“Zidane understood the players very well” - Marcelo opens up on what ex-Real Madrid boss told him while playing with Casemiro

Former Real Madrid star Marcelo recently shared some his fondest memories with club legend Zinedine Zidane. The Brazilian announced his retirement earlier this month, bringing an end to a stellar career for club and country.

Marcelo played some of his best football under the tutelage of the 1998 World Cup winner. He played 13,439 minutes across 164 games for the Frenchman, scoring 10 and assisting 39 to help the team to three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles and one LaLiga crown.

Reminiscing on his time with Zidane at Los Blancos, Marcelo told El Hormiguero:

"Zidane understood the players very well. He gave me a lot of happiness. I'm a Zizou lover, as a person and as a player. He helped me a lot. He gave me a lot of freedom on the pitch. He used to tell me 'Look Marcelo, you go up, Casemiro has your back'.”

Marcelo spent 15 years at Real Madrid after joining from Fluminense in 2007 for a reported €6.5 million fee. He played a total of 546 games for the Spanish giants under the tutelage of 10 managers. The 36-year-old won five UEFA Champions League titles, six LaLigas, and two Copa dels Rey at the club.

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“Mourinho taught me to be more aggressive” - Marcelo on former Real Madrid coach

Marcelo also reflected on what he learned under Jose Mourinho at Real madrid. The Portuguese tactician spent three years with the Spanish giants, leading them to the first 100-point season in LaLiga history.

Marcelo, one of the key members for the Madrid team in his 15-year stint at the club, featured prominently under Mourinho. He made 113 appearances for the Portuguese boss, scoring nine times and providing 21 assists.

Discussing his time with Mourinho in his recent interview with El Hormiguero, the Brazilian said:

“Mourinho taught me to be more aggressive. I always wanted to have the ball, but he taught me that I had to steal the ball first. He helped me a lot. He told me: ‘You don’t know how to defend, I’m going to teach you and I’m going to make you the best.’ It’s nice.”

Jose Mourinho joined Real Madrid in 2010 after leading Inter Milan to the UEFA Champions League title at the Santiago Bernabeau. He managed 178 games at the club, averaging an incredible 2.30 points per game.