Rafael: Anderson could have been the best player in the world “but he just ate whatever was put in front of him”

In an autobiography that he wrote with his twin brother Fabio, Rafael wrote about Anderson, among other things: “When we were on the highway in the team bus and passed a rest stop, Anderson jumped up and yelled, ‘McDonald’s, McDonald’s. The guy was crazy, but I love him. “

If Anderson was in the rhythm, “there was no better player in the league than him,” said Rafael. The right-back, today under contract with Istanbul Basaksehir, stated in the excerpt published in advance in Mirror from: “When he played well we were mostly brilliant. Unfortunately he sustained a few serious injuries and his diet became a problem. It is no coincidence that he was in his best form when there were a lot of games and he not that much could eat. “

Anderson won the Champions League with Manchester United

For Rafael it is therefore clear: “If he had acted like a professional footballer, he could have been the best in the world. My impression is: I don’t think he ever took anything seriously. He just loved the easy life. “

In 2007 Anderson moved from FC Porto to Manchester United for over 30 million euros and was on the field for the Red Devils in the 2008 Champions League final against Chelsea. He converted his attempt on penalties. In the same year he was also awarded the Golden Boy Award.

Anderson was one of the most popular players in the United squad because of his lightness, according to Rafael: “But he just ate everything that was put in front of him.”

Due to injuries and poor form, Anderson never became an undisputed pillar of the Red Devils. He was loaned to Fiorentina and returned to Internacional in his home country in 2015. In 2018, after six months without a contract, he hired the then Turkish second division club Adana Demirspor, for which he played 15 competitive games. He then ended his career.