Marcelo’s Emotional Copa Libertadores Win with Football Legends
Marcelo was visibly overwhelmed by his emotions as he achieved a lifelong dream of winning the Copa Libertadores with Fluminense. This victory not only fulfilled his childhood aspiration of winning the competition with his beloved club but also placed him in a distinguished circle of former stars from European powerhouses Barcelona and AC Milan, as well as England’s Championship club, Leeds United.
In a riveting final against Argentina’s Boca Juniors, Fluminense fought back to claim a dramatic 2-1 victory in extra time, even with former Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani on the scoresheet. The game was marked by its chaos, featuring two red cards, one of which was awarded to John Kennedy, the hero who netted Fluminense’s winning goal. Nonetheless, the Brazilian side held firm, securing the Copa Libertadores title for the first time in their history.
Marcelo, who had returned to his childhood club in February following a stint with Olympiakos after leaving Real Madrid, was understandably brought to tears as he realized his dream of becoming a South American champion with the club he first joined as a young player in 2002.
This achievement holds even greater significance considering the 35-year-old’s return to his boyhood club and the fact that this weekend’s trophy win marked his 26th major title, including six Spanish league titles with Real Madrid and five Champions League triumphs.
Marcelo now joins the illustrious ranks of the fourteenth player in football history who have won both the Champions League and the Copa Libertadores. Legends such as Neymar, Ronaldinho, and former Leeds star Roque Junior are among those who have accomplished this feat.
When asked about the relative importance of this weekend’s achievement compared to his Champions League wins with Real Madrid, Marcelo emotionally declared, “Real Madrid will understand. It’s my most important title, at club level, because it’s the club that raised me. I’m winning a very important title with my favorite club, the club that provided me with all the tools to build my career, with the individuals who watched me grow. There’s nothing more rewarding than that. It’s priceless. I owed a debt to Fluminense. It was written.”
Across his social media platforms, Marcelo celebrated this victory with his family, sharing a heartwarming video of their joy on the pitch, accompanied by the caption “we did it again.” He also received congratulatory messages from former teammates, including Luka Modric, Vinicius Jr, and Thibaut Courtois. Modric responded to Marcelo’s Instagram post with “Congratulations, brother,” while Courtois hailed him as a legend. Other delighted teammates, such as Alvaro Morata, David Alaba, and Lucas Vazquez, joined in the chorus of well-wishes.
