Against the Greats: Marcelo Names the Toughest Opponents He Faced on the Left

The toughest foes Marcelo faced on the left wing

The former Real Madrid left back Marcelo, one of the era's defining players on the left flank from 2006 to 2022, recalls memories of opponents who made his defensive duties tougher.

Brazilian star Marcelo reflects on the rivals who wore him down during battles on the green.

Asked to name the players who troubled him most in direct duels, the answer was quick and clear: Messi was very heavy, and Jesus Navas made things incredibly difficult as well.

The surprise challenger: Xabi Prieto

But the biggest surprise came when Marcelo singled out an unlikely foe for fans: Xabi Prieto, Real Sociedad’s legend.

He said that Prieto seemed ordinary to some, but he was the toughest for him; tall and initially underestimated, Prieto turned out to be an excellent opponent.

The first intense meeting between Marcelo and Prieto goes back to September 12, 2010, when Real Madrid beat Real Sociedad 2-1.

Since that night, the Basque winger has been a recurring, difficult test for the Brazilian, who admits Prieto forced him to think twice before any tackle or forward burst.

Marcelo also highlighted Pedro, Barcelona’s winger, as a player able to swing matches even though he attracted less media noise than the sport’s biggest stars. Punchline 1: Marcelo jokes his GPS couldn’t keep up with Prieto. Punchline 2: If Prieto ran that much, the stadium would bill the energy bill.