Few midfielders in football history have influenced the game as profoundly as Makelele. The Frenchman’s name became synonymous with the defensive midfield role, so much so that his position came to be known simply as “the Makelele role.” Across a glittering career, he represented some of the world’s biggest clubs, including Madrid, Chelsea and PSG, and won almost every major honour available to a player of his generation.
At Madrid, Makelele was the quiet architect behind the club’s early Galactico era, anchoring a midfield that allowed stars like Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, and Ronaldo to flourish. He helped Madrid win two La Liga titles, a Champions League, a UEFA Super Cup and an Intercontinental Cup. His departure in 2003 famously left a void so significant that Zidane once said, “Why put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the engine?”
Makelele went on to become a Premier League icon at Chelsea, helping the club lift back-to-back league titles under Jose Mourinho. Later, he joined PSG, where he transitioned into leadership and coaching, first as a player, then as an assistant, helping guide the club through the early years of the Qatari ownership era. It was here that he crossed paths with a young Marquinhos, freshly signed from Roma in 2013.
That early impression seems to have stayed with him. Speaking at a recent La Liga event, Makelele revealed that Marquinhos remains, to this day, “his dream player” for Madrid as he is the kind of intelligent, disciplined defender he believes could elevate any team.
