"They just wanted to make stories" - Former Real Madrid who 'slept on the bench during a match' blasts Spanish media

Former footballer Julien Faubert recently opened up about his infamous transfer from West Ham United to Real Madrid back in 2009.

The switch was considered bizarre, as the Frenchman moved from the Hammers to one of the most successful clubs in European football history. However, Faubert's time in Spain was marked by a notorious incident that has lived on in memory.

In 2009, the Spanish press published photos of Faubert seemingly 'sleeping' on the bench during a match. Now 39 and retired, Faubert has explained that he was merely resting his eyes for a few seconds and was not actually asleep. The images, he claims, inaccurately represented the situation.

West Ham benchwarmer Julien Faubert became a shock Galactico in 2009, leading to this photo with baffled Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano.

Faubert made the most of a dream move by missing training and falling asleep on the bench against Villarreal. https://t.co/IgmaXBpgPm

Speaking to Ladbrokes Fanzone (via The Sun), Faubert explained:

"It's funny because one of the moments I'm most known for during my time with Madrid is that picture of me 'sleeping' on the bench during a game. I can say now, I was very much a rookie at that stage in my career when it came to the media."

"It was unbelievable, the Spanish media… they just wanted to make stories. For a few seconds, I just slumped back in my chair and closed my eyes, and that was it; the media said they'd caught me sleeping."

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Faubert's teammates at the time, including Ruud van Nistelrooy and Michel Salgado, offered him advice and support following the incident. According to the former Real Madrid man, they were reportedly unsurprised by the misleading portrayal of events.

"It was funny at the time, because obviously, it was something all of my teammates were used to, and they knew that the photos weren't an accurate representation. The players just said, 'Welcome to Madrid!'"

"A couple of the older guys, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Michel Salgado, came to me and said, 'Julien, this is Madrid; even when you are outside, you are not alone. You need to be careful with everything. The only place you can relax and be yourself is at home.'"

Former Real Madrid player Faubert was teased by his teammates at West Ham

Despite making only two appearances for Real Madrid, Faubert's brief stint in Spain continued to provide fodder for jokes upon his return to England. Carlton Cole, one of his West Ham teammates, was the main instigator of the teasing, according to Faubert:

"Of course, when I came back to West Ham, my teammates joked around with me about the whole thing. Carlton Cole was one of the main culprits; the first day I returned to training, he came over to me, offered his hand out and asked me how I'd like him to greet me; was I a sir now, or something else?"

"And then, often in training, if I made a quick burst down the wing, Mark Noble would say something like, Wow, guys we've got a Real Madrid player in our team!"

Faubert ultimately left West Ham in 2012 after playing 121 matches for the club.