Marcelo has revealed who was tougher to play against out of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The former Real Madrid star, who is one of the best attacking full-backs in football history, played 333 games alongside Ronaldo at the Bernabeu between 2009-2018.
However, their relationship started with a fight after clashing during an international game between Brazil and Portugal in 2008.
"I kicked him,” Marcelo recalled, “he was very fast. He passed by, elbowed me, and I kicked him, and he grabbed me by the neck. I tried as well, but he was very tall.”
Ronaldo grabs Marcelo
Ronaldo grabs Marcelo
The Brazilian confessed: "I received the message that Madrid was going to sign him in two months. And I thought, blimey, I'm leaving.”
But Marcelo stayed following Ronaldo’s record-breaking £80 million move from Manchester United in the summer of 2009 and it didn’t take long for the pair to strike up a good relationship both on and off the pitch.
Marcelo Answers the Messi vs Ronaldo Debate
Marcelo vs Lionel Messi
Marcelo vs Lionel Messi
They faced each other countless times in training, which means Marcelo is in a better position than most when it comes to answering the age-old Ronaldo vs Messi debate.
Marcelo played against Messi over 30 times in various Clasicos and international fixtures between fierce rivals Brazil and Argentina.
He was asked this week by Brazilian legend Romario: "You faced Cristiano and Messi, but who was the toughest?"
Without hesitating, the Brazilian said: "Messi.”
Per Marca, Marcelo added: “Messi was really formidable-like, I'm still looking for him to this day, damn. Man, he's really formidable; Messi is really tough.
"He understands all the positions on the field very well; he knows when the guy is coming with the ball, he already knows where to go, where to get out, and so on. I think he's extraordinary.”
A very honest answer there from Marcelo - but one that’s unlikely to go down well with Cristiano.
Marcelo, who earned 58 caps for Brazil between 2006-2018, brought the curtain down on his glittering career following one year back in his home country with Fluminense in 2025.
"My brother, what an incredible career!” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram following Marcelo’s retirement. “We've lived a lot together, years of achievements, victories and unforgettable moments. More than a teammate, a companion for life. Thank you for everything, my friend. I wish you all the best in this new stage of life."