Marcelo admits which current Real Madrid player he would have liked to play with

Marcelo (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1988) is a Real Madrid legend and one of the greats of world football. EA Sports FC has now recognized him as a new ICON. The man who succeeded Roberto Carlos on the left flank at the Bernabéu sits down with AS to look back on his remarkable career, as he stands as the fourth most decorated player in club history.

EA Sports FC has chosen you as a new ICON. You’re now a legend on the field and in the video game. How does it feel?

I never felt like a legend, but I think it’s cool that kids find it incredible. Seeing myself like that is really beautiful. I like EA Sports FC 26 and I play a lot with my kids.

You’re joining an incredible lineup of legends: Ronaldo, Maradona, Pelé, Ronaldinho, Zidane…

How am I in there? It’s impossible… (Laughs)

Is there any legend you would have liked to play with or face as a rival?

There are two… maybe three. If I could have just touched the ball with them… Well, I managed it with Zizou. It was amazing. I’d love to play with Zizou. And I would have loved to play with Maradona. It would have been perfect.

Your record is staggering: five Champions League trophies, six league titles… 25 trophies in white. Many consider you the best left-back in history.

It’s not that I don’t like hearing that — I understand people. I say Roberto Carlos is the best in history and maybe he doesn’t like that. Or Sergio Ramos as a center-back… I’ve always been very calm about these things because in football you don’t play alone. It’s the team. When you talk about my record, that’s Real Madrid. I was a Real Madrid employee. The trophy is ours, but you don’t win it on your own. I can’t compare myself with anyone else or think I’m the best in history.

You arrived with the challenge of filling the space left by Roberto Carlos — a monumental task.

I never thought about being better or worse, or trying to be like Roberto Carlos. I played my football, which has always been joyful and happy. The same passion I had at the Bernabéu is what I have playing in the living room with my kids. I go all out and I don’t want to lose — it’s just who I am. I never cared about being the best, having the most trophies, the most games… Of course I achieved something special, like becoming Real Madrid captain, but what mattered was enjoying every moment. And I still do.

Speaking of Roberto Carlos — how did he help you? You’ve always said he was your reference point.

I never shared the position with Roberto, because when he was there I didn’t want to share anything — I just wanted to watch him train and play. For me that was enough. He helped me enormously in every way. I still talk to him, and when I see him I get nervous. He doesn’t get it, but it’s true. He helped me so much on and off the field. I’m lucky to have been around so many legends. With Roberto as my idol, everything became much easier.

The left-back role is incredibly complex — one of the most demanding positions both offensively and defensively, and one of the most criticized.

It depends on the team and how you play. I’ve always been a left-back with a striker’s soul. I always wanted to go forward, because a dribble is much better than a tackle. Scoring or assisting is always better than winning the ball back. I had to learn. I wasn’t one of the best defenders — that’s clear. I spent more time upfield than back, but it worked out fine for me. I enjoyed every minute.

How do you coordinate with the full-back on the opposite side, like you did with Carvajal?

Tactics were never my strength. I don’t think it’s a problem if both full-backs are high. You can leave both center-backs and the midfielders behind. It depends on how you understand football. With Zizou you saw both full-backs pushing up. That didn’t mean I had to “connect” with Carvajal. Football is surprise, interpretation. You can’t say, “We’ll play this way and win.” Football is more than what you see inside those four lines.

Where does the talent to read the game and dribble come from — the street or futsal?

I’m certain futsal helped me enormously. It still helps me because I play pickup games. Kids need to play futsal, step on the ball. I often hear coaches saying kids shouldn’t step on it… If you look at the stars of today and the past, they all step on the ball. That comes from futsal, from school, from the street, where you step on it a lot. My football has always been very street-influenced and joyful. It comes from that. You need great self-belief. I always dribbled near my own goal and I knew that if I lost the ball…

You have to take risks sometimes.

Exactly. In life you have to take risks to achieve something.

This summer Madrid brought in players like Carreras and Tren for the wings. What do you see in them?

