In which country was a footballer Marcelo born?

Marcelo Vieira da Silva Júnior (born 12 May 1988 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), known as Marcelo, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a left-back and captains Spanish club Real Madrid as of 2021.

In 2005, Marcelo won a Campeonato Carioca with Fluminense and in 2006, he was named to the Brasileirão Team of the Season, at age 18. By the end of the year, he joined Real Madrid for an $8 million fee. There, he established himself and won 22 trophies including four UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Champions Leagues as well as five La Liga titles.

Marcelo started playing futsal at the age of nine and by the age of 13, he was on the books of Fluminense in Rio de Janeiro. He comes from a very poor background and even considered quitting football, but his grandfather convinced him to continue with the sport.

After his breakthrough season, in 2011 Marcelo was praised by football legends such as Paolo Maldini and Diego Maradona, the latter of whom also called him the best player in the world in his position. Due to his attacking prowess, nationality, and playing role, Marcelo has frequently been compared to compatriot Roberto Carlos, who himself described Marcelo as his heir in 2012, and also labelled him as the world's best left back.