How Carlos welcomed me to Real Madrid — Marcelo

Marcelo has revealed that Brazilian compatriot Roberto Carlos gave him a warm welcome when he arrived at Real Madrid.

According to Marcelo, he was surprised by how Carlos welcomed him, despite knowing he was arriving in Madrid to replace him, as both men played in the same position.

Speaking on Real Madrid TV’s Campo de Estrellas, Marcelo revealed that instead of a rivalry, he found a mentor in Carlos.

“You arrive somewhere, your idol welcomes you warmly, knowing that you play in the same position, that I was coming to be ‘Roberto Carlos’s successor’,” he said.

Marcelo recalled his compatriot telling him: “Marcelo, take my number and write it down. Call me if you need anything.”

“I never called him, but he called me,” Marcelo recalled. “One Christmas he told me: ‘Look, we don’t have time to go to Brazil for Christmas because it’s only five days; come to my house’.

“I know how important Christmas is for families. Being far from Brazil, I needed to have a home and feel like it was my own.”

He added that their relationship extended beyond the field of play, to the point that his family became familiar with Carlos.

“He treated me, my wife, my brother-in-law, my grandfather, as if we were his family,” Marcelo explained. “It’s not normal for someone to treat you so well when they’re coming to play for you. In theory, I was coming to take his place, and he helped me a lot.”