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The 20 Greatest South American Footballers of All Time

By YPB Team

From the household names that anchor every all-time list to continental icons who barely played a minute in Europe. Where do you stand?

  1. Pelé — ranked #11
    Pelé
    Brazilian forward who won three World Cups and scored 643 goals for Santos.
    1000pts
  2. Enzo Francescoli — ranked #22
    Enzo Francescoli
    Uruguayan forward and River Plate icon, Zinedine Zidane's boyhood hero.
    999pts
  3. Lionel Messi — ranked #33
    Lionel Messi
    Argentine forward with a record haul of Ballons d'Or and the 2022 World Cup.
    891pts
  4. Romário — ranked #44
    Romário
    Brazilian striker and Golden Ball winner at the 1994 World Cup.
    849pts
  5. Rivaldo — ranked #55
    Rivaldo
    Brazilian forward, 1999 world player of the year and a 2002 World Cup winner.
    818pts
  6. Sócrates — ranked #66
    Sócrates
    Brazilian midfielder and captain of the 1982 team, also a qualified doctor and democracy activist.
    818pts
  7. Teófilo Cubillas — ranked #77
    Teófilo Cubillas
    Peruvian playmaker who scored five goals at each of two World Cups.
    734pts
  8. Luis Suárez — ranked #88
    Luis Suárez
    Uruguayan striker and his country's record goalscorer, a league champion in England, Spain and Italy.
    636pts
  9. Ronaldinho — ranked #99
    Ronaldinho
    Brazilian playmaker who won the 2002 World Cup and two Ballons d'Or-era awards at Barcelona.
    636pts
  10. Zico — ranked #1010
    Zico
    Brazilian playmaker of the celebrated 1982 side, often called the White Pelé.
    636pts
  11. Juan Román Riquelme — ranked #1111
    Juan Román Riquelme
    Argentine playmaker and Boca Juniors idol, the last of the classic slow No. 10s.
    636pts
  12. Diego Maradona — ranked #1212
    Diego Maradona
    Argentine No. 10 who won the 1986 World Cup almost single-handedly and led Napoli to two Serie A titles.
    520pts
  13. Roberto Carlos — ranked #1313
    Roberto Carlos
    Brazilian left back famous for a swerving free kick and three Champions League titles.
    520pts
  14. Ronaldo Nazário — ranked #1414
    Ronaldo Nazário
    Brazilian striker known as O Fenômeno, twice a World Cup winner and twice FIFA World Player of the Year.
    520pts
  15. Alfredo Di Stéfano — ranked #1515
    Alfredo Di Stéfano
    Argentine-born forward who won five straight European Cups with Real Madrid.
    382pts
  16. Elías Figueroa — ranked #1616
    Elías Figueroa
    Chilean centre back voted South American Footballer of the Year three times.
    382pts
  17. Neymar — ranked #1717
    Neymar
    Brazilian forward and his country's record goalscorer.
    382pts
  18. Cafu — ranked #1818
    Cafu
    Brazilian right back and the only player to appear in three consecutive World Cup finals.
    0pts
  19. Garrincha — ranked #1919
    Garrincha
    Brazilian winger whose dribbling carried Brazil to the 1962 World Cup after Pelé was injured.
    0pts
  20. Carlos Valderrama — ranked #2020
    Carlos Valderrama
    Colombian playmaker whose passing defined his country's golden generation.
    0pts

#football577#players567#brazil37#argentina35#south america20

Comments

Pelé and Garrincha played six World Cup matches together for Brazil and never lost one, which is why Garrincha is on this twenty in his own right: https://youpick.best/articles/pele-vs-maradona-ranked

YP
ypb-team·Aug 21·
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