The 19 Greatest Brazilian Athletes of All Time

Footballers share the shortlist with a sailor, a gymnast and a swimmer. Deciding between them is the hard part.

1. 1
   Pele

   Three World Cups and more than a thousand goals, the standard every Brazilian athlete is measured against.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Cesar Cielo

   Olympic gold in the 50m freestyle and still the world record holder in the event.
   524pts
3. 3
   Robert Scheidt

   Five Olympic sailing medals across six Games, Brazil's most consistent Olympian.
   512pts
4. 4
   Ayrton Senna

   Three Formula 1 titles and 41 wins before his death at Imola in 1994.
   468pts
5. 5
   Hortencia Marcari

   Brazil's greatest basketball player, world champion in 1994 and Olympic silver medallist.
   419pts
6. 6
   Marta

   Six-time world player of the year and the all-time leading scorer at World Cups, men's or women's.
   419pts
7. 7
   Adhemar da Silva

   Won triple jump gold at two Olympics and broke the world record five times.
   419pts
8. 8
   Emerson Fittipaldi

   Two Formula 1 titles and two Indianapolis 500 wins, the first Brazilian world champion.
   419pts
9. 9
   Ronaldinho

   Two-time world player of the year whose 2005 Barcelona season won over even the Bernabeu.
   419pts
10. 10
    Anderson Silva

    Held a UFC title for 2,457 days, longer than anyone in the promotion's history.
    419pts
11. 11
    Rebeca Andrade

    Brazil's most decorated Olympian, with medals across three Games in gymnastics.
    363pts
12. 12
    Zico

    The best player never to win a World Cup, and Flamengo's greatest number 10.
    363pts
13. 13
    Nelson Piquet

    Three Formula 1 world titles across the turbo era.
    299pts
14. 14
    Romario

    Golden Ball winner at the 1994 World Cup and one of the sharpest finishers the game has had.
    299pts
15. 15
    Giba

    Led Brazil's volleyball team to Olympic gold and three world titles.
    226pts
16. 16
    Garrincha

    Won the 1962 World Cup almost alone after Pele was injured in the group stage.
    226pts
17. 17
    Amanda Nunes

    The first woman to hold two UFC belts simultaneously.
    226pts
18. 18
    Gustavo Kuerten

    Three French Open titles and a year-end world number one ranking in 2000.
    140pts
19. 19
    Ronaldo Nazario

    Two-time World Cup winner who came back from two knee reconstructions to win the 2002 Golden Boot.
    140pts

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