Roy Keane: That's why I refused Real Madrid

Irish legend has won every possible trophy during his career with Unitedey, but after a dispute with Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2005.

Keane was 34 years old and headed for the end of her career, but there was still much interest in leading European clubs. One of them was the powerful Real Madrid that Keane faced on many occasions as United States captain.

After receiving many calls, Keane decided to accept Real's offer first, but later decided to reject it while he has already discovered history.

“Real Madrid offered me a year and a half deal”, originally wrote Keane on his second autobiography.

Michael Kennedy had moved to Madrid and he would negotiate the deal with Real. They also talked to me. Butragueno called me and what a player he was. Michael told me he'd call me, so I took my cell phone everywhere with me”

And fate is what it is, he called me when I was sitting in the bathroom. He told me: Roy, we'll be happy to have you. The club board simply had to sanction the agreement; it was a standard procedure”.

It was the most attractive challenge before me, but I didn't accept”.

I should have said to myself: Go to Spain, live there for a year and a half, learn another language, learn culture. You can end up loving her. You can also stay there”

I took a negative approach, I think instead of saying: This is amazing, what a chance for me. It could have been great for my kids. The weather and training could have given me another contract and two more years of playing; I could have chosen new techniques for myself. But instead, as usual, I was looking at what could go wrong”, the Irish guy ended up.

Keane would end up joining the childhood club Celtic in January 2006 and ended up playing 13 games with them before he retired and eventually moved into the coach's world.