Carlo Ancelotti just keeps on growing his reputation as the coolest man in football, as Alexandre Pato reveals what made him ‘look like James Bond’ in training with Milan. ‘If anyone lived with style, it was Carlo.’

The Italian tactician turns 63 later this month and the picture of him posing with a cigar alongside the Real Madrid players following their Liga triumph went viral.

He then followed that up by winning the Champions League against favourites Liverpool, becoming the first coach to win the trophy four times.

Now former Milan striker Pato has gone on The Players’ Tribune to give more insight into the Ancelotti mystique.

“Ancelotti became like a father to me. He even named his dog Pato,” said the Brazilian.

“You saw that picture of him on the bus parade in Madrid, with the sunglasses and the cigar? Well, at Milan he’d turn up to training in a helicopter. He lived in Parma and his wife knew how to fly one.

“He’d step out like James Bond. If anyone lived with style, it was Carlo.”

Of course, there was already a helicopter landing pad at the Milanello training ground for President Silvio Berlusconi.

Ancelotti was on the Milan bench from November 2001 through to May 2009, going on to experiences at Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton and back round to Real Madrid for a second stint.

He is the only coach in history to have won all five big European league titles, Serie A, the Premier League, Ligue 1, Bundesliga and this season LaLiga.

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