Marcelo’s Contract Terminated Immediately After Dispute with Coach

According to Fluminense’s statement on social media platform X: “Fluminense Football Club and Marcelo Vieira announce the mutual termination of the contract.”

This decision followed a tense incident between Marcelo and coach Menezes during a match against Gremio. When Fluminense was leading 2-1, Marcelo was assigned to substitute in at the 90+1 minute. However, after a heated exchange, Marcelo refused to enter the field and returned to the bench, even making an inappropriate gesture.

Coach Menezes had to adjust by sending in Kennedy to secure the score, but in the 90+9 minute, Fluminense conceded a penalty, allowing Gremio to equalize at 2-2.

Marcelo’s contract was initially set to end on December 31st, but this incident led the club to terminate it early, even with six matches remaining in the season.

After the match, Menezes shared: “I initially intended to bring Marcelo onto the field, but something changed, and I made a different decision, selecting John Kennedy instead.”

Fluminense currently sits 12th in the standings after a challenging season, having to fight to stay in the league and change coaches early on. If their performance improves, they could reach their goal of qualifying for the Sudamericana.

Marcelo returned to Brazil after many years in Europe, seeking to be closer to family, with his youngest son, Liam, now training at Fluminense’s academy. Meanwhile, his eldest son, Enzo, continues his development at Real Madrid’s La Fabrica academy and represents Spain in the national youth team.

Marcelo, a talent nurtured at Fluminense’s youth academy, built his career with notable titles, including Campeonato Carioca, Libertadores, and Recopa. Despite ending his contract, the relationship between Marcelo and the club remains strong. His name is honored at the Xerem training center, showing the club’s recognition and gratitude for his contributions.

Fluminense expressed sincere thanks to Marcelo, taking pride in his achievements and looking forward to supporting him in his future endeavors.