Having to play under the pressure of being the new Roberto Carlos, who was also my role model, made joining Real Madrid even harder' Marcelo opens up on what it's like to replace an icon

"Everything happened very quickly, Marcelo tells FourFourTwo when asked about his move to Spain. One of the Real Madrid directors contacted Fluminense at first I didn't believe it, because it was the club's Galacticos era. It caught me completely off guard, but when that kind of opportunity arrives, it's impossible to say no."

"That label weighed heavily on me for a while, he continues. Without my family's support, it would have been impossible to succeed at Real Madrid. Arriving at the best club in the world at such a young age was already difficult but having to play under the pressure of being the new Roberto Carlos, who was also my role model, made it even harder."

"However, I tried to stay calm and made it clear that I wanted to write my own story. I only wanted to be Marcelo not anyone's successor."

Marcelo transferred to Real Madrid from Fluminense in January 2007 at age 18, immediately positioned as the successor to legendary left-back Roberto Carlos. The move happened rapidly after Real Madrid directors contacted his club, with the organization handling every detail of his arrival and presentation. Marcelo felt significant pressure carrying the label of Carlos's successor, especially since Carlos was his role model. With family support, he navigated the challenge of joining the world's best club at a young age while managing expectations. Rather than attempting to replicate Carlos's legacy, Marcelo focused on establishing his own identity and story at the club.

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