Makelele remembered the opportunity that came his way: "Generally, you never leave Real Madrid because it's considered the best team in the world. However, the opportunity to join Chelsea arose because Roman Abramovich strongly fought for me to make the move."

"Yes, I spoke to Roman Abramovich and he convinced me, along with Chelsea's then-manager Claudio Ranieri," Makelele explained. "Roman was persistent, and I realized that the club was truly invested in bringing me to Chelsea. That's why I decided to join the club, because they genuinely wanted me." Makelele ensured that he gave his all to the team, stating, "When I arrived, I gave 100 percent to the club. We formed an incredible team, and our matches were enjoyed not only by Chelsea fans but also by the entire Premier League community."