With outstanding performances in the 1999 Copa Libertadores he helped the team conquer the title, after beating Palmeiras' arch rivals Corinthians in the penalty shoot-outs in the quarter-final.

[citation needed] "I had the offer, travelled to London, but Palmeiras were going through a tough time in their history, after relegation, and I couldn't play some of the matches due to injury.

[8] Marcos is one of the greatest idols of Palmeiras' fans, alongside Ademir da Guia and Djalma Santos.

[citation needed] He was subsequently included in Brazil's squad for 2002 FIFA World Cup as the first-choice goalkeeper, replacing Taffarel.

He had four clean sheets, conceded only four goals in seven matches, and helped Brazil win the World Cup for a record fifth time.

Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski reported in their book Soccernomics that Marcos spent the entire tournament in severe pain from a prior broken wrist injury that did not properly heal, unable to train fully or even catch the ball in some matches.

While writing for Sports Illustrated in 2009, Tim Vickery described Marcos with the following words: "Tall, athletic, commanding, good under pressure," while also praising him for his longevity.

[10] Nicknamed São Marcos ("Saint Mark" in Portuguese),[11] he was also known for his penalty–stopping abilities,[12] and is regarded by pundits as one of the greatest Brazilian goalkeepers of all time.