This is a Portuguese name; the first family name is Vieira and the second is Silva.

Marcelo Vieira da Silva Júnior (born 12 May 1988) is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Real Madrid and the Brazil National Football Team. Mainly a defender, he can also operate as a midfielder, always on the left side of the pitch.

Club career

Fluminense

Marcelo started playing futsal at the age of 9 and by the age of 13 he was on the books of Fluminense. He comes from a very poor background and even considered quitting football, but his club considered him as one of their "Crown Jewels" and ensured that he continued playing.

Real Madrid

Marcelo joined Real Madrid during the January transfer window in 2007. On his arrival, club president Ramón Calderón said, "He is an important signing for us. He is a young player who will inject some freshness into the side and is part of our plan to bring younger players into the squad. We're very happy because he's a pearl that half of Europe wanted."[2] Many spectators hailed him as Roberto Carlos' potential successor in the left-back role.

Marcelo during 2008–09 season

Marcelo made his debut as a substitute in the 2–0 defeat against Deportivo La Coruña on 7 January 2007.[3] On 14 April 2007, Marcelo made his first start for Real Madrid against Racing de Santander, which Real Madrid lost 2–1. Under his new manager Bernd Schuster, Marcelo had started nearly all of Madrid's league games. His ability, speed running across the field, attack, and defence had enabled him to become a very important player for Real Madrid.

After a string of poor performances Marcelo has found himself on the bench for much of the remaining season while under new manager Juande Ramos, mainly as deputy to Gabriel Heinze. Juande Ramos deployed Marcelo as a left winger on more than one occasion, and the Brazilian adapted well to his new role. He scored his first goal after receiving a heel flick from striker Gonzalo Higuaín and slotting the ball past the goalkeeper in Real Madrid's 4–0 thumping of Sporting de Gijón. After the game, coach Ramos declared that Marcelo's future would be positioned as a left winger, but will push back to defense when required. Marcelo scored his second goal for Real Madrid in their recent victory over Almeria, a powerful strike from outside of the box with his weaker right foot.

On 18 April 2009 he scored his third goal of his Real Madrid career, when he scored the only goal of the game against Recreativo de Huelva away from home.[4] He scored his fourth goal against Sevilla at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán in April 2009.

Under the new head of coach Manuel Pellegrini, Marcelo has consistently been a favorite in Pellegrini's starting eleven for his versatility and pace along the left flank in offensive and defensive roles. His successful performance in Madrid's 2009/2010 campaign so far earned him a contract extension on February 5, 2010 with the club until June of 2015.[5]

International career

Marcelo's first taste of international football came at the youth level. He was called up for the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship and the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Marcelo scored on his Brazil debut against Wales at Tottenham Hotspurs' White Hart Lane (the scored finshed 2–0). He picked up the ball just outside the Wales box and shot for a traditional Brazilian full back goal. Marcelo has become one of the preferred choices of Brazil's football coach Dunga. Marcelo has recently been compared to former Real Madrid and Brazilian national team left-back Roberto Carlos. The two played together during the second half of the 2006–07 season before Roberto Carlos' move to Turkish team Fenerbahçe.

He was called up for the 2008 Olympic squad where he won a bronze medal.

Marcelo was called up for the 12 August 2009 match against Estonia but had to withdraw due to injury. In May 2010, he was named as one of the seven players serving as backup for Brazil's 2010 FIFA World Cup squad.[6].Despite Not being called up by former Brazil coach Dunga he was selected again from new Brazil coach Mano Menezes for a friendly against USA on August 10, 2010.