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A continent of vibrancy and exuberance, South America has a rich footballing heritage. South American footballers not only think about winning the biggest accolades, they also make it a point to look good while doing it.
South American footballers have taught the world how to live the game, playing a huge part in making football the most entertaining sport in the world.
Throughout history, several South American stars have dominated the global game. This year, too, has had its fair share of South American superstars, five of whom have made it to our list today.
Now without further ado, let’s take a quick look at the five best South Americans in world football right now:
#5 Casemiro - Brazil and Real Madrid
Having bagged 35 La Liga titles and 14 Champions League crowns, Spanish giants Real Madrid are the most successful team in Europe.
Interestingly, Los Blancos have never been too strict about their style of play. They have had numerous managers over the course of their existence, each trying their best to help the club do what they love doing the most, winning.
Central defensive midfielder Casemiro is the perfect modern-day representation of the club. He does not always look pretty on the pitch, but he has most definitely proven himself to be effective.
Since becoming a mainstay under Zinedine Zidane in 2016, Casemiro has helped the club to four Champions League trophies and three La Liga titles, amongst other honors. The Brazilian has emerged as the club’s most influential central defensive midfielder in history.
In the 2021-22 season, Casemiro was crucial in helping Real Madrid win both the Champions League and La Liga.
He played 48 games for the club across competitions, smothering numerous attacks from the opposition and pitching in with a goal and four assists.
#4 Neymar - Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain
Brazilian superstar Neymar has seen his stock rapidly fall in the last couple of seasons. Since helping Paris Saint-Germain reach their first-ever Champions League final in the 2019-20 campaign (lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich), the 30-year-old seems to have fizzled out.
Last season, he missed a lot of football due to various injuries, failing to turn up for the team when they needed him the most in the Champions League.
Despite not playing regularly, Neymar remains unplayable on his day. He can still very much take the fight to the opposition, turning defenders inside out, beating players for pace, and scoring exceptional goals. Keeping him fit has become PSG’s biggest challenge at this point.
Neymar took part in 28 games for the Parisians across competitions last season, scoring 13 goals and providing eight assists.
For Brazil, Neymar has looked as formidable as ever, scoring five goals and providing three assists in his last five appearances for the Selecao.
#3 Alisson Becker - Brazil and Liverpool
Liverpool's Alisson Becker is arguably the best goalkeeper in the world right now. His cat-like reflexes, ability to read the game, and complete command of the penalty box make him a difficult foe for any opponent to beat.
Last season, Alisson featured in 36 Premier League games, conceding 24 goals and keeping a whopping 20 clean sheets. Over the course of the campaign, he made 76 saves, had 22 high claims, and rushed off his line 30 times to clear the ball.
The 29-year-old won the 'Premier League Golden Glove' award alongside compatriot and Manchester City custodian Ederson Moraes.
Alisson kept four clean sheets in 14 Champions League matches, helping the Reds to the final, where they lost 1-0 to Real Madrid.
He was influential in the FA Cup as well, keeping two clean sheets and helping the Merseyside giants snatch a win over Chelsea on penalties in the final.
#2 Lionel Messi - Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain
After 17 trophy-laden seasons at Barcelona, Lionel Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent ahead of the 2021-22 campaign.
The transition was not easy, with the Argentine struggling to put on a show for his new employers in Paris. His goalscoring (six goals) never quite took off for PSG, but he emerged as the second-best creator (behind teammate Kylian Mbappe) in Ligue 1, with 14 assists.
In the Champions League, Messi was the Parisians' best performer in the group stages, scoring five goals in as many appearances. He, however, cut a frustrating figure in the Champions League Round of 16 clash against Real Madrid.
Although he failed to live up to expectations in his debut season at PSG, Messi has looked at his best for his country, Argentina.
At the end of the 2021-22 domestic season, Messi joined up with La Albiceleste for the 'Finalissima' against European champions Italy. He provided two assists as Argentina beat the Azzurri 3-0 in the final.
Days later, Argentina squared off against Estonia in a friendly fixture, bagging an emphatic 5-0 win. Their skipper Messi scored all five goals.
#1 Vinicius Junior - Brazil and Real Madrid
Real Madrid left-winger Vinicius Junior was by far the most improved player in Europe in the 2021-22 season.
Devoid of hesitancy in front of goal from earlier seasons, Vinicius emerged as a complete forward under Carlo Ancelotti. He helped the Whites with crucial goals and assists throughout the season.
Last term, Vinicius Junior continued to dazzle his opponents with his breakneck pace and eye-popping dribbling skills. He regularly barged into the box from the left, combined effortlessly with Karim Benzema, and finished the season with 22 goals and 20 assists in 52 games across competitions.
Prior to his blistering 2021-22 campaign, Vinicius only had 14 goals and 23 assists to his name in 114 appearances for Real Madrid across competitions.
The 21-year-old's most crucial contribution came in the Champions League final against Liverpool, with him scoring the only goal to lead Madrid to their 14th UCL title.
Without his 30 goal involvements in La Liga (17 goals and 13 assists), Real Madrid would have had a tough time winning the Spanish premier division as well.
Also Read: 5 most valuable international squads in world football right now (June 2022)
