Brazil is as iconic as soccer itself. The Selecao’s yellow and green shirt is an unmistakable look.
Whether it’s with their national team or their clubs, the South American powerhouse is aiming for its sixth World Cup crown and has produced some of the most beloved and entertaining soccer players of all time.
Below are the greatest Brazilian soccer players of all time, ranked by statistics, trophies, and influence at club and international level.
rank | player | career span |
|---|---|---|
20 | Daniel Alves | 2001-2023 |
19 | penny | 1962-1973 |
18 | Nilton Santos | 1948-1964 |
17 | Rivellino | 1965-1981 |
16 | falcon | 1972-1986 |
15 | didi | 1947-1966 |
14 | Kafu | 1988–2008 |
13 | socrates | 1973-2004 |
12 | Roberto Carlos | 1991–2016 |
11 | Carlos Alberto Torres | 1963-1982 |
10
Jairzinho
1960-1982
The first name on our list is an icon of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup squad and a man who spent most of his playing career at Botafogo, the club he joined as a young boy.
Hurricane or something For those of you who speak Portuguese, Huracan scored 249 goals in a career that spanned 20 years, including 186 in just 416 appearances for Botafogo.
His brilliant career came to an end in 1982, with a full trophy cabinet and 81 caps for the national team, in which he scored 33 goals.
9
Kaka
2000-2014
With the addition of the brilliant Kaka in the No. 9 spot, we are moving into the modern era in search of the next star.
The Gama-born magician joined AC Milan from São Paulo in 2003 and over the next six seasons became one of the best players in the world, winning Serie A, the Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup and the Ballon d’Or before completing a historic £56m move to Real Madrid in June 2009, the same summer the Whites also brought in Cristiano Ronaldo.
Unfortunately, the immensely talented midfielder was plagued by knee problems upon joining Madrid and was unable to make the impact that many had hoped.
After five more years with Orlando City and São Paulo, he eventually retired after earning 92 caps for Brazil and scoring 29 goals for his country.
8
neymar
2009-present
We are the only current players to make it into the top 10 and of course Neymar Jr has to be in it, whether you love him or hate him.
He won the Champions League with Barcelona and racked up Ligue 1 titles with Paris Saint-Germain like they were nothing.
However, despite having so many hopes on his shoulders with the national team, the man who has scored more goals than Pele for the national team was unable to lead his country to World Cup glory.
However, with more than 350 goals in more than 600 club matches and nearly 80 goals in more than 125 appearances for the national team, the Mogi das Cruzes-born ace deserves to be considered one of the best players in the history of the Selecao.
7
Zico
1971-1994
We’re going back in time again, because the sixth star on this list is Zico, a player Gary Lineker described as “incredible.”
The 5ft 8in midfielder, born in Rio de Janeiro, was a huge success in his home country, scoring 529 goals in 724 games for Flamengo, and was a key member of the 1979 Copa America winning side, although they failed to win the World Cup, eventually retiring with 71 senior caps remaining.
At club level, he won numerous trophies with Flamengo, including seven state titles, before moving to Japan’s Kashima Antlers, where they won the league title in 1993 and is currently their technical advisor.
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6
rivaldo
1991-2015
From an icon who didn’t win a World Cup to a player who became a World Cup star, Rivaldo is the next name on the list.
The Recife-born wonder played a key role in Brazil’s winning campaigns in Japan and South Korea in 2002, scoring in their first five games and forming a powerful trio alongside Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. I will explain them in detail later.
A slightly more embarrassing game against Turkey may have made headlines, but fans should never forget what a great player he was. After all, you can’t rack up 74 senior caps for nothing.
He also won the Coppa Italia and the Champions League with AC Milan, as well as two La Ligas, one Copa del Rey and the UEFA Super Cup with Barcelona.
5
Romario
1985-2007*
Romario may be playing the cold game of politics now, but during his playing days, Romario was one of the greatest players of all time.
The Rio-born striker won 70 caps and scored 55 goals during his international career – only Neymar, Pele and Ronaldo have scored more goals – and won two Copa Americas and the 1994 World Cup.
He was equally successful at club level, winning three Eredivisie titles with PSV Eindhoven, one La Liga title with Barcelona and one league title with Vasco da Gama.
4
Ronaldinho
1998-2015
Number 4 is definitely the most entertaining soccer player of all time, or at least the most entertaining on this list.
Ronaldinho started his career with Gremio in his home country and moved to PSG in 2001.
After a few years of brilliant performances, he secured a move to Barcelona, scoring 70 goals in just 145 games, winning La Liga twice, winning the Champions League and dazzling fans and rivals alike with his incredible technical ability.
The Porto Alegre-born star won 97 international caps, in which he scored 33 goals. That one He played against David Seaman and won one Copa America and one World Cup.
However, in the penultimate international match of 2013, the England goalkeeper’s union had the last laugh as Joe Hart managed to save a penalty from the great midfielder. But just like Seaman, I’m sure he didn’t lose any sleep after that game.
3
Garrincha
1951-1972
The bronze medal goes to Garrincha. Garrincha played alongside Pele in Brazil’s 1958 World Cup victory and became a star four years later in Pele’s absence, showing how integral he was to the country’s soccer success.
This extraordinary winger has only made 50 appearances for the national team, but his impact is almost unparalleled.
During his 20-year playing career, he made 238 appearances and scored 84 goals for Botafogo, before also playing for teams such as Corinthians, Flamengo and Colombian side Atlético Junior.
2
ronaldo
1993-2011
The second spot on this list is reserved for some who might call him the real Ronaldo.
The Itaguyan-born superstar, whose full name was Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima but was often referred to simply as ‘R9’, was an absolute monster as a footballer.
In 454 appearances for the club, the unstoppable forward has scored 298 goals and provided 75 assists. He was involved in a goal every 1.2 games on average throughout his career, which means the average was even higher during his glory days.
At club level he won La Liga, Cope del Rey, UEFA Cup and KNVB Cup, and at international level he won two World Cups and two Copa Americas.
By the time he retired, he had played 98 games in the top flight, scoring 62 goals – talk about a legend.
1
beginning
1956-1977
We have reached number 1 on the list. Now, who else would?
Of course, the greatest Brazilian soccer player of all time has to be the late Pele, and there are probably more than just Brazilians.
The icon of the sporting world was Messi of his time, and although the majority of today’s football fans will never have seen him play, they all know his name and almost certainly know his face.
There is much debate over how many goals Pele actually scored at club level, but there is no doubt that the figure is at least 680, while for Brazil he scored 77 goals in 92 games.
He was also a key player in the team’s first World Cup victory in 1958, even though he was only 17 years old at the time. He would finish his career with two games left, but missed most of the 1962 tournament due to injury.
