Former Tottenham and AC Milan defender Emerson Royal detailed his brutal experience in Serie A, revealing that the negative attention he received in Italy made him a more talked-about figure than Cristiano Ronaldo and led him to feel a “wave of hatred.”
According to a report from Goal.com, former AC Milan defender Emerson Royal has opened up about his difficult spell at the San Siro, stating that he received intense negative attention that surpassed even global superstars.
The Brazilian, who joined Milan from Tottenham for a fee of around €15m (£13m/$18m) in August 2024, admitted that the scrutiny was a problem from day one, believing he was “doomed” at the club.
Emerson detailed his initial unsettling feeling, revealing, “I arrived in Italy with a slightly strange feeling right from the start. From the start, every time I said or did something, I was talked about more than Cristiano Ronaldo… but in a negative way.
I felt like I had to always do twice as much to be accepted, and then still not be accepted.”
The lack of appreciation from supporters, combined with a lengthy spell on the sidelines, ultimately influenced his decision to leave Milan after less than a year for a €9m move to Flamengo in his native Brazil.
The defender also addressed a viral video of Tottenham fans chanting about his technical limitations which was allegedly “manipulated and made to look recent when I arrived at Milan, but it was an old video.
It dated back to a difficult time we went through with Conte.” Despite the criticism he faced at Tottenham, Emerson insisted that the club tried to keep him when he chose to leave because “I had improved so much. And I had an excellent relationship with everyone.”
He concluded by stressing the emotional toll of the criticism: “I’m someone who doesn’t get hurt easily, because I know my worth. But it’s not nice to arrive and feel that wave of hatred without even stepping onto the pitch and playing a single minute.
I have family and friends: they’re the ones who suffer the most. It certainly wasn’t a pleasant situation.”