In thisPortuguese name, the first or maternalfamily name isVieira and the second or paternal family name isda Silva. "Júnior" is agenerational suffix used for someone whose name is the same as their father, like "Jr." in English.
Marcelo Vieira da Silva Júnior (born 12 May 1988), known asMarcelo, is a Brazilian former professionalfootballer who played as aleft-back. Widely regarded as one of the greatest left-backs of all time, he is known for his attacking capabilities.[4] He spent most of his career withLa Liga clubReal Madrid and is one of the club’smost decorated players, winning 25 trophies.[5]
Starting his professional career with Fluminense in 2005, Marcelo won aCampeonato Carioca title in his first season and was named in the 2006 BrasileirãoTeam of the Season. In January 2007, he joined Real Madrid for an €8 million fee.[6] At Real Madrid, he went on to be a mainstay, winning many trophies, including fiveUEFA Champions League titles and six La Liga titles.[5] In 2021, Marcelo became the captain of Real Madrid from the start of the2021–22 season, making him the first foreign captain since 1904.[7] After leaving Real Madrid in 2022, he had a five-month spell atOlympiacos, followed by a return to Fluminense in 2023, where he won theCopa Libertadores. He has been named in theFIFPro World XI six times, theUEFA Team of the Year three times, andLa Liga's Team of the Season in 2016. He was also named toFrance Football's "Team of the Decade (2010–2019)".[8]
Marcelo started playingfutsal at age nine and by age 13, he was on the books ofFluminense in Rio de Janeiro. He came from a very poor background and even considered quitting football, but his grandfather convinced him to continue with the sport.
Real Madrid
Marcelo training with Real Madrid in 2007
Marcelo joinedReal Madrid during the January transfer window in 2007. On his arrival, club PresidentRamón Calderón said, "He is an important signing for us. He is a young player who will inject some freshness into the side and is part of our plan to bring younger players into the squad. We're very happy because he's a pearl that half of Europe wanted."[11] Many spectators hailed him as Brazilian and Real Madrid greatRoberto Carlos' potential successor in the left-back role.
Marcelo made his debut as a substitute in the 2–0 defeat againstDeportivo La Coruña on 7 January 2007.[12] On 14 April 2007, then coachFabio Capello gave Marcelo his first start for Real Madrid againstRacing de Santander. Real Madrid controversially lost the game 2–1.[13] In the2007–08 season, Marcelo started nearly all of Madrid's league games under the new managerBernd Schuster. His ability, speed running across the field, attack, and defence had enabled him to become a very important player for Real Madrid.
After a string of poor performances in 2009, Marcelo found himself on the bench for much of the remaining season while under new managerJuande Ramos, mainly as deputy to the more defensive-mindedGabriel Heinze. Ramos deployed Marcelo as a winger on more than one occasion, and the Brazilian adapted well to his new role. He scored his first goal after receiving a heel flick from strikerGonzalo Higuaín and slotting the ball past the goalkeeper in Madrid's 4–0 thumping ofSporting Gijón. After the game, coach Ramos declared that Marcelo's future would be positioned as a winger, but will push back to defense when required. Marcelo scored his second goal for Real Madrid in a victory overAlmería, a powerful strike from outside the box with his weaker right foot.
On 18 April 2009, he scored his third goal of his Real Madrid career, when he scored the only goal of the game againstHuelva away from home.[14] He scored his fourth goal againstSevilla at theRamón Sánchez Pizjuán in April 2009.
2009–2011: Rise to prominence
Marcelo with Real Madrid in 2010
Under the next head coachManuel Pellegrini, Marcelo consistently featured in the starting XI for his versatility and pace along the left flank inoffensive anddefensive roles. He continued to be employed as a left-winger under Pellegrini, and reached the top of the assist charts of La Liga in the2009–10 season. He admitted in a press conference at the end of 2009, "I now feel better playing as a winger."[15] His successful performance in Real Madrid's 2009–10 campaign earned him a contract extension on 5 February 2010 with the club until June 2015.[16] This season proved to be his breakthrough season at the club.
In the2010–11 season under new coachJosé Mourinho, Marcelo was back in his natural position of left back. He started all league games, paying back the coach's confidence in him with defensive steel and attacking intent and gained the coach's admiration. On 25 November 2010, Marcelo was named as a part of the 55 player shortlist for theFIFA World XI. He scored his first goal of the new season in a 1–0 win againstEspanyol on 13 February.[17] He had a terrific match againstLyon in theChampions League. Showing his attacking flair and defensive skills, he opened the scoring with his first-ever Champions League goal and assistedKarim Benzema's goal, at the end he was named man of the match, of which Real went on to win 3–0, and progressed to the quarter-finals for the first time since 2004.[18] Marcelo then continued his fine season by scoring in the second leg of the semi-finals againstBarcelona in theCamp Nou. The game ended 1–1, but Real Madrid lost by an aggregate score of 3–1 since they lost 2–0 at home in the first leg. Marcelo's successful campaign in the Champions League earned him a starting spot inUEFA's starting XI. Marcelo was heavily praised by the worldwide media during that season, and many called him the best left back in the world.Diego Maradona said he was the third best player in La Liga, afterCristiano Ronaldo andLionel Messi.[19]
2011–2013: First-team mainstay
Marcelo training with Real Madrid in 2012
Marcelo was sent off on 17 August 2011 during Madrid's 3–2 loss to Barcelona. On 3 December 2011, Marcelo scored Madrid's third goal in a 3–0 victory overSporting Gijón inLa Liga.
