a first-team basketball match.”
For his part, Mauro plays adapted football for people with visual impairments at the Real Madrid Foundation’s sensory sports schools. “For someone of my age, playing sport is very important, as it’s something you need to feel better about yourself and also to connect with other people. This way, I can meet more people who share the same passion as me, which is football.”
To round off the day, Rodrigo Marín, Director of Strategy and Corporate Projects at Real Madrid, focused his presentation on the state of the football industry and the Real Madrid formula.