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From the latest transfer news, quizzes, videos, features and interviews with the biggest names in the game, plus lots more.Signup +Once a week...And its 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!Signup +Join the clubGet full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in.Subscribe to our newsletterWhen a player returns to their boyhood club at the end of a prestigious career, it is often a mere exercise in nostalgia.Its a chance for the club to sell more shirts and tickets, while the player can wind down in a familiar setting.But when Marcelo made a romantic return to Fluminense in 2023, 16 years after he left the club to join Real Madrid, he would get a dream ending to his career.Article continues below You may like Id trade three of my Champions Leagues for a World Cup. Id still have two Champions Leagues how many footballers can say that? Marcelo on reflects on his trophy-laden career Having to play under the pressure of being the new Roberto Carlos, who was also my role model, made joining Real Madrid even harder Marcelo opens up on what its like to replace an icon Despite being a legend, Zidane showed humility. He was different from the rest and he was our coach. We were fortunate Marcelo opens up on what his best Real Madrid managers brought to the club Marcelos fairytale returnAfter a short spell at Olympiacos, I felt I owed that to Fluminense, Marcelo tells FourFourTwo when reflecting on his return to his first club.I felt I had to go back not necessarily to win a title, but because everything the club did for me was extraordinary. It gave me the foundations, an education in every sense, and the possibility of becoming what I became.When I returned, the feelings were the same the affection of the people, the atmosphere, the passion. There were around 10 people whod worked with me in the youth teams who were still there.It was a dream to wear the Fluminense shirt again and winning the Libertadores was the perfect ending to the story. To win it at the Maracana was spectacular, too.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.That Libertadores victory came in November 2023, with a 2-1 win over Boca Juniors at the iconic Rio venue and meant that Marcelo became just the 12th player to win both the Champions League and the Copa Libertadores.And the left-backs celebrations were worthy of such an accomplishment.It felt like an authentic carnival, the 37-year-old adds. There was an open-top bus, the celebration began at 8am and I had woken up at 7am, still tired because the day before wed been drinking.I thought, Today Im not drinking anything. I had a calm breakfast, but by 8.10am we were back at it again! It was an incredible party.A very special day because of all the places we went through. Im from Rio de Janeiro, so travelling around my city, through the streets I used to walk as a child, was emotional. Those were my origins, my roots.The bus moved through different areas and my mind kept going back to those memories. At one point, I saw three friends Id studied with in the crowd. That was incredible.TOPICSFluminenseChampions LeagueJoe MewisSocial Links NavigationFor more than a decade, Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor. Mewis has had stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others and worked at FourFourTwo 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.With contributions fromDani Gil
