---
description: Exclusive Interview: Claude Makélélé breaks down the 2025/26 EPL season, Chelsea’s risks, and why Brazilian players rarely succeed in England.
title: Exclusive: Makélélé Talks Chelsea, Premier League & Rodrygo
image: https://cdn.oddspedia.com/images/betting/2025/08/ClaudeMakeleleHeader-min.png
---

In a world of guarded press conferences and carefully crafted soundbites, football legends rarely speak their mind. But in an exclusive interview with Oddspedia, Claude Makélélé, the man who gave his name to a position, gave an unfiltered look into the state of the modern game.

> "Almost all Brazilian players never have a lot of success in Premier League..."

From surprising Ballon d’Or picks to a controversial warning for Brazilian players, the [Chelsea](https://oddspedia.com/football/teams/chelsea-2354) and [Real Madrid](https://oddspedia.com/football/teams/real-madrid-1) icon held nothing back.

His unique perspective, born from a career at the highest level, offers a fascinating glimpse into what could be in store for the coming season.

## Makélélé: Ousmane Dembélé deserves the Ballon d’Or

Makélélé’s most striking opinion is his backing of Ousmane Dembélé for the Ballon d’Or.

As one of the most respected defensive midfielders in history with over 600 appearances for some of Europe’s biggest clubs, Makélélé’s judgement may be seen as a mark of a player’s true value.

While many are focused on younger talents like Lamine Yamal, Makélélé argues that Dembélé’s recent development makes him a deserving candidate.

He believes the move to Paris has unlocked a new level of maturity in the winger’s game. Makélélé said: **“I think in the future he will take more and more Ballon d’Ors. But for my side, I will give it to Dembélé. Since he moved to Paris, he’s starting to understand he can be a leader… I think he deserves it because he won many trophies this season.”**

#### Who did EA FC 26 predict would win the Premier League Title? Find out in our [EA FC 26 Simulator](https://oddspedia.com/insights/features/ea-sports-fc-26-simulation-study)!

## A stark warning for Rodrygo and Brazilian talent

Makélélé, a two-time [La Liga](https://oddspedia.com/football/spain/primera-division) winner with Real Madrid and two-time [Premier League](https://oddspedia.com/football/england/premier-league) winner with Chelsea star, understands the differences between the two leagues better than most.

When asked for his take on Rodrygo’s potential move to England, the Frenchman argued the physical nature of the Premier League would be a poor fit for the Real Madrid forward, stating that he would be “frustrated” without consistent possession.

Claude Makélélé went one step further: **“Almost all Brazilian players never have a lot of success in Premier League.”** He then added that if Rodrygo were to move, he should only consider a possession-based team like Arsenal to suit his style.

## A legend’s view on Chelsea’s youth-focused project

As a Chelsea legend who played a foundational role in the club’s greatest era, Makélélé’s opinions on the current squad carry significant weight.

He offered a word of caution to the club’s new ownership about their youth-centric transfer policy. While acknowledging the value of development, he pointed out a potential pitfall in the team’s strategy.

He believes that a lack of experience could be a major issue in high-stakes games. Makélélé warned: **“I think the project for Chelsea takes more young players for development… sometimes it’s dangerous to mix all the young players together. When you arrive for a final, it’s a big game. Sometimes you need experience.”**

## Predicting a Premier League title race surprise?

While many football experts are predicting another two-horse race between Manchester City and Arsenal, while Liverpool currently top the [Premier League Winner odds,](https://oddspedia.com/insights/football/premier-league-winner-odds) Makélélé has a different view.

**“I think maybe this season we’ll have some surprises in the Premier League. I think we will not see only the five. We will see maybe one team will develop something because all the teams in the Premier League have progressed a lot. I think this season with all this competition, many teams will be tired.”**

He suggests that the intense schedule, including domestic competitions and the upcoming [World Cup](https://oddspedia.com/football/world/world-cup), will lead to unprecedented levels of player fatigue. This, Claude Makélélé believes, will open the door for a surprise team to challenge for the top spots.

#### All quotes from Claude Makélélé in this article are taken from an exclusive interview conducted by Oddspedia. Journalists and media outlets are welcome to use these quotes, provided they are attributed to Oddspedia. Please ensure links back to the original article to provide full context for readers.

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