"In my life I have many dreams, you have to take a step. I had the dream of playing for Real Madrid and I asked myself what I had to do, I told myself something different, that they would see me or something; and things happen, things conspire in my favour when you take the first step and work to achieve it. And of course, my footballing dream came true, to play for the best club in the world, Real Madrid, because here I have achieved everything". Declared the former Real Madrid player.
Marcelo Vieira and Chus Mateo were the stars of the first day of White Week for students at the Real Madrid Universidad Europea University School. Real Madrid's Director of Institutional Relations, Emilio Butragueño, moderated the event, in which the Brazilian legend said: "I feel proud to return to Real Madrid and that people treat me the same way, not because of the titles, not because of all this; because in the end, Madrid pushes you a lot, it helps you a lot to win these things. Without Real Madrid it's impossible. But the way people treated me when I arrived at the age of 18 was brutal and to come back after finishing my career here and for things to stay the same is a source of great pride for me".
Love from the fans
Thank you very much for the affection, but first of all, I don't feel like a legend, I know that for many people I am an example, a role model for young people. But I feel lucky to be able to enjoy football, to enjoy something that I have always liked to do since I was a child and over the years I have seen that it is a pride to be a professional player but at the same time it is a very big responsibility, that you are not alone to play, that it is not just about winning or losing. My goal since I started was to leave a legacy for young people who are starting out. So, all I feel is immense joy, I feel very fortunate to be able to be healthy enough to do what I love the most, which is to play football. I have always enjoyed myself without thinking about being the best. In my mind I always thought about having fun and that people enjoy themselves. I try to do what I like and for people to enjoy themselves".
Learning at the club
I have learned many things at this club, the values of footballers, which is not only playing football, but also the issue of responsibility, the image that you carry around the world, wherever you go you are still a Real Madrid player. It's a very big image all over the world, not only in Spain, in Brazil, all over the world and even when I go on holiday, they still associate you as a Real Madrid player. Here it's not just about playing football, they teach you many things. Never give up on basic things like a ball, playing everything for your team, respecting others, treating everyone equally, not just because we are footballers and the issue of fame. But there's nothing nicer than coming back to Real Madrid and having everyone look you in the face and give you a hug, not because you're a footballer or because you've been a Real Madrid player but because of how they've treated you all these years".
Most special moment at Real Madrid
Thank God I have experienced many beautiful moments at Real Madrid throughout my career, my children have been able to experience everything, my wife has always been able to accompany me. But the moment I would say is when I won the last Champions League in 2022. Because when you are at Real Madrid you don't realise what you are winning, what you are doing, the titles; because when you finish the season you are already thinking about starting the next one; the pre-season, about winning again, which is what they teach you at Real Madrid, to win and win. I finished my career at Real Madrid, I made a balance and a review looking back at everything I have lived through, but in this last moment, lifting the cup, coming to the Bernabéu, and the affection of the fans; I knew there was affection, but that day I realised that it was my best moment at Real Madrid".
Chus Mateo at Semana Blanca
Before Marcelo's speech, Chus Mateo opened the Semana Blanca 2025 by talking about what it means to be the coach of the most successful team in Europe. "I've been a Real Madrid fan since I was a child. My father used to take me to the Bernabéu to watch the games. It has always seemed to me, because of their values, because of what they transmitted, combined with sport, which also transmits values in itself, something great. I started at the age of 21 to form part of the discipline of Real Madrid, a select club, that's how it is for me. To feel part of this club, and to be able one day when Chus Mateo leaves Real Madrid, to have enjoyed these moments as head coach of the team that I felt I belonged to when I was a kid, to know that deep down you are going to be able to leave a memory or a small part of the history of a great club, that means a lot to me.
The demands of Real Madrid
We always try to transmit that demand to everyone around us. There are many people who help us to transmit that demand; what certain leaders in the dressing room can transmit. And there are certain values here, this one of demand, it is always transmitted from some players to other players; from some coaches to other coaches and I'm sure that is what makes this club great. People may pass on, but what remains is Real Madrid. We must always find good arguments to strive for excellence, although we won't always achieve it, but our objective is always to give our maximum and fight to the end; and although it may seem a cliché, this has helped us to win many things. We are a club that arouses a lot of admiration and beating Real Madrid for many teams is the match of the year and you know that you can't go in relaxed and you have to always defend your colours because everyone is waiting to beat Real Madrid and that's because of the greatness that is intrinsic to this club.
Special moments
I would say 3 moments. I would say this Euroleague, which for me is the best thing you can win in basketball, and the way it was won was very nice. There is another moment that was very nice for me, which was on 23 December 2021, when with COVID, we played a game here against CSKA Moscow and we had six senior players, one with a fever of 40 and four juniors. Pablo Laso, whose assistant coach I was, was also with COVID; it was my turn to coach that game. We had four juniors who completed a squad of ten, and we were able to win the game with the support of the fans; for them it was a very nice gift from the Euroleague, you feel relaxed when these things happen.
The other moment, without a doubt, was the last league that Pablo Laso won here, where I had a responsibility, which was to take over the team when he had a health problem and I had to take over the team with four or five games left, and it was a relief to win that league when the responsibility was maximum because I was really replacing the head coach at the decisive moment of the season and the desire was to win it for him.
Other interventions
The first day of White Week also featured the participation of Israel García Álvarez, Director of Digital Strategy at Real Madrid, who focused his speech on talking about a real digital transformation that delivers results and not just promises. For her part, Ana Rossell, sports director of Real Madrid femenino, spoke about the strength to continue growing in women's football.