Paolo Maldini gave credits to Marcelo and called him the current left back, "who is a great attacker and a defender, a specialist of both areas."[20]
Roberto Carlos named Marcelo as the world's best left back, saying. "He had more ability than me with the ball and he joins in better," and even called him his heir.[21] Marcelo had shown great performances as a left back, such as in the Champions League quarter-finals against Cypriot clubAPOEL, while entering as a substitute in the 75th minute forFábio Coentrão. Marcelo was part of the starting XI as Real Madrid claimed their 32nd league title.
As of February 2013, Marcelo had returned from injury and captained Real Madrid on 23 February at theEstadio Riazor which ended in a 2–1 victory forLos Merengues. On 20 April, he played as the captain again againstReal Betis at theSantiago Bernabéu. In the 14th minute, he sustained a muscle injury after intercepting a long through-ball, but the game ended in 3–1 victory for the home side.
2013–2018: European and domestic success
Marcelo scored the opening goal for Real Madrid againstChelsea in the Guinness International Champions Cup 2013 final on 7 August; Real Madrid won 3–1.[23] During the league season, he played 28 matches, and scored one goal, in a 3–0 win overLevante on 9 March.[24]
Marcelo scored Real Madrid's third goal of their 4–1 win in theChampions League final against city rivalsAtlético Madrid, with an extra-time strike from outside the box after coming on as a substitute forFábio Coentrão.[25]
On 10 July 2015, Marcelo signed a new contract with Real Madrid, keeping him at the club until 2020. On 18 October 2015, he scored his first goal of the season by scoring Real Madrid's first goal in a 3–0 home win againstLevante.[26][27]
He was a regular starter when the team won theChampions League, beating Atlético Madrid again in thefinal on penalties.[28]
On 13 September 2017, Marcelo signed a new contract which would keep him at the club until summer 2022.[32] During theChampions League, he made eleven appearances, while scoring three goals, with Madrid winning their third consecutive and 13th overall Champions League title after defeatingLiverpool 3–1 in thefinal.[33]
2018–2022: Final seasons, captaincy, and departure
During the 2018–19 season, he made 34 appearances, winning theClub World Cup for the third consecutive time.[34] Later on, Marcelo made 15 appearances during the 2019–20 league season, as Real Madrid won theleague title.[35]
He appeared sporadically in the2020–21 season due to various injuries and was replaced byFerland Mendy in the left-back position. He appeared in a total of 19 matches in all competitions as Real Madrid finished second in theleague behind Atlético Madrid.
On 16 June 2021, it was announced that he would become the captain of Real Madrid from the start of the2021–22 season, as the player who had been in the first team for the longest period of time afterSergio Ramos; he was assigned the role after Ramos left, making him the first foreign captain since 1904.[7] On 19 October 2021, Marcelo made his100th Champions League appearance in a 5–0 win atShakhtar Donetsk.[36]
On 30 April 2022, after winningLa Liga, Marcelo became the player with most titles in the history of Real Madrid, surpassingPaco Gento, with 24.[37] On 28 May 2022, Marcelo lifted his fifth Champions League trophy after defeating Liverpool 1–0 in thefinal at theStade de France, despite not featuring in the game itself.[38] After the final, Marcelo announced that he would leave the club after 15 years.[39][40]
Olympiacos
On 3 September 2022, Marcelo signed forSuper League Greece clubOlympiacos.[41] In theGreek Cup round of 16, he scored three goals in two matches againstAtromitos.[42] On 18 February 2023, Marcelo terminated his Olympiacos contract, departing from the club after five months.[43]
Return to Fluminense
On 24 February 2023,Fluminense announced the return of Marcelo to the club.[44] He made his first appearance since his return to the club in theCopa Libertadores on 5 April in a 3–1 away victory againstSporting Cristal.[45] Four days later, Marcelo scored his first goal in his second tenure at the club with a long-range strike in a 4–1 victory againstFlamengo in the second leg of theCampeonato Carioca final. As a result, he achieved another trophy with Fluminense, the first during his second spell with the club after a 4–3 win on aggregate.[46]
On 4 November 2023, he started in theCopa Libertadores final with Fluminense againstBoca Juniors in theMaracanã Stadium, which ended in a 2–1 victory after extra time, to become the 12th player to win both Champions League and Copa Libertadores titles.[47]
On 2 November 2024, Marcelo left the club by mutual consent.[48] On 6 February 2025, he announced his retirement via his social media channels.[49]
Marcelo scored in hisBrazil debut on 5 September 2006, in a 2–0 victory againstWales atTottenham Hotspur'sWhite Hart Lane. He got the ball just outside the box and shot a typical Brazilian full-back goal. Marcelo has been compared to former Brazil national team left-backRoberto Carlos, who also played for Real Madrid. The two had played together during the second half of the2006–07 season before Carlos' move to Turkish clubFenerbahçe.[50]
In May 2010, he was named as one of the seven substitutes for Brazil's2010 FIFA World Cup squad.[51] Although he was not called up by Brazil coachDunga, he was selected again by new coachMano Menezes for a friendly against theUnited States on 10 August 2010. He was the Man of the Match for a 2–1 win in a friendly against Mexico away on 11 October 2011, as he scored the winner by dribbling past several players and then blasting the goal into the net.
