The Brazilian full-back began his career at Fluminense before joining Madrid in 2007.
During his time in Spain, Marcelo became one of the top players in his position. ..Continue Reading
Throughout his career, Marcelo made 546 appearances for Real Madrid, scoring 38 goals and winning numerous trophies, including six La Liga titles and five Champions League titles.
Marcelo frequently faced Barcelona, competing against stars like Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, and Sergio Busquets.
However, in a recent interview, the 36-year-old disclosed that the Barcelona player he feared the most was not Messi, but legendary Spanish centre-back Carles Puyol.
Explaining his choice, he joked, via SPORT: “I remember that I made a play, I dribbled one and Puyol comes.
“I thought I was close to the ball, he wouldn’t reach it, and he wouldn’t tackle me. But from afar, he reached and dived. If I hadn’t lifted my foot… it would have been over.”
Puyol is a legendary figure for both Barcelona and Spain, with an impressive 682 appearances for the Catalan club, scoring 25 goals and providing 14 assists.
Renowned for his leadership and uncompromising playing style, Puyol’s presence on the field was formidable.
In a past interview, Marcelo discussed how he managed to handle Messi during El Clasico encounters.
He said: “Messi did not talk during the games and I tried not to talk to him because he was quiet. We always said that we should leave him like that.
“Because if we decided to obstruct him, we would provoke him and then he would get angry, and if he was angry, he became more and more difficult to handle.”
After a stunning career in European football playing for Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain, Messi left the continent to join Major League Soccer team Inter Miami in 2023.
Since then, the 37-year-old superstar has scored 34 goals in 39 games.
