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Marcelo’s Brazil debut came at White Hart Lane in September 2006
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The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member features. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Want to add more newsletters? Five times a week Four Four Two Daily Fantastic football content straight to your inbox! From the latest transfer news, quizzes, videos, features and interviews with the biggest names in the game, plus lots more. Once a week . .. And it’s LIVE! Sign up to our FREE live football newsletter, tracking all of the biggest games available to watch on the device of your choice. Never miss a kick-off! Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. It’s one thing to make a goalscoring international debut, but to do just that and then immediately celebrate with one of the world’s greatest players is the stuff of dreams. But for former Real Madrid star Marcelo, that is exactly what happened - and marked the moment he knew he had arrived at the top table of international football. That moment came in 2006, when the then-18-year-old Marcelo was handed his first taste of international football on an evening that he has never forgotten.
Marcelo’s first Selecao appearance came in a friendly against Wales that was played at White Hart Lane in September 2006. A 25-yard strike from Marcelo just after the hour mark put Brazil on their way that evening, with Vagner Love scoring a second to wrap up the win against a Wales side that featured the likes of Gareth Bale, Craig Bellamy and Ryan Giggs in their starting line-up.
Brazil’s starting line-up featured past and future Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldinho and Kaka amongst others, with the latter playing an unforgettable role in Marcelo’s night. “It was my second call-up to the national team, but that day was my first time on the pitch, ” Marcelo recalls to Four Four Two as he sets the scene. The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. “It was a friendly, but it felt like an almost perfect script – we won 2-0 and I scored with a great strike from outside the box. ” That goal saw Marcelo announce his arrival on the international stage, with what happened next elevating the moment even further. “Ronaldinho came to hug me immediately – almost like a blessing, ” Marcelo adds, as he recalls what was a time of transition for Brazil following their quarter-final exit at the 2006 World Cup.
“That was a time of transition, the team’s Dunga era was beginning, and players like Julio Cesar and Juan welcomed me incredibly well into a dressing room full of superstars. “It was magical to go from watching Romario, Ronaldo and Rivaldo on television to becoming one of them. ” Marcelo would go on to win 58 Brazil caps and add a further five goals to his international tally over the next 12 years. For more than a decade, Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor. Mewis has had stints at Mirror Football and Leeds Live among others and worked at Four Four Two throughout Euro 2024, reporting on the tournament. In addition to his journalist work, Mewis is also the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team. Now working as a digital marketing coordinator at Harrogate Town, too, Mewis counts some of his best career moments as being in the iconic Spygate press conference under Marcelo Bielsa and seeing his beloved Leeds lift the Championship trophy during lockdown. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
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