In the2014 FIFA World Cup, which was once again played on home soil, Marcelo scored anown goal in the 11th minute of the opening game againstCroatia on 12 June, deflecting a shot byNikica Jelavić.[54] It was the first goal that Brazil had conceded at the World Cup,[55] although they eventually won the match 3–1.
In May 2018, Marcelo was named in the finalsquad for the2018 FIFA World Cup.[10] He wore the captain's armband in the first match and was a starter in four of the five matches Brazil played in the competition. Brazil was eliminated by Belgium in the quarter-finals on 6 July 2018, and that was his last match with the national team. In May 2019, he was omitted from Brazil's squad for the2019 Copa América.[56]
Marcelo was praised by football legends such asPaolo Maldini[20] andDiego Maradona,[19] the latter of whom also called him the best left-back in the world. Marcelo has often been compared to fellow left-backRoberto Carlos, who himself described Marcelo as his heir in 2012. Carlos also commented on Marcelo's technical skills: "Marcelo possesses a better technical ability than me."[21] Marcelo is widely regarded as one of the greatest left-backs of all time.[4][57][58][59]
Known for his attacking capabilities, Marcelo mainly plays as a full-back orwing-back, but he can also play on the left wing or inmidfield.[60][61][4][62] His movement on the ball, explosive pace, agility, anddribbling skills frequently see him beat opponents in one-on-one situations withfeints. He is a threat on counter-attacks, as he can penetrate the opponent’s defense with deep runs or get into positions where he can receive the ball often and create goals.
Moreover, hiscrossing ability, precise passing, and his vision also allow him to function as a secondaryplaymaker for his team, as he can create goalscoring chances for his teammates. While naturally left-footed, he is also adept with his right foot.[nb 1]
Despite his ability going forward, however, the defensive side of Marcelo's game has been brought into question by pundits on occasion, who have cited his defensive abilities, work-rate, and awareness as weaknesses that are in need of improvement.[61][4][71][72]
Football related business activities
In 2017, Marcelo started investing in football clubs with his company DOZE ("Twelve"). The company became a majority shareholder ofCampeonato Paranaense clubAzuriz based inMarmeleiro,Paraná. In 2021, DOZE invested in the Portuguese clubMafra.[73] In October 2025, he would form his own club to compete inKings League Spain known as Skull FC, alongside Twitch streamer Plex. Marcelo would also be on the team's inaugural roster.[74]
Personal life
In 2008, Marcelo married his longtime girlfriend Clarice Alves. On 24 September 2009, they had their first child, a son namedEnzo Alves Vieira. Their second son, Liam, was born on 1 September 2015.[75]
Marcelo has many tattoos, including his shirt number and his day of birth (12) tattooed, which are both on his left arm.[76]
He mentioned his grandfather, Pedro Vieira, as the inspiration for his football career; his grandfather supported him financially so that he could start his career in Brazil. His grandfather died in July 2014, during theWorld Cup; Marcelo wanted to withdraw from the tournament to attend his funeral but stayed with the Brazil team to honor his grandfather's wishes.[77]
On 26 July 2011, Marcelo attainedSpanish nationality, which allows him to be registered as a normal player rather than as a non-EU player, of which there is a strict quota allowed.[78][79][80]
Sponsorship
In April 2013, Marcelo was unveiled as one ofAdidas' new icons for a promotional event at theBernabéu store which showcased the F50 adiZero. Marcelo was joined by Real Madrid teammatesGareth Bale andKarim Benzema, who also wore the Adidas brand.[81] At the event, Marcelo said, "Throughout my career, I have achieved some of my dreams, and this is one too. Being next to these stars is fantastic. They have congratulated me, it's a great brand, and I am happy."
Career statistics
Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[82]
^"Player Profile".Real Madrid C.F. - Web Oficial. Real Madrid C.F Official Web Site.Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved6 February 2014.
^Tomaras, Dimitris (3 September 2022)."Ολυμπιακός: "Ερυθρόλευκος" ο Μαρσέλο! (vid)" [Olympiacos: Marcelo in "red and white"! (vid)] (in Greek). Gazzetta.gr.Archived from the original on 3 September 2022. Retrieved3 September 2022.
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