Mourinho wants Roberto Carlos, world's best defender

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said he wants Real Madrid's Brazilian international Roberto Carlos, seen here 30 May 2006, to join the English champions next year because the 33-year-old is the world's best defender.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said he wants Real Madrid's Brazilian international Roberto Carlos to join the English champions next year because the 33-year-old is the world's best defender.

"Roberto is 33 but I consider him to be the best in his position and I wish it would be possible," he told private Portuguese television station TVI.

"I am not one of those who looks at a player's birth certificate. I am one of those who thinks what matters is what he does during the 90 minutes he is on the pitch, not if he is 20, 30 or 40," the Portuguese manager added.

Carlos, who is part of Brazil's squad during the June 9-July 9 World Cup in Germany, has helped Real Madrid win three Spanish League titles since he joined the club in 1996.

He said last week he had received a three-year offer from Chelsea and would give them an answer before the World Cup finals starts on June 9.

The left back, who won his first cap for Brazil in 1992 and was a member of the losing side in the 1998 World Cup final and the winning one in 2002, has a year remaining on his contract with Real Madrid.