6. Marcelo
Real Madrid’s current club captain, Marcelo makes his case at number six. We’ll see if he elevates his position further but the competition ahead of him is tough and he looks to be in the final days of his career. Regardless, Marcelo is a true legend for Los Blancos winning 23 major titles during his time. And, he looks to be on course to win another league title this season and maybe the Champions League. Either of these two trophies would create a club record, right now he is tied with the legendary Paco Gento who also has 23 major honors to his name whilst playing for the club.
In his prime, Marcelo was one of the best left-footed players to watch. He had tremendous skills on the ball and a decent left-footed strike. His deliveries into the box and quality first touches are of the quality anyone would put in a highlight reel.
Marcelo has established himself as the best modern-day left-back with his performances for Real Madrid. He was instrumental in Real Madrid’s four Champions League wins in five seasons. He has earned a place in FIFA’s FIFPRO XI six times over the last decade.
Marcelo has made a total of 544 official appearances for Real Madrid and in them, he has scored 38 goals while assisted 102 goals for teammates, per Transfermarkt. Although he doesn’t quite have the legs he once did, some of his performances this season have been handy enough to support Real Madrid so far in the season.
While his exploits on the International stage are limited, he did play an instrumental role in Brazil’s Confederation Cup win in 2013. Known for his audacious skills and composure on the ball, he leaves a huge task on the shoulders of younger players like Miguel Gutierrez to imitate his level of quality, we’ll see if anyone comes close.