Brazil. It is a nation where football is the way of life. Brazilian football players are frequently idolized, practically considered gods, and seen as fantastical figures with the ability to make people forget about reality and dream about the beautiful game. Brazil is a nation that has experienced a lot. in terms of politics, society, and economy. But football has remained an integral part of life in the biggest country in South America, even in times when confidence in the state and its authorities has faltered. When the Seleção, the 2014 World Cup hosts, lost to Germany 7-1 and were eliminated, it was significant because the entire nation was in grief. However, Brazilians’ unwavering devotion for the sport endures even at the lowest point for the national squad. Find the list of The Top 10 Brazilian Footballers of All Time below.
The Top 10 Brazilian Footballers of All Time
Gérson
The imaginative core of the storied 1970 World Cup-winning team. Gérson starts our list of The Top 10 Brazilian Footballers of All Time below. Gérson was a player with amazing skill, hawk-like vision, and a powerful left foot who played for four of Brazil’s biggest teams: Flamengo, Botafogo, São Paulo, and Fluminense. However, it was his brilliance for the Seleção that made him a household name in football.
Being the best ball-passer in the world, Gérson overcame the disappointment of Brazil’s World Cup 1966 campaign, which saw them finish second in their group and lose to Italy in the final. Four years later, he became the team’s main architect and won the tournament’s Silver Ball.
Sócrates
Sophisticated midfielder. heavy smoker and drinker. competent physician. Social activist and unceasing advocate for democratic principles. Sócrates indeed embodied all of these qualities, and his contributions to society went far beyond his sport. An incredible man, he was the iconic captain of Brazil’s 1982 World Cup team. He was a player whose casual brilliance was insufficient to propel his country to the final in Spain. He was unmistakable and unhurried.
After winning three Brazilian titles with Corinthians, Socrates retired from football in 1989. In 2004, he made an odd comeback for a mere five minutes with English non-league team Garforth Town. Socrates is still regarded as one of the most naturally gifted players Brazil has ever produced. His strange cameo did not diminish his legacy.
Jairzinho
Jairzinho was a strong, quick winger who is most known for scoring in all six of his games in the 1970 World Cup. He was a player capable of scoring goals of all kinds, including thundering shots and brilliant solo efforts. He was equipped with every kind of finish. Jairzinho’s flawless accuracy in front of goal was, in fact, the reason his nation achieved their greatest-ever victory. Jairzinho achieved success at the club level as well, winning two state titles with Botafogo in the 1960s. But it was his adventures in Mexico that distinguished him from so many of his countrymen
Cafu
Given the attack-minded nature of so many of Brazil’s all-time greats, Cafu’s ability to consistently perform well over an extended period is impressive, as evidenced by his easy place inside the top 10. A mainstay of the national team, Cafu is the first player to have participated in three straight World Cup finals. He led his team to victory in 2002 and 1994. With an incredible 142 caps under his belt, he is also the player in Brazil with the most. The most lasting memory of Cafu is of the unwavering right-back who led Roma to the 2001 Scudetto. He won his second Serie A championship with Milan in 2004 and was a seasoned player on the Rossoneri squad that won the Champions League in 2007. He is simply among the best right-backs of all time.
Romário
Romário is one of the few players who has scored goals with such skill. Although the striker’s claim to have scored 1000 goals is debatable, there is no doubting his proficiency in the penalty area or his capacity to finish and touch the ball well enough to consistently score important goals. Romário’s best performance occurred in 1994 when Brazil won the World Cup in the United States. He scored five goals and took home the Golden Boot.
In addition, he achieved great success with European teams, leading PSV Eindhoven to three Eredivisie championships before establishing himself as the main man on Johan Cruyff’s ‘Dream Team’ at Barcelona in 1993. Before hanging up his boots in 2009, Romário had stints at Valencia, many clubs back in Brazil, Miami FC, Adelaide United, and his first season at Camp Nou, when he scored 30 goals in 33 games as Barça won La Liga. A reliable goal scorer for his nation, he amassed 55 goals in 70 appearances.
Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho, is arguably the most extravagant entertainer in football, with a unique talent. He was incredibly talented but also incredibly effective. He served as a reminder that football is still just a game that should be enjoyed. Like a kid on the playground, he took the ball at his feet, visualizing in his mind what he wanted to do with it and, most of the time, really doing it. After rising to fame with Paris Saint-Germain, Ronaldinho went on to become a legend at Barcelona. He won two league titles, a Champions League, and other honors for the team as well as the Ballon d’Or.
Ronaldinho won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil. He would rank even higher if it weren’t for his excruciatingly erratic latter years of play. He eventually played for Flamengo, Atlético Mineiro, Querétaro, and Fluminense, and finally called it quits in 2018, having already appeared to be in decline by the time he joined Milan in 2008.
Zico
Zico, another all-time great, was remarkably constant in his performances for club and country throughout his career despite never being able to win the World Cup. Overcoming his tiny build during his early years, he helped Flamengo win the Copa Libertadores in 1971. He went on to win four Brazilian championships and seven state crowns in two consecutive eras. He totaled 800 games and 500 goals. Zico is a pass maestro with superb vision who is regarded as the best free-kick taker in game history.
His experience with the national team, however, was not without tragedy. He was a member of the 1982 team that was unsuccessful and also failed to find victory in 1978 and 1986. He is rightfully regarded as one of the best Brazilian football players of all time in spite of this. His 48 goals in 71 games record still demonstrates what a clinical force in midfield he was.
Garrincha
Garrincha, a Brazilian football player, possessed exceptional skill and was widely regarded as the best dribbler in history. He rose to prominence during the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, coinciding with Pelé’s rise. Although his teammate became the tournament poster child, Garrincha emerged victorious in Chile four years later, filling in as Brazil’s standout player while Pelé was sidelined due to injury.
During Garrincha’s career, spirit triumphed over anatomy. Despite having a left leg that was six centimeters longer than his right at birth, which led a doctor to declare him crippled, he went on to excel in athletics. Despite being a strong drinker, smoker, and serial womanizer, Garrincha was far from a model athlete. Nevertheless, he is still recognized as one of the most exceptionally talented players to have ever come out of Brazil.
Ronaldo
Many people consider Ronaldo, or ÓFenómeno, to be the greatest. While he was undoubtedly given careful thought, a few things keep him from topping the list of the greatest Brazilian football players of all time. Ronaldo was without a doubt the most explosive and entertaining player to come through the 1990s. With his almost unplayable combination of speed, power, and skill, he was a fearsome No. 9 who frequently blitzed opponents and had commentators fumbling through their thesauruses for additional adjectives to describe him.
And sure, he did contribute eight goals to Brazil’s 2002 World Cup victory. He had an incredible single season at Barcelona in which he scored 47 goals in 49 games. He still seemed strangely unfulfilled when he retired. Of course, he wasn’t mostly to blame for this. Neither the near-fatal injury that ended his career in 1999 nor the life-threatening seizure that he experienced on the eve of the 1998 World Cup was his fault. While ÓFenómeno’s poor attitude toward discipline and training allowed him to try to prolong his career, fate gave him a terrible hand. Although, he just misses out on our list of The Top 10 Brazilian footballers of All Time.
Pelé
Even though Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo may have eclipsed Pelé as the greatest of all time, Pelé is still a role model for young Brazilian athletes. He was the ultimate striker, possessing both incredible mental toughness and nearly unrivaled technical skill. As the 17-year-old who stole the show in the 1958 World Cup, Pelé shot to fame. He scored six goals, five of which came in the semifinal and championship games, and helped Brazil win the world championship for the first time. Pelé was disappointed four years after missing the 1962 tournament. He went on to win his second World Cup in 1970 as the star of one of the best attacking teams ever put together. It also included Gérson, Rivellino, Jairzinho, and Tostao.
Pelé still holds the record for most goals scored in Brazil with 77 goals in 92 appearances. Pelé’s entire club career was with Santos, where he won 25 trophies in 18 years. It includes six Campeonato Brasileiro Série A crowns and two Copa Libertadores. Pelé is the best Brazilian football player of all time, in this writer’s opinion at least. Even though Messi and Ronaldo have eclipsed him in recent years. However, to witness the viewpoint of an immeasurably more gifted writer, view the homage to Pelé provided by the late, great Hugh McIlvanney (above). poetic. He tops our list of The Top 10 Brazilian footballers of All Time.
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