Cristiano Ronaldo sends out touching message to 'incredible' Marcelo after former Real Madrid star announces his retirement aged 36

The 36-year-old hung up his boots this week, leading to a deluge of praise from wellwishers on social media. And his old companion Ronaldo was one such individual to laud the Brazilian on Thursday.

He wrote on Instagram: "My brother, what an incredible career! We've lived a lot together, years of achievements, victories and unforgettable moments. More than a teammate, a companion for life. Thank you for everything, my friend. I wish you all the best in this new stage of life."

Marcelo will go down as one of the best left-backs of recent decades, having won 25 pieces of major silverware in 15 hugely successful years at Madrid. The fact that Ronaldo, who played alongside the defender for the best part of a decade, sent the message he did shows how much respect he has for the ex-Fluminense star.

It remains to be seen what is next in store for Marcelo. Ronaldo, meanwhile, is still ploughing on for Al-Nassr after turning 40.