Cesar Prates - the 'other' Roberto Carlos

Shortly after signing as Real Madrid coach, Fabio Capello enquired about the acquisition of a right back and the Los Blancos board signed a promising Brazilian 21-year-old called Cezar Prates, who arrived in Madrid with the aim of becoming the Roberto Carlos of Los Merengues’ right wing.

The Madrid club offered 130 million pesetas to Internacional de Porto Alegre to secure the prodigy’s signature, while the player was offered a four-year contract by Josep Maria Minguella.

Although having already featured in the Brazilian national team twice, Prates was demoted to Real Madrid’s reserves, despite the fact that he was occasionally training with the first team.

The Brazilian never managed to make an official debut, albeit scoring a goal in his first match in Real Madrid colours, a tribute friendly game to Hugo Sanchez against PSG, playing on the left flank.

Under the shadow of Cristian Panucci, Prates never got the opportunity to prove himself in top-flight football, registering 15 appearances with the reserves and his second friendly game with the first team, before departing from the Bernabeu.

Convinced he could get a place in Brazil’s squad for the 1998 World Cup, he moved back home with spells for Vasco de Gama, Coritiba, Botagofo and Corinthians. After the end of his contract with Los Blancos, he joined Sporting Lisbon, and went on to face his former club in two Champions League matches.

He spent the rest of his career playing for clubs like Gatalasaray, Livorno and Chievo, before once again moving back to Brazil, where he retired in 2010 in Clube Náutico, to become an evangelist pastor. Cezar Prato couldn’t justify the promise surrounding his name and Real Madrid weren't able to produce a new Roberto Carlos for their right wing.