The Dutch international who said "no" to Madrid for fear of the language

The Holland of finals of the 90 and beginnings of the 2000 was formed in his majority by players of the FC Barcelona. Michael Reiziger, Frank of Boer, his brother Ronald, Philip Cocu, Boudewijn Zenden or Patrick Kluivert were important in the Dutch selection and tried to be it also in the group barcelonista. But this combined 'oranje' also was composed by other players as for example Ber Konterman.

The central of the Feyenord was to title usually in the Dutch group and several big of Europe asked after he. One of these teams was the Real Madrid​, that looked for defender and fixed in him. He same has explained almost 20 years afterwards how was the interest of the merengues, that offered 20 million dollars by him. "The Real Madrid offered 20 million dollars to the Feyenoord by me. It said it to me Leo Beenhakker, that was my trainer and had trained to the Real Madrid three years before", recognised.

The conocidon ex technical madridista directed by that then to the Feyenord and seems that when communicating him the news to his pupilo assumed that his wish would be to accept the offer of the Madrid. "Wine to me and said me 'The Real Madrid wants you, I said him 'No, are kidding, do not create you'. Then he said: 'I Want to that you remain you in the Feyenoord, but imagine me that you will want to go to the Real Madrid because it is a fantastic club'", explained.

In this moment, Konterman were 28 years old and had gone in in his sportive maturity, by what still had by in front 4 or 5 years to big level. The Dutch surprised ensuring that had fear by the change that supposed to arrive to all a Madrid. "Always I thought that my following team would have to have been in Germany or Great Britain because it spoke very well the German and spoke quite well the English, so Spain gave me a bit of fear because it was a bit nervous by this big movement to a club like the Real Madrid", affirmed.

It left to happen the train and finish arrepintiéndose

The defender explained the reason by which finish refusing and seems that it was not something sportive, but cultural. It did not know at all of Spanish and did not see in a club like the Madrid in this moment of his career. "It was a bit nervous for learning Spanish, think that like human being in this moment was not smart to do this movement to the Real Madrid. Afterwards I darse that it was something stupid on my part because they were really interested", signalled.

But the answer of Konterman was "no", left to happen his train and at the end his career finish remaining in at all to level of clubs. The central did not go back to have an important proposal like the one of the Madrid and in the 2000 left Holland to leave to the Glasgow Rangers of the Scottish league. It was in Scotland three seasons and in 2003 went back to his country to finish his career in the Vitesse, where withdrew in 2004 with 34 years.