‘Ronaldinho came to hug me immediately after I scored on my Brazil debut – almost like a blessing’ Marcelo recalls his encounter with the Selecao legend after his dream debut

It’s one thing to make a goalscoring international debut, but to do just that and then immediately celebrate with one of the world’s greatest players is the stuff of dreams.

But for former Real Madrid star Marcelo, that is exactly what happened - and marked the moment he knew he had arrived at the top table of international football.

That moment came in 2006, when the then-18-year-old Marcelo was handed his first taste of international football on an evening that he has never forgotten.

Marcelo on his Brazil debut

Marcelo’s first Selecao appearance came in a friendly against Wales that was played at White Hart Lane in September 2006.

A 25-yard strike from Marcelo just after the hour mark put Brazil on their way that evening, with Vagner Love scoring a second to wrap up the win against a Wales side that featured the likes of Gareth Bale, Craig Bellamy and Ryan Giggs in their starting line-up.

Brazil’s starting line-up featured past and future Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldinho and Kaka amongst others, with the latter playing an unforgettable role in Marcelo’s night.

“It was my second call-up to the national team, but that day was my first time on the pitch,” Marcelo recalls to FourFourTwo as he sets the scene.

“It was a friendly, but it felt like an almost perfect script – we won 2-0 and I scored with a great strike from outside the box.”

That goal saw Marcelo announce his arrival on the international stage, with what happened next elevating the moment even further.

“Ronaldinho came to hug me immediately – almost like a blessing,” Marcelo adds, as he recalls what was a time of transition for Brazil following their quarter-final exit at the 2006 World Cup.

“That was a time of transition, the team’s Dunga era was beginning, and players like Julio Cesar and Juan welcomed me incredibly well into a dressing room full of superstars.

“It was magical to go from watching Romario, Ronaldo and Rivaldo on television to becoming one of them.”

Marcelo would go on to win 58 Brazil caps and add a further five goals to his international tally over the next 12 years.