Top 5 Brazilian footballers of all time
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