Since he was stressed over learning Spanish, previous Rangers defender Bert Konterman admitted he turned down a transition to Real Madrid.
In 1999, whenever the open door arose to move to the Spanish giants, the previous Holland international, who made 12 caps for his nation, was at Feyenoord.
Instead of taking the chance, Konterman stayed for another season before joining Rangers in 2000-in any case, as stated by Marca, he admits he didn’t instantly lament that choice.
‘That summer (1999), Real Madrid offered me 20 million guilders (£9million),’ Konterman told podcast Talkin Fitbaw.
‘Leo Beenhakker was my coach and he had been a coach for Real Madrid. He said, “You want Real Madrid”
‘Maybe it was an imbecilic advance out of myself afterward,’ admits the 49-year-old. They were not kidding for sure. In any case, I told Beenhakker I was keen on staying at Feyenoord. I wasn’t pained about the choice right now. ‘I said, ‘You joke, I don’t believe you’re.’ He said, “I want you to live in Feyenoord, however, I can imagine you ‘re going to Real Madrid because it’s a great club.”
‘As I would see it, my subsequent stage would have been to Germany or Britain, because I talked very well German and fairly great English.’
Had he joined Real Madrid in 1999, Konterman, who in three years at the club made 79 league appearances for Rangers, may have won the Champions League as Madrid won the opposition in the 1999-2000 season, beating Valencia 3-0 in the final.