I haven’t watched much football lately — I only watch my kids’ games, and that’s already too much. I’m always traveling. It’s hard for me to watch Madrid’s games. How do I see them? Good — if they’re playing for Madrid, they have to be playing well.

You mentioned you love playing FC 26. Has the game sparked any desire to become a coach?

No, no… I already have enough with my kids — watching them makes me nervous. And watching Madrid with them too. That’s why I don’t enjoy watching football anymore. Coaching? No. I never understood tactics — how am I going to explain a 4-3-3 to a player? It’s too much for my head.

Your former teammate Xabi Alonso has taken the leap to coaching.

He’s top. You could see it on the field — he had a sense of space, of everything…

How do you see him at Madrid? He came from succeeding at Leverkusen and the start hasn’t been easy: a bad run, that dispute with Vinicius that seemed resolved with the hug in San Mamés…

I don’t watch the games and I didn’t see the hug. I have no idea what’s going on. But Xabi is a great friend and a great coach. Both for what he’s done and what he’s doing now at Madrid.

Vinicius and Rodrygo haven’t had much playing time early on and that’s been a talking point. How do you see them?

As footballers they’re incredible — and even more so as people. I’ve known them since they were 18, like Fede (Valverde) and Militao. I see them as fantastic players. They’re no longer prospects. At Madrid and with Brazil there’s pressure — you have to produce every year. They’re excellent and have a huge future.

Are they automatic starters for you? Would you always put them in your team?

Depending on who’s available, yes. I’m not a coach. In FC I do play them though.

Can Madrid fans dream of a title?

Madrid will always fight for trophies. Madrid fans dream every year.

Mbappé is the highest-rated player in the game. What do you think of him?

He’s fantastic, unbelievable — a physical powerhouse. He has so much quality, he works hard, he fights, he scores… I love him, honestly. I wish I could have played with him, but he arrived a bit too late.

Another top player is Lamine. You would have met on the same flank had you played at the same time.

He’s excellent. He would have been a problem for me. Until my last day as a footballer I never found a winger who was “more or less” against me — they were always very fast… Lamine probably would have dribbled past me.

Who was the player you most enjoyed facing?

None… they all dribbled past me.

Which dribbler do you enjoy watching today?

There’s a player in Real Madrid’s Under-19s named Gabri. He’s top, I like him. He’ll probably make the first team because he dribbles incredibly well, like Lamine, he has great awareness. And Kvaratskhelia, at PSG — I love him too.

And from the past?

Ronaldinho. He was unbelievable.

Raphinha is another player among the top-rated in FC 26. Simeone said he should win the Ballon d’Or.

Another great player. I don’t know what the Ballon d’Or criteria are… But Raphinha is fantastic and I hope everything goes perfectly for him and he wins the World Cup.

Speaking of Brazil — how do you see Ancelotti as national-team coach?

I see the fans supporting him. So do I. He’s with my national team and I hope he wins. Ancelotti has an aura — watch out.

Ancelotti is the type of coach like Del Bosque and Zidane — more soft-spoken than strict. In the end, what’s better for a locker room?

Strict? No… I like coaches like him, who talk. Not the strict ones. Players like calm, someone who can talk and manage the locker room. No player likes strict coaches.

Let’s talk about your son Enzo. Everyone is impressed with him. Can he make it at Madrid?

He’s still 16. There’s a long way to go. What he’s doing is training, learning… He’s still very young.

He’s also impressing with Spain’s youth teams… The federation will likely try to keep him from choosing Brazil.

That’s his decision. Spain’s national team has treated my wife, my son and me wonderfully. They care about him a lot. Enzo dreams of being a footballer — he’s on the path. But he has to study, not just play football. My situation was different — I had to play because that’s all there was. It’s different for him — he has a strong education. We’re only grateful to Spain’s national team.

What advice do you give your children?

They’re very responsible. I tell them to be polite and respect everyone. Sometimes I talk about moves and shots, but I don’t give them advice.