The Legend

“In Dutch we have a word for players like Rafael – apartaklass – it means different class. What can I say about this boy? He can score goals – all kinds of goals – and he knows how to make the final pass.

“He has qualities that remind you of an early Maradona or Johan Cruyff. He thinks faster than most other players. He has this great ability to deceive the opposition – he might look left, but he’ll play a pass to the right. He knows exactly what is going on around him on the pitch, and what is going to happen next.

“You could see it at Hamburg, where he had a big role on his shoulders, playing behind a solitary centre forward. Just look at how many of their goals he scored or created.

He is like Denis Bergkamp
“I’m really happy to see him move to Real Madrid. He could also shine in England. To be honest, I can’t understand why clubs such as Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea didn’t come in for him before now. He is just the sort of player who could help their teams.

“He is like Denis Bergkamp – he has similar qualities and has the same ability to influence a game. That sort of talent is a natural gift. You can teach players how to improve their mentality, you can build their physique, and even improve their tactical knowledge, but the sort of football talent that Rafael has is something he was born with.

“From a very early age, you could tell he knew what he was doing. By the time he was 16, we all knew he was going to be a great player… and a great goalscorer. It’s not just the number of goals he scores – which for a midfielder is phenomenal – but the quality and variety.

He is a very nice guy
“As with John [Heitinga] and Wesley [Sneijder], I’ve known Rafael since he was around 10 years old. I watched these guys growing up, getting better every year.

“I should also say that he is a very nice guy, and that is important too. He is a very loyal person, who values his friends. He calls me on a regular basis for example, to ask advice, to find out how I am, or to tell me how he is doing.

“Much of his character comes down to his family background. I always believe that when the family is good, the player has a much better chance of doing well. Rafael’s parents have always been very supportive. And of course he has Spanish blood through his mother’s side, and they place a lot of importance on being close as a family.”