'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
South American football has not always been synonymous with Brazil. The likes of Argentina, Colombia and Uruguay, to name a few, have produced a plethora of skilful players who are now plying their trade all over the world.
Renowned mostly for their flair, South American players are often versatile enough to play across a bevy of positions across the field. On that note, let's take a look at the most valuable South American XI.
A 4-2-3-1 formation has been considered for the hypothetical XI.
Goalkeeper - Alisson Becker (€80 million)
Alisson Becker is one of the most valuable goalkeepers in the game. The 28-year-old Brazilian has played a key role in helping Liverpool win the Champions League and Premier League titles in successive seasons.
However, this season, Alisson has been a pale shadow of his illustrious self. With Liverpool enduring a wretched Premier League title defence owing to the absence of several key first-team players, Alisson has not helped his team's cause by appearing uncharacteristically fallible in recent games.
The former AS Roma shot-stopper was particularly sloppy against league leaders Manchester City, a defeat that all but ended Liverpool's title hopes.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted that the player's mistakes cost his team the game but backed his custodian to come good in the future, saying:
“He’s obviously very disappointed. He was like ‘not today, not today’. I said to him ‘that’s the problem with mistakes, you cannot decide when you make them, the only thing you can do is learn from them’. That’s what he will do and he will make sure it never happens to him again. Tonight it was decisive, but that’s OK. He saved our lives I don’t know how often, and he’s absolutely a world-class goalie."
Centre-back - Marquinhos (€70 million)
Marquinhos has been a fixture at PSG since joining the French giants in the summer of 2013.
Still only 26, the Brazilian centre-back has made over 300 appearances for the French club, winning a staggering 24 trophies.
Last season, he scored three Champions League goals and almost won a continental quadruple with PSG. However, a loss to Bayern Munich in the final meant the French champions had to be content with a domestic treble instead.
A key figure in the heart of the PSG defence, Marquinhos has been uncharacteristically fallible this season. Nevertheless, PSG are keen to extend his contract till 2024.
Centre-back - Jose Maria Gimenez (€65 million)
Jose Maria Gimenez has been a key player for Atletico Madrid since arriving at the club in the 2013-14 season.
The Uruguayan centre-back has made over 200 appearances for the Rojiblancos, winning four titles in as many competitions.
This season, the 26-year-old has made only 17 appearances across competitions, with a muscle injury ruling him out of the La Liga leaders' Champions League Round of 16 first-leg clash with Chelsea.
Right-back - Emerson Royal (€20 million)
Emerson Royal has been a fixture at Real Betis since arriving at the La Liga club in the summer of 2018.
The 22-year-old Brazilian has scored five goals and provided eight assists in 65 appearances for Betis in all competitions. He was one of the best full-backs in the La Liga last season despite his team finishing in the bottom half of the league table.
Left-back - Renan Lodi (€20 million)
Renan Lodi has been a key player for La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid since arriving from Brazilian Serie A club Athletico Paranaense in the summer of 2019.
The 22-year-old has scored once and provided five assists in over 60 appearances for the Rojiblancos in all competitions. The left-back's attacking prowess has also seen him become a regular for Brazil.
Central Midfielder - Federico Valverde (€70 million)
After arriving at Real Madrid in the summer of 2018, Federico Valverde has evolved to become a regular in Zinedine Zidane's team.
The 22-year-old Uruguayan has scored thrice for the Merengues this season, with one of his strikes coming in the reigning La Liga champions' 3-1 win at El Clasico rivals Barcelona.
Valverde has immensely benefitted from playing under Zidane, saying in this regard:
"Zidane speaks to you like a friend. You have to take in every word he says because he's a legend of world football."
Defensive Midfielder - Casemiro (€70 million)
Like his Real Madrid teammate Valverde, Casemiro also has a valuation of €70 million.
Despite playing in a deeper midfield role compared to Valverde, Casemiro has had a prolific campaign up front, scoring five Liga goals to sustain his team's title defence.
A Real Madrid player since 2012-13, the 28-year-old Brazilian has made over 250 appearances in all competitions for the Merengues, scoring 29 goals and assisting 20.
During this period, Casemiro has won 12 titles, which comprises of four triumphs in the Champions League and two in La Liga.
Central Attacking Midfielder - Paulo Dybala (€70 million)
Although Paulo Dybala predominantly plays in the attacking third as the second striker or on the wings, he'll don a central midfield role in our hypothetical XI.
The 27-year-old Argentine has had an injury-riddled campaign this season that has coincided with Juventus' indifferent title defence in the Serie A.
Now in his sixth season with the Italian giants, Dybala has only scored thrice in 16 outings in all competitions and has been linked with a move away from Turin in recent times.
However, Juventus head coach Andrea Pirlo recently rubbished rumours of Dybala's exit, saying about the player:
"Champions like him are always fundamental in strong teams. I train all the players. Dybala is one of them. He behaviour is great."
Left-winger - Neymar (€128 million)
Valued at €128 million, Neymar is the most valuable South American player gracing the sport at the moment.
After narrowly missing out on a European quadruple last season, as PSG lost to Bayern Munich in the Champions League final, the 29-year-old Brazilian has endured an injury-riddled campaign.
Nevertheless, the PSG star striker has netted 13 times in 18 games in all competitions while conjuring six assists as well.
Neymar has scored an impressive 83 times in 103 games for PSG, providing a staggering 47 assists and winning ten trophies as well.
Commenting on the player's latest injury, PSG head coach Mauricio Pochettino observed:
"Because of his play, Neymar is often the subject of overly strong tackles. Maybe referees should apply some common sense and protect him a little more. Neymar enjoys having the ball at his feet and he's like that when he plays football, it's not provocation. He's like this in training too. What Neymar does isn't provocation, he just loves football."
Right-winger - Lionel Messi (€80 million)
Barcelona captain Lionel Messi is one of the best players to have ever graced the beautiful game.
The talismanic Argentine, one of the last vestiges of the true one-club man, has had an indifferent campaign of sorts. Nevertheless, he has still netted 21 times in all competitions, while breaching a number of records along the way.
However, with Barcelona unlikely to win silverware for a second consecutive season, it doesn't look like Messi will stay at the club beyond the summer.
Centre-forward - Roberto Firmino (€72 million)
Roberto Firmino is not the quintessential centre-forward who scores goals by the dozen.
Instead, the Brazilian tends to drop deep and create chances for his attacking colleagues, something that is often seen when he plays with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane at Liverpool.
Nevertheless, the 29-year-old Brazilian has scored 84 goals and assisted 67 in 279 games in all competitions, helping the Reds win the Champions League and Premier League titles in consecutive seasons.
Understandably, Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp has high regard for Firmino, saying recently:
"I don't have to say one word about Bobby Firmino and how important he was for us. So I don't waste time with that. (People who are) not with us, I don't care if they know about him. He was in so many games the difference maker, without scoring maybe, but with scoring as well in other games. I would feel really embarrassed if I had to mention now the qualities of Bobby Firmino."
