Carlos Tevez explains emotional reason he refused to learn English despite living in England for seven years

Carlos Tevez has explained the emotional reasoning behind his refusal to learn the English language.

Tevez spent a total of seven years in English football, first Tevez first moved to West Ham in a controversial 2006 January deadline day swoop alongside Javier Mascherano.

His goals helped West Ham stay in the Premier League and he went on to win three the league three times with Manchester United and Manchester City respectively.

Tevez made 201 appearances in the top flight and scored 84 times before departing for Juventus in 2013.

But the former Argentina international never truly settled in England and once said he would never return to Manchester, claiming "there are two restaurants, everything is small" and "it rains all the time".

Tevez was advised to learn the language by compatriot Pablo Zabaleta, who became fluent and even adopted a Mancunian twang.

The 39-year-old therefore only ever gave interviews in Spanish via a translator.

In May 2023, Tevez revealed that he only ever wanted to be spoken to in Spanish and had a "cultural problem" with England.

It was in relation to his uncle, a promising player with River Plate, becoming an alcoholic after serving in the Falklands War and his career coming to and before it began.

Image: Getty

Tevez still remains bitter over what happened to his relative.

"I didn't want to learn English because I had a cultural problem with them, I wanted them to learn Spanish," Tevez told 'Arriba Carajo' with Gastón Recondo on DSports Radio in his homeland.

"My uncle played for River, the only River fan in the family, who made it to the reserve. When he was about to play first, they called him for the Malvinas War and he couldn't play first.

"He became an alcoholic after the war, he was very bad after that. We were very close and that stuck with me.

"I spent seven years in England, but I did not adjust to the English culture. I did not like learning English because of my uncle and that culture shock that it caused me."

Tevez retired from football in 2022, a year after leaving Boca Juniors. He cited his father's passing as a key reason for no longer wanting to continue playing.

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Topics: Carlos Tevez, Argentina, Premier League, Manchester City, Manchester United

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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