PSV head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy has spoken in an interview with The Overlap, where he reflected on his time at Real Madrid and discussed his biggest career mistake.
“I was with [Manuel] Pellegrini at the time and they signed Benzema, Ronaldo, Kaka, so there was no place for me,” Van Nistelrooy told former Valencia coach Gary Neville.
“I understood, I accepted it, I was 33. I wanted to give it a go to go to the World Cup in 2010, and I went to Hamburg. I made that decision too quickly.
“I shouldn’t have left Madrid. It wasn’t the right time for my family to leave either.”
The former Netherlands international striker also gave his thoughts on the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo comparison, adding, “I always say Cristiano, because I have a past with him.”
Van Nistelrooy spoke about his time with Málaga in La Liga and his relationship with current Real Betis winger Joaquín. “I was at Málaga with him, and he’s also, like you, a TV personality now as well. He’s also famous for his jokes and he’s a real real character. He’s a funny guy as well.”
Kieran Quaile | GSFN
