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Veteran Brazilian defender Marcelo, a former Real Madrid icon, has officially left his boyhood club, Fluminense, after the club terminated his contract two months early. The decision, announced on Saturday, was described as mutual, although specific reasons for his departure were not disclosed.

The timing of Marcelo’s exit follows a disagreement with Fluminense’s head coach, Mano Menezes, during a recent match against Gremio. With just minutes remaining, Marcelo was preparing to enter the game when Menezes reacted to a comment he made, ultimately sending him back to the bench. The coach later clarified that he had intended to bring Marcelo on but was influenced by something he heard from the player that prompted him to change his decision.

“He wasn’t going in to solve any problem for us; he was stepping in to let us keep what we had (on the scoreboard). It was just two or three minutes to the end,” Menezes explained, reflecting on the situation. At that moment, Fluminense was leading 2-1, but Gremio managed to equalize with a penalty shortly before the final whistle.

Marcelo, who came through the youth ranks at Fluminense, began his professional career with the club before joining Real Madrid in 2007. After a successful stint in Spain, where he gained recognition as one of the greatest left-backs in football history, he returned to Fluminense in 2023 after a brief period with Greek side Olympiakos.

As of now, Marcelo has not publicly commented on his departure, leaving fans and analysts speculating about the implications of this unexpected turn in his career.