Not Paolo Maldini or Ashley Cole, Real Madrid icon Roberto Carlos hails THIS player as best left-back ever

Brazil icon Roberto Carlos has picked former Real Madrid left-back as the best ever to play in that position. He thinks that the Brazilian defender was miles ahead than Ashley Cole and Paolo Maldini.

Appearing on The Obi One podcast, Carlos picked Marcelo as the best left-back in the history of Real Madrid, before going to label him as one of the best ever in the history of sport. He said that he former Brazil star could deliver at both ends the pitch and said:

"Marcelo is the best left-back in Real Madrid’s history. Maldini, Ashley Cole, Marcelo or myself? Marcelo for me is number one. Maldini was top, Ashley Cole was top, I was okay. But Marcelo, different. Marcelo had everything."

"What he could do with the ball was absolutely incredible. He could attack, score, and dribble. I brought him to Madrid, and I watched him win Champions Leagues and the Club World Cup. He was amazing."

Marcelo was at Real Madrid from 2007, winning the UEFA Champions League five times and the league title six times before leaving the side in 2022.

Ashley Cole was close to joining Real Madrid before Marcelo

Chelsea icon Ashley Cole appeared on The Overlap this week, claiming that he was close to joining Real Madrid in 2005 while he was at Arsenal. The English player said that he was plotting his exit from the Gunners as he felt "underappreciated and undervalued," and was in talks with the Spanish side over a pre-contract.

He also held discussions with Barcelona, but he changed his mind and stayed in England, signing a new contract with Arsenal. He said:

“I felt a bit underappreciated and undervalued. So that’s where my head and heart was at. I was like, ‘You’ve taken my love away,’ and it didn’t need to be like that."

“From what I was told and heard, I was going to Real Madrid. I was having conversations with agents because, at that point, I could pre-sign for a team abroad. So, it was Madrid and kind of Barcelona. I don’t know how deep it was. Things changed, I got married, and didn’t actually want to leave the country in the end."

Within 18 months, Cole went on to join Chelsea. He went on to appear in 337 games for the blues, winning the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and four FA Cups.