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The Bundesliga has seen its fair share of world-class forwards and perhaps a lot of underrated South American goal-scorers too.
A league that has a history of promoting their own talent, the top-scoring list, unsurprisingly, has a lot of Germans.
Top five South American goal-scorers in the Bundesliga:
In recent years, the Bundesliga has seen an increasing influx of South American talent, especially some underrated players in the 2000s decade. So without further ado, let’s take a look at the top five South American goal-scorers in the Bundesliga:
#5 Marcelinho Paraiba – 79 goals
One of the best players to play for Hertha Berlin, Marcelinho Paraiba had a long career that stretched from 1990 when he made his debut for Brazilian side Campinense
Paraiba played for Brazilian third-tier side Treze FC at the age of 45 before retiring last year. An attacking midfielder who could also play as a forward, the Brazilian scored 77 goals in the Bundesliga.
Although his goals came for two teams – Hertha Berlin and Wolfsburg -- it is his spell with Hertha that earned him greater recognition.
He had a good record for the team, scoring 79 goals in all competitions. His form in 2002 almost helped him make the Brazilian team for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Not bad for a player Hertha signed for just £6.3 million in 2001!
Eventually, he missed out because of a certain Ricardo Kaka, who was only 20 at the time but was a precocious talent.
#4 Raffael – 82 goals
Raffael had two good spells in the Bundesliga, first with Hertha Berlin and then with Borussia Monchengladbach, scoring a cumulative 82 goals in the competition.
The Brazilian’s best spell was perhaps at Borussia Monchengladbach, where he was a key part of Lucien Favre’s team. Gladbach played some fluid football under the Swiss manager, with Raffael adding a bit of pizzazz and flair to the Monchengladbach attack.
A player who was easy on the eye, Raffael had it all; he could play a sumptuous pass to a teammate or produce an unerring finish when he had the chance.
In three consecutive Bundesliga campaigns, Raffael scored more than ten goals in a season, helping Monchengladbach return to the Champions League after a hiatus.
The latter stages of his career at Borussia Monchengladbach was hindered by injuries. The 35-year-old is currently without a club.
#3 Ailton – 106 Bundesliga goals
Ailton played a key role in Werder Bremen’s latest Bundesliga triumph in 2004. However, despite his incredible record, the Brazilian is not very popular outside Germany.
Ailton scored a whopping 106 Bundesliga goals and was one of the most skilful finishers in the league. It’s a shame that the Brazilian team had so much quality around 2003 that Ailton never graced the Selecao jersey.
His impressive performances in front of goal won him the Bundesliga Footballer of the Year award, becoming the first non-German player to do so.
#2 Giovane Elber – 133 goals
Giovane Elber is perhaps one of the best South American players to grace the Bundesliga. Blessed with pace, dribbling ability and a wise head above his shoulders, Elber often eased past Bundesliga defenders while playing for Stuttgart.
His impressive performances for the club led to a £5.85 million move to Bayern Munich, where he enjoyed a lot of success.
Elber scored 140 goals in 266 appearances for Bayern Munich in all competitions, helping them to the Champions League title in 2001. He had the typical Brazilian flair and audacity to pull off moves that not many could fathom, a player most Bundesliga neutrals admired at the time.
The Brazilian scored 133 goals in the Bundesliga and is one of the best imports the league has ever seen.
#1 Claudio Pizarro – 197 goals
Claudio Pizarro holds the record for the most goals scored in the Bundesliga by a South American player. He is a legend at more than one club for his goal-scoring exploits.
Pizarro first rose to prominence at Werder Bremen in the 1999-00 season before Bayern Munich made a move for him a couple of years later. The Bavarian giants just couldn’t resist pairing him up with Roque Santa Cruz, and the duo forged a good partnership.
The Peruvian later formed another deadly strike-force with Giovane Elber, and the two players helped Bayern Munich win the Bundesliga and the Champions League.
Pizarro often combined exceptional technique with good finishing ability. His game was not all about pace, which is why he had such a long career. The Peruvian ended his career with a whopping 197 Bundesliga goals scored for Werder Bremen, Bayern Munich and FC Koln.
