It was all glitz and glamour at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday night, as they all but sealed the Liga title against Barcelona in El Clasico. Their new 360-degree screen was in operation for the first time, and Tom Brady was in the house.
Not just in the house, but more precisely, in the Real Madrid changing room after the match. As Los Blancos beat Barcelona 3-2, Brady watched on.
“It was very nice, surprising. I hadn’t seen a football game in a long time and it was really good. An incredible stadium and I enjoyed it a lot,” he told Marca.
He was asked if he spoke to any of the players in particular in the dressing room.
“Yes, I was with Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Jude, Vini, Toni (Rudiger)… they are a tremendous team and I loved how they celebrated the victory and the atmosphere in the locker room.”
And about the renovated Santiago Bernabeu, which is nearing completion.
“It’s a great stadium. A lot of work has been done to transform an old stadium into a new one and it is a fabulous experience. Spectacular, the people are very loud, it has fantastic technology. I love it.”
Brady was also quizzed on his own success, and whether discipline was a large part of it.
“The number of great colleagues I have had. And also the coaches. Then I put all my will, my energy, my enthusiasm into everything I did. But I repeat that it was the team that led me to achieve a great personal career and seven rings. I was always in great teams.”
The most successful quarterback in American football history was seen earlier in the day scooting around Madrid too. He no doubt was in town for promotional work to a degree, and likely to do with the NFL. The first game ever to be held on Spanish soil will take place next year at the Bernabeu, where the renovations were no doubt key in securing the contract. Brady is likely to be part of the effort to grow the game in Spain, and similar crossovers have been seen with Bayern Munich in Germany in the past.
Images via Marca / Real Madrid
