It was an immense privilege to play with Cristiano Ronaldo. He's an extraterrestrial' Marcelo on what it's like to share a pitch with the Portugal icon

"It was a friendly, Marcelo recalls to FourFourTwo. Cristiano accidentally caught me in the neck, I was in pain, and when I opened my eyes he was already running towards the box. Nani was carrying the ball on the other flank if he'd given the pass to Ronaldo and it had ended in a goal, I would have been responsible, so I came in and tripped him discreetly from behind."

"An immense privilege, is how the 37-year-old describes playing alongside the Portuguese. Cristiano is different from everyone else a leader, a tireless worker, and a player of great quality. Many people think he's only about power, but they're wrong. He's an extraterrestrial."

Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo developed a near-telepathic understanding on Real Madrid's left flank for approximately nine seasons, creating one of modern football's most formidable attacking partnerships. Their relationship began contentiously during a Brazil versus Portugal friendly when Ronaldo was at Manchester United, resulting in a physical altercation after Ronaldo accidentally struck Marcelo in the neck. Marcelo retaliated by tripping Ronaldo to prevent a scoring opportunity, though the referee missed the incident. Despite this rocky start, no lasting animosity developed between them. Marcelo holds Ronaldo in high regard, describing him as an exceptional leader and tireless worker whose quality extends beyond physical power, calling him extraordinary.

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