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Of all the international teams in the world of football, none has illuminated fans, nor dominated the world stage like Brazil have. With a record 5 World Cup wins as a nation and countless continental trophies to their name, they are unquestionably the most successful international side in the history of football.
It is not just their success that makes them great, but how they play. Famed for their Joga Bonito football, Brazil have charmed and magnetized fans across the globe. Though it may not be true right now, there have been numerous periods where Brazil were simply unbeatable.
Aside from their peerless success and beautiful playstyle, Brazil have produced some of the greatest talents in the history of the sport, as the likes of Pele, Garrincha, Romario and Ronaldo Nazario have shown us over the years. Of all the players they have produced, who is the greatest of them all? This article will list out the 5 greatest players to ever come out of Brazil.
5. Roberto Carlos
When we think of the greatest players in history, our minds are usually drawn to attackers rather than defenders. This is perhaps more reflective of our prejudice against defenders than it is of their lack of greatness.
From this school of thought, it only seems fair to include a defender on this list and that defender is none other than Roberto Carlos. To contain Roberto Carlos's career in one word would be "revolutionary".
At the start of his career, a full-back was arguably the least desirable and arguably least important position on the pitch. During his career, however, Roberto Carlos turned this position into an essential cog in future footballing styles. Instead of being solely a defender, Roberto Carlos bombed up and down the left-wing as arguably the most attacking-minded defender of all time. Though the Brazilian retired many years ago, his influence is undeniable.
By looking at players like John-Arne Riise, Ashley Cole, Marcelo, Dani Alves, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, one can see the influence that Carlos has had on the full-back position. To put into context how attacking-minded the Brazilian was, his 102 club goals is a higher tally than a combined total of Marcelo's and Alves' goals.
Carlos was wildly successful for both club and country, with the World Cup, the Copa America, the Champions League, and multiple league titles to his name. He spent most of his club career at Real Madrid where he was named in the top 11 foreign players in the club's history.
He is perhaps most remembered, however, for his long shots which resembled an exploding cannon and of all of his goals, none is talked about more than his freekick against France in 1997 which snaked around the French wall and into the goal.
His nickname was "The Bullet Man" and for good reason, as his freekicks have been measured as reaching speeds of over 105 miles per hour!
Also check out: La Liga La Liga fixtures La liga table 2019-20
4. Garrincha
Known in Brazil as the "Joy of the people", Garrincha is perhaps the most undercovered footballing legend of all time. One of the greatest dribblers of all-time, Garrincha was a contemporary of Pele and helped usher in a Golden Age of Brazilian football.
Although Pele was undoubtedly the star of the Brazilian team, in 1962 when he was injured, Garrincha took charge in Brazil's World Cup campaign and became the first player in history to win the Golden Boot, Golden Ball, and World Cup in the same tournament.
Garrincha's exploits have been recognised by FIFA over the years, with the Brazilian being included in the All-Time World Cup XI in 1994, came 7th in the Player of the Century, and was included in the Best XI of the 20th Century.
His illustrious career on the pitch was not transferred to his personal life, however. Like his father, Garrincha suffered from alcoholism throughout his entire adult life and it would eventually take his life in 1983.
He also suffered from bodily issues, with his legs being different lengths and bending in slightly different directions, leading to a doctor diagnosing him as crippled when he was a boy, which is amazing when considering he is one of football's greatest ever dribblers.
His teammate Pele stated that "Garrincha was an incredible player, one of the best there has ever been. He could do things with the ball that no other player could."
3. Ronaldinho
Maybe the best on the ball player the world has ever seen, Ronaldinho's extravagant dribbling and skill made him perhaps the most liked football player of the mid-2000s. Winner of the World Cup and many other titles, Ronaldinho's career peaked in 2005-06 when he was crowned as the best player in the world.
He is the embodiment of the Brazilian footballing spirit and his footballing style reflected both his personality and joy for the game. Whereas Zinedine Zidane's quiet and reserved nature was reflected in his simple yet elegant skill, Ronaldinho's vibrant personality was reflected in his samba like dribbling prowess.
Ronaldinho helped kickstart the renaissance of FC Barcelona who had fallen by the wayside in the early 2000s, into the footballing giants they once were, ushering a period of unrivalled dominance over Spain ever since. Interestingly, his footballing peak coincided with the rise of a young upstart called Lionel Messi, with many arguing that Ronaldinho's mentorship of the young Argentine was essential in shaping his career.
Ronaldinho was perhaps most known for his dribbling prowess and creativity, he was no slouch in front of goal, however. Despite not playing as a striker, Ronaldinho scored over 300 goals for club and country. His international career peaked in 2002 where he played a pivotal role in Brazil's successful World Cup campaign. Alongside Ronaldo and Rivaldo, Ronaldinho formed one of the greatest attacking tridents of all time, with 2 goals and assists apiece in the tournament.
2. Pele
Perhaps the first football superstar, Pele is still regarded to this day as one of the best players ever, with some regarding him as the very best. With three world cups and an alleged 1000 goals to his name, Pele was a force of nature in his playing days.
Known for his skill, speed, playmaking, heading ability, and so much more, he was undeniably the best player of his generation. No quote highlights this better than the one attributed to footballing legend Puskas, who said "The greatest player in history was Di Stefano as I refuse to classify Pelé as a player. He was above that."
Pele remains football's greatest ever goalscorer statistically. Though Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are approaching his figures, for the meantime he still stands supreme. The Brazilian legend scored 77 goals for Brazil (a record) and a staggering 650 club goals.
Although, as aforementioned, Messi and Ronaldo are approaching Pele's goalscoring record, neither player boasts a goal-to-game ratio equal to Pele. With a ratio of 0.92, Pele holds one of the greatest goal-to-game ratios in footballing history.
Whilst his international career is immaculate, some criticise the Brazilian for never having played in a tough European league during his club career. Though Pele scored an unfathomable amount of goals, one must ponder whether his figures would have been so great had he faced stiffer competition on a club level.
If his international career is anything to go by, one imagines he would have been just fine!
1. Ronaldo
Ronaldo's nickname alone indicates how good he truly was at football. Known as the Brazilian Ronaldo, R9, or simply "el fenomeno", he is one of the greatest players in the history of football. Some would even go further and say he is the greatest of the greatest and had it not been for his near-career ending injuries he would've had a career even greater than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
When looking at his goalscoring stats before his first major injury, it is easy to see why many hold this view. Before his first major injury in 1999, Ronaldo had scored 115 goals in just 134 games in some of the most defensively tough leagues.
By his 21st birthday, he had broken the world transfer record twice, and by his 23rd, he had scored over 200 goals, won the Ballon d'Or, and FIFA world player of the year twice. This peerless start began to peter out, however, as due to injuries and problems with his weight Ronaldo was unable to maintain this form for his entire career.
Ronaldo ended his career with over 400 goals to his name which is a figure to proud of. Nevertheless, one cannot help but imagine how many goals he could have scored had he maintained his goalscoring average.
Ronaldo was not afraid to try new challenges in different teams and leagues, and everywhere he went he was successful. He won the World Cup twice, Copa America, Serie A, La Liga, Eredivisie and more! However, it isn't just the trophies that he is remembered for.
As a player, Ronaldo was known for his peerless speed, technical dribbling, elite finishing, and strength. Buffon was quoted as saying it is "a tragedy" that R9 isn't regarded as the greatest ever, and more recently Jose Mourinho stated that though he may not have had the longevity that Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have had, on talent alone he is the best of them all.
