In the summer of 2003, Perez just wanted to add the name of a certain David Beckham to his list of Galacticos.

In his pursuit of the world football’s most glamorous ‘one trick pony’, Perez transferred the unassuming Makelele to Chelsea and stated that his star-studded team would never miss a Frenchman ‘with average technique’.

So hurt was Zinedine Zidane by his club president’s comments that the maestro remarked: “Why put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the entire engine.”

Beckham may have helped Perez sell more Real Madrid shirts than ever before, but the absence of the tireless Makelele on the field hit Real hard. So much so that Real had to spend three seasons without a trophy, while Makelele created history with Chelsea, winning two Premier League titles and one FA Cup title.  “My transfer from Real was not a very pleasant experience, especially for the things that happened,” says Makelele, who now plays his club football for the Emirates-sponsored Paris Saint-Germain in France.  “But I think I set a good example. I proved my abilities as a footballer in a new team and in a new league. I believe you earn respect if you perform well. And that’s what I did with Chelsea. What I learned from my father when I was a kid helped me during this tough time. I was mentally tough from the very beginning.”

Champions League Glory

Under Jose Mourinho, Claude Makelele could do no wrong, winning balls for his flashy teammates to attack. It’s not difficult to see which team is closer to the Frenchman’s heart.

“It’s time for Chelsea to win the club football biggest tournament — the Champions League,” says Makelele.

“I won lot of trophies with Chelsea. I made lot of friends there. So Chelsea is the team that I want to win the Champions League. This is the biggest tournament in the world after the World Cup. Hopefully, under Carlo Ancelotti, Chalesea will win this time. They have some very big players. Players like John Terry and Didier Drogba have been great for Chelsea Football Club,” added Makelele, who was immense for that Real Madrid team which won the Champions League in 2002.

For the pure football fans, Makelele has been the anti-hero. His job, after all, was to stop the flow of the other team. And he did his job so well that the pundits now call the defensive midfield role as the ‘Makelele Role’ And yet, the Frenchman, who was in Dubai on Thursday to attend a coaching clinic for school footballers, revealed that he too wanted to become a hero.

“When I was young, you know, I wanted to play as a striker. I wanted to score goals. Even when I was starting my career as a professional footballer, I wanted to score. But my first coach changed my position. He felt that I had all the qualities to become a good defensive player. That’s how I became a holding midfielder. I have lot of energy. Big strikers don’t trouble me.”

Makelele, who reached the World Cup final with France in 2006, admits France may face some real trouble against Ireland in the World Cup playoff.  “The France-Ireland is a very difficult game. The team that plays well in two matches will enter the finals. France need to play like a team, that’s the most important thing. If they can do that, they have a good chance of qualifying for the World Cup.”

Makelele says winning the Champions League and reaching the World Cup final have been his most memorable moments in football. And now the 36-year-old is taking a slow walk into the sunset.  “I joined PSG because I wanted to come back to my country. All my family members are in Paris. From a footballing point of view, I think I still have a lot to offer. My main aim is to win more matches for the team. I want to help the young players of the team. I think we can achieve a lot with this team. If we keep performing well, I think we will have a chance to play in Europe next season.”

Special One

The former Olympique de Marseille player believes “it’s easier to become a defensive player now”.

“Teams are more organised these days,” he says. “Before it was not so easy as teams liked to play an open game, making it hell for players like me. There are still four or five very good defensive players now. The one who has impressed me most is Lass Diarra of Real Madrid.”

It’s not surprising that Claude Makelele has been very impressed by a very ‘Special One’ as well.  “Mourinho and Vicente del Bosque were the best managers. They made me feel good. They helped me develop my football. I enjoyed playing my football under them.”