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At 37, closing in on 38, Roberto Carlos is doing his thing in Russia with FC Anzhi Makhachkala. Not in a big club, like Zenit, Kazan or one of premier Moscow clubs. The money offered to him (10 million Euro for two and a half years) was too good to turn down. The disappointing and rather scary finish he had with his Corinthians affair, starting out wonderfully but ending with him getting threatened by fans after a Copa Libertadores loss led to this weird destination.

Long gone are the days of the Selecao Glory, playing in three World Cups for Brazil, winning the 2002 tournament. Gone are his Inter and Real Madrid days, winning four La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies. His Fenerbahce stint was succesful, considering it ended well, getting a standing ovation from the fans despite failing to win the league while playing for the most popular club in Turkey. His ending with Brazil wasn’t as cheerful, deciding to quit the national team after the 1-0 loss to France in the 2006 World Cup, heavily criticized by fans for his poor marking on Thierry Henry.

So now it’s life at Dagestan. Life on the Caspian. Still making great money, but I wonder what he thinks of now. Does he miss those glory days in the Champions League and the world’s biggest stage or is he satisfied playing for a aspiring club without too much exposure. I’m sure he still loves the game, but how hard must it be for someone who’s been at the pinnacle of the sport, the best in the world in his position for a long period of time, to drag out his career in an obscure and forgettable club, which has spent most of the last decade in the second division. Bottom line, it’s great money, and he has three more Brazilians to enjoy life with him there, including two ex-internationals.