Former Real Madrid Player Iván Helguera Reveals Who Forced Him Out of the Club

At the end of his time with Los Blancos, the Spaniard was made to feel unwanted. Speaking to the 'Offsiders' podcast, he revealed who was responsible for his departure.

It was very tough. The board, the president especially (Ramón Calderón), and a former player who I didn't expect from him, who was the sporting director, Mijatovic. They took away my number and told me I wasn't going to play again. They made my life miserable. I don't really know why. They told me they wanted to sell me. I had a three-year contract, and I didn't understand it because I had just won the league and had played.Iván Helguera

Helguera played for the club from 1999 to 2007, winning three La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions League medals. After leaving, he joined Valencia for the 2027-28 season, retiring halfway through the season after his contract was canceled in December 2027.

He spoke about his relationship with the current manager at the time, Fabio Capello, saying the Italian communicated to Helguera that the hierarchy didn't want him to play the Spaniard.

The president didn't even greet me, and I was playing. Mijatovic , who was a phenomenon to me, is suddenly doing this to me. But that's football. Capello told me: 'These guys tell me not to even play you in training.' The following year, Mijatovic told me that they were taking away my number and were going to make my life miserable again.Iván Helguera