LifeBogger presents the Full Story of a Football Genius best known by the Nickname; “El Loco”.

Our version of Marcelo’s Biography and Childhood Story brings you a full account of notable events from his childhood time right to the moment he achieved superstardom.

The analysis of the Real Madrid Legend involves his life story before fame, family life and many OFF and ON-Pitch little-known facts about him.

Yes, everyone knows about his Legendary status with Real Madrid. However, not many fans have read an in-depth version of Marcelo’s Biography, which is quite interesting. Now, without further ado, let us begin.

Marcelo Childhood Story – Early Life and Family Background:

For Biography starters, he bears the full name – Marcelo Vieira da Silva Júnior.

The Brazilian soccer legend was born on the 12th day of May 1988 in Rio de Janeiro by parents, Mr and Mrs Marcelo Vieira da Silva. Behold Marcelo in his childhood.

Marcelo’s father was a fireman, and his mother is a retired teacher. He grew up in Catete Neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 

There was a lot of poverty in his neighbourhood during his childhood time. Even Marcelo’s parents, who earned very low, and were very poor.

In Marcelo’s words, “My dad did show me his firefighting shirts when I was a kid. I knew he never wanted me to have that desire to become a firefighter because they were all poor.

In essence, I actually never had any desire to become a firefighter. All I wanted was to play football as a child.”

Marcelo was always known to be a normal and happy kid in his childhood time.

In his words again, “Yes, from the time that I was a kid, with or without difficulties, I learned that in life you have to be happy no matter what, or at least try to be. 

I’ve always been like this in my life, and I try to transmit it to the locker room with each game.  Happiness helps you a lot.”

In a bid to find a steady source of income to help his family, young Marcelo decided to make a life of his own. He chooses football.

Marcelo Biography Facts – Career Start:

Naturally, Football became his first love. He started playing football on the streets and futsal on the beach.

Marcelo started playing five-a-side football at the age of 9, and by 13, he was at Fluminense, a popular Brazilian youth club.

Marcelo almost had to leave the football academy because he couldn’t afford to pay for the bus to take him to train.

Nevertheless, his determination and his ability made him fight for what he loved and what he was best at –  football.

His youth club, Fluminense, helped a lot. They considered him as one of their “crown jewels” and ensured that he continued playing. The club’s management attended to some of his needs.

Marcelo was known to be a very fast, attacking full-back who could work hard all day. He soon became the focal point of scouts all over the world.

It was Real Madrid who snapped him. 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. 

Many spectators hailed him as Roberto Carlos‘ potential successor in the left-back role.

Marcelo Family Life:

As stated earlier, Marcelo comes from a very poor family background. He was able to survive with them until the age of 8 before looking for green pastures.

Starting off, Marcelo’s parents (during his childhood) were at very low levels in their careers (firefighting and teaching). Their struggle to help their son pay his fees despite their low wages couldn’t help.  Marcelo is, however, still grateful.

He once recalled;

Yes, without a doubt. I owe my family a lot since they’ve always been with me. My father, my mother was there BUT my grandfather was the one I credit the most.

If I played badly, they would tell me, no, you didn’t play badly, you were the best one out there. They always lifted my spirits. 

Not much is known about Marcelo’s mother.

About Marcelo’s Sister:

Back in his childhood days, there was no better friend and no better sister than Julia Vieira. Both are very close.

Marcelo Grandfather:

San Pedro is Marcelo’s grandfather, who paid the money so he could keep playing football back in Brazil.

Marcelo dedicates every goal to himself and his wife.

He said for Real Madrid TV that if it wasn’t for Pedro, he would have never played football for Fluminense. Unfortunately, Pedro died in July 2014 during the World Cup.

If we’re not wrong, it was Señor Pedro who accompanied him to almost all of his youth training sessions, and he even worked two or three jobs to earn money so that Marcelo could train.

Back then, he worked as a chauffeur for a bank in Brazil, then also worked in an office all for Marcelo.

Back then, Marcelo had to pay 13 reales a day to get trained, and that’s a lot in Brazil. It was Senior San Pedro who footed the bills.

In Marcelo’s words, “One day, Don Pedro didn’t have the money for your training, and he told me, “I only have these coins.”  What happened? 

You were in a bar, no? …. He had a one-real coin, and there were these slot machines there where you could play for 25 centavos. And that day, we really didn’t have any more money to go to training.

He had to pay for a bus ticket, but I didn’t have to, because I was just a kid. 

And so he put the coin in… I still remember to this day that the machine had different countries – Spain, Brazil, everything, and to win, you had to choose the country correctly.

He bet the coin on Croatia, and we won 25 reales.  That day, I ate everything – hamburgers… So thanks to that coin, you could go to training.”

In essence, he’s the one that believed in Marcelo the most during his childhood time. Marcelo gave all of his first salaries to his grandfather.

Who is Clarisse Alves? Marcelo’s Wife:

Marcelo is a man of long-term relationships. He met his first love, Clarisse Alves while he was playing futsal at the beach during his childhood time.

The result of their long-term relationship was better and better quality. In 2008, Marcelo married his longtime girlfriend Clarice Alves.

On the 24th of September 2009, they had their first child, a son whom they named Enzo Gattuso Alves Vieira.

Marcelo’s love for his son is evident. If the relationship of father to son could really be reduced to biology, the whole earth would blaze with the glory of Marcelo and his son Enzo.

Their second son, the shiny Liam pictured at the forefront of the photo below, was born on the 1st of September 2015.

Dog first before Sons:

Let’s get to know Marcelo the person. He was once asked;  “What are your hobbies?  What is a normal day like for you?”

Marcelo responded…

“Playing with my dogs, playing with my son [in that order?  Come on Marcelino!!!…says the interviewer], going to the movies, which is where I’m going after this interview, walking around Madrid, things like that, going out to eat.”

Marcelo reserves his biggest and most adorable smiles for his wife Clarice, his three dogs and his son, apparently in that order!

Marcelo Tattoo Facts:

Whilst trying to stay as unbiased as possible, we actually find Marcelo’s tattoos very attractive. Although individually, some of the images are a little silly, like the skull.

The greatest ink is that of his grandfather ‘Pedro’ who remains the most influential person in his life. 

Praised by Legends:

After his breakthrough season, Marcelo was praised by football legends such as Paolo Maldini and Diego Maradona, who called him the best in his position.

He is frequently compared to Roberto Carlos, who himself said Marcelo was his heir, the world’s best left-back and that “Marcelo possesses a better technical ability than me”.

Marcelo Nationalities:

On 26 July 2011, Marcelo attained Spanish nationality, which allows him to be registered normally rather than as a non-EU player, of which there is a strict quota allowed.

Marcelo Tax Fraud Story:

The Brazilian is alleged to have defrauded Spanish tax authorities of €490,917.70 (£437,539.59). The accusations from Spanish prosecutors stretch back to 2013.

According to investigators, Marcelo is alleged to have used companies abroad to handle his image rights. This was revealed by the almighty Spanish tax authority. Both C Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have seen a taste of this.

What Real Madrid means to him:

What does being a Real Madrid player mean to you?

In this interview, he said…

“I think if you ask children in Brazil, or anywhere in the world, what they want to be, and they say footballer, and when you ask where they all reply Real Madrid.

I was the same. My friends as well. I think Real Madrid represents something huge, not only in the sense of football but also with the help they give to needy children.  It’s a great club.”