The 37 Best Palmeiras Players of All Time

Rank the finest players ever to represent Palmeiras, Brazil's most trophy-laden club and perennial Brasileirao champions.

1. 1
   Ademir da Guia

   The 'Divino' playmaker and the club's record appearance maker, who led both 'Academia' sides from 1961 to 1977 and won five national championships.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Marcos

   Brazilian goalkeeper who was the undisputed number one at Palmeiras for 14 years, winning multiple Brazilian titles and the Copa Libertadores in 1999 with a series of extraordinary performances.
   643pts
3. 3
   Rivaldo

   Brazilian attacking midfielder who displayed flashes of brilliance during his early Palmeiras career before his world-defining years at Barcelona and the 2002 World Cup.
   640pts
4. 4
   Gabriel Menino

   Brazilian midfielder who emerged from Palmeiras' academy to become a key box-to-box presence in their Copa Libertadores-winning era, earning his first international call-up for Brazil.
   560pts
5. 5
   Francisco Arce

   Paraguayan right-back renowned for pinpoint crosses and free kicks who won the 1998 Copa do Brasil and the 1999 Copa Libertadores with Palmeiras.
   526pts
6. 6
   Dudu

   Brazilian winger who was Palmeiras' most important creative player during their back-to-back Copa Libertadores triumphs of 2020 and 2021, his dribbling and direct style a perfect fit for Abel Ferreira's system.
   526pts
7. 7
   Jorge Valdivia

   Chilean playmaker nicknamed 'El Mago' who won the 2008 Paulista and the 2012 Copa do Brasil across two spells as the side's creative heart.
   489pts
8. 8
   Dudu (Olegário Tolói)

   Tireless 'Academia' midfielder and Ademir da Guia's partner from 1964 to 1976, the club's third-highest appearance maker with 615 games.
   488pts
9. 9
   Fernando Prass

   Goalkeeper who saved a penalty and scored the winning spot-kick in the 2015 Copa do Brasil final shoot