Real Madrid great Marcelo announces retirement

Rio de Janeiro: Former Real Madrid left-back Marcelo announced his retirement from professional football on Thursday after a trophy-laden career.

The 36-year-old spent 16 years at Spanish giants Madrid, winning six La Liga titles and five Champions League trophies.

“At 18, Real Madrid came knocking on my door and I arrived here,” Marcelo said in a video posted on social media. “Now, I can proudly say that I am a true ‘Madrileno’.”

He also won the Copa del Rey twice and the Club World Cup four times during his time with Los Blancos, for whom he made 546 appearances, scoring 38 goals.

Marcelo made 58 appearances for the Brazil national team, playing at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups.