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Brazil has consistently produced some stunning footballing talents year after year and the present generation is no different. However, the current crop are yet to replicate the success of the previous generations. The last time Brazil won the World Cup was in 2002. Their last major tournament win was the Copa America in 2007, but they did win the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. One cannot help but feel that the Brazil team has underachieved in recent years. In fact, the expectations are so high that even though Brazil has won the Olympic Gold Medal in the 2016 Olympics, it has not satisfied the fans.
The samba flavour is perhaps the most intriguing taste of football because it is the unadulterated love of the game that draws the Brazilians to the fields. Their skills and trickery and their desire to entertain separate them from the rest of the world. Even in the world of intense rivalries, Brazilians are widely loved and revered, and thanks to their involvement in club football, they are watched all over the world all through the year.
Even without the coveted trophy to place them in the same rank as their predecessors, the present generation of Brazilians are quite the talented bunch and today we look at 5 of the best Brazilians in football right now.
#5 Fernandinho
Pep Guardiola has collaborated with some of the finest players in football and when the Spaniard states that Fernandinho is one of the best holding midfielders he has worked with, you have to sit up and take notice. Fernandinho has 169 appearances in the Premier League so far and has scored 17 goals.
He averages 63.5 passes per game and has a tackle success rate of 69% and in Guardiola’s team, the Brazilian does the bulk of the dirty work silently, allowing the attacking players to play with more freedom. However, Fernandinho is not the average defensive midfielder, he does not just sit in front of the defence, he joins the attack quite often, but acts as the fail-safe in case of counter-attacks. He is defensively sound, his tackles, ball recoveries and interceptions are integral to City’s style of play, but Fernandinho also has fantastic passing abilities, a wide range of ball skills and has a very good shot in him too. This makes him a vital cog in Pep’s system.
Last season, Fernandinho attempted 2975 passes, the third highest in the league and second only to Otamendi in his team. He also had the fourth highest touches on the ball in the league. He also had an impressive 90% passing completion rate.
This season, he has already attempted 289 passes, the second highest in the team and in the absence of De Bruyne, will have to shoulder added responsibilities. But the Brazilian has the qualities to ensure that City are in good hands in the absence of their talisman.
#4 Casemiro
Last season, Casemiro scored 7 goals, registered 3 assists, but picked up 13 yellow cards. Casemiro is a pure antithesis of the perfect Brazilian blend of football, he is a destroyer rather than a creator. He is an enforcer of the highest quality and his presence benefits both his club Real Madrid and his country Brazil. He is hardworking, has extreme patience and is very determined on the pitch. He is also full of running all through the game, which means he cover a lot of ground and is almost everywhere on the pitch. He is the ultimate unsung hero of both teams.
Casemiro has been part of teams that rely on wave after wave of attack and do not spend much thought on defending and this is why his presence is vital. He already leads his team in interceptions and tackles and is actually the one doing all the dirty work for his team. He holds his position above the back four and his only aim in life is to defend. This frees up his midfield partners and allows them to enjoy freedom at attack without fear. In the 16/17 season, Casemiro scored 6 goals, had 4 assists to his name and was shown the yellow card 15 times.
Casemiro is not the most skillful Brazilian around, and certainly not the flamboyant. There will be no showboating or stepovers either. But he brings a quality unlike any to the pitch and he is one of the world’s best in his position.
#3 Marcelo
Last season, Marcelo finished with 5 goals and 11 assists to his name, a fantastic achievement for a defender, but the Brazilian has been doing this consistently over the years. He had 3 goals and 13 assists in the 2016/17 season and 4 goals and 11 assists in the 2014/15 season. The 15/16 season saw an uncharacteristic dip in goal scoring form, as he scored 2 goals and registered 4 assists, but in reality, goal scoring is just one of many strong qualities of Marcelo.
The Brazilian is, in many ways, a heir to the legendary Roberto Carlos and has a similar style of play. In fact, Marcelo had grown up idolizing Roberto Carlos and at Real, had the honour and privilege to play alongside his idol for a season. It was here that he learned to be like Carlos and eventually took his place a couple of seasons later. From there, Marcelo has gone on to become the rightful heir to his idol both at club and national level and Roberto Carlos could not have been prouder of his prodigy.
This season too, Marcelo is expected to carry forward his form – he is, after all, one of the best left backs around.
#2 Coutinho
Perhaps the best Brazilian midfielder in the world right now, Coutinho is finally at the level he wants to be right now. He took to Barcelona like a fish takes to water and has impressed since joining in the winter transfer window last season. Coutinho started the season with Liverpool, scored 12 goals and had a further 8 assists for them and after transferring to Nou Camp, scored 10 goals and registered 6 assists for Barcelona. He finished the season with 22 goals and 14 assists.
Coutinho is the epitome of Brazilian flare with the perfect mix of European elements. He loves to dribble and is quick in possession. He also has a wonderful knack of coming inside from the left and curling one into the far corner – it is his trademark move and there are few people in the world better at it than him. Coutinho has a wonderful sense of football and sees a pass even before it is there, which is why he combines so well with the intelligence of Messi at Barcelona. He would love to emulate his idol Ronaldinho’s achievements at Barca and few people would bet against him.
This season, Coutinho has been awarded with the Barcelona No. 7 jersey and with the departure of Iniesta, the Brazilian has the perfect stage to create his art. He already has 1 goal and 1 assist to his name so far. The world will be looking forward to a masterclass and Coutinho should not disappoint.
#1 Neymar
The poster boy of Brazilian football is one of the best players in the world right now. Neymar relocated to PSG last season to move out of Messi’s shadows and had a mixed season marred with injuries. His season ended in February after picking up an injury, yet he had already scored 28 goals in 30 appearances and had also registered 16 assists.
In the summer, his diving antics took up more of the headlines than his brilliance at the World Cups, where he was constantly targeted by opposition defenses – he was fouled 26 times in 5 matches. Yet Neymar finished with 2 goals and 1 assists and 27 attempts on goal, 13 of them on target. There’s no denying his qualities and he is the perfect flag bearer of Brazilian football. He loves to entertain, he is blessed with insane skills and he has the courage and audacity to try them even in the most unusual situations. He is extremely fast and has fascinating ball control in those speeds. In many ways, Neymar was rightly expected to carry forward Messi’s legacy at Barcelona, a responsibility he both acknowledged and passed on, preferring instead to create his own history at PSG.
This season, Neymar has already scored 4 goals so far and with a further assist to his name, looks determined to finally stamp his authority in football. It could finally be his calling this year, he is after all, the finest Brazilian footballer at present.
