On Sky 90, he had some strong words not only for Real’s superstar Vinicius Junior and his behaviour on the pitch, but also for the club’s conduct in recent times. “Vinicius is, of course, a great player, but he provokes endlessly,” Matthäus began, before elaborating: “Then, when you really tackle him on the pitch, he just complains, then he cries. It’s a bit typical of him.”
Real’s boycott of the 2024 Ballon d’Or gala was not acceptable to the 65-year-old: “Rodri was named World Footballer of the Year, and then they said: ‘Yes, unfair, it should have been one of us.’ So we’re boycotting it. You don’t do that. Out of respect for your opponents, the other teams and players – you don’t do that. The press saw it in a negative light too, and so a club that has achieved great things and has a truly great history somehow loses some of its prestige."
Matthäus’ conclusion: “Well, I don’t think it’s right either how Real Madrid have behaved in recent years.”