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Brazil has produced some of the greatest footballers the world has ever seen. The South American country lives and breathes the beautiful game and is one of the most dominant forces in the history of the sport. Brazilian footballers garnered the attention of the whole world with their unique style of play called 'jinga'.
The world literally translates to 'sway' and it was a nod to the way their players moved on the football pitch. The Brazilian forwards have been some of the most visually pleasing, exciting and entertaining footballers of all time. Their natural flair for the game, style and eye-catching execution have mesmerized football fans for ages now.
Players like Pele, Ronaldo Nazario, Romario, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Jairzinho etc. are world famous Selecao footballers who made it to the very top. Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the best Brazilian forwards in the world right now.
#5 Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)
Manchester City get a lot of praise for being as dominant as they are without having an out-and-out striker. We're not entirely sure we're in agreement with that sentiment because it's not very kind to Gabriel Jesus.
The Brazilian striker might not be a typical Premier League forward but he has plenty of qualities that cannot be overlooked. The 24-year-old is part of a very deep Manchester City squad but he has still managed to stand out with his contributions this season.
It's difficult to shake Jesus off the ball. His passing and movement inside the final third can be difficult to deal with for opponents. Jesus is also a pretty good finisher and can play down either flank as well.
He has an admirable record with the Cityzens scoring 88 goals and giving 43 assists in 220 games across competitions.
#4 Antony (Ajax)
The Selecao will go into the 2022 FIFA World Cup with a raft of world-class attacking talents. One of the latest additions to their group of gifted attackers is Ajax youngster Antony. The 21-year-old rose through the ranks of Brazilian outfit Sao Paulo FC.
At the age of 18, he made his senior debut for the side. Antony showed plenty of promise but was far from the final product and that's when Ajax decided to swoop in for him. They signed him for a fee in the ballpark of €20 million. Ajax is the best place for a naturally gifted forward like Antony to flourish.
He is a pacy right winger whose dribbling ability is pretty much on par with some of the top forwards from the country we have seen in recent times.
The youngster is technically adept as well and his link-up play, passing, crossing and finishing are all quality. This makes him one of the most well-rounded young wingers on the planet.
Antony has scored nine goals and provided seven assists in 22 appearances across all competitions for the Dutch club this season.
#3 Raphinha (Leeds United)
Raphinha has established himself as one of the best wingers in the Premier League right now. There is a growing feeling among fans of the English top-flight that the Brazilian is unlikely to stick with Leeds United for much longer.
The 25-year-old is a top talent. He has got all the attributes expected of a quality Brazilian winger. Raphinha packs plenty of pace, is very direct, positive and aggressive with his dribbling and can test the goalkeeper from anywhere around the final third.
He is also a dead-ball specialist and is just as dangerous from indirect free kicks as he is from direct ones. Raphinha has singlehandedly kept Leeds United in several Premier League games this season.
In 20 appearances across all competitions for Leeds United this season, he has scored eight goals and provided two assists. Raphina and Antony together will make for a selection headache for Tite at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
#2 Neymar Jr. (Paris Saint-Germain)
At his best, Neymar Jr. is one of the best footballers on the planet. The Brazilian is one of the greatest attackers of the 21st century and boasts of the most expensive transfer amount in world football. But has not lived upto his own lofty standards this term. Neymar has had niggling injury issues and has not exactly got into his groove just yet.
He has been out for two months with a knee injury and is expected to return to the fray in February. Neymar also struggled with fitness at the start of the season. But we've still seen flashes of his genius, albeit rarely this season.
Neymar has scored just three goals and provided three assists in 14 appearances so far this term. But once he finds his form again, he will have no trouble improving those numbers.
#1 Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid)
For a very long time it looked like Brazil were going to have to outdo themselves to produce talent on the same level as Neymar. When Vinicius Jr. first broke onto the scene with Real Madrid, he was identified as a mercurial winger with great technical ability.
In his first few seasons, Vinicius Jr. offered glimpses of the brilliance he was capable of. However, his final touch and composure in the final third let him down consistently. But this season, Vinicius has turned it up a couple of notches and doubled down on his strengths.
As a result, he has been simply unstoppable this term. Vinicius Jr. is currently one of the best attackers in Europe. His blistering pace, trickery and finishing have rendered him a nightmare for opponents.
Vinicius Jr. has scored 15 goals and provided 10 assists in 30 appearances across all competitions so far this season. If he continues in the same vein, it will be interesting to see how both him and Neymar can be accommodated in the same starting lineup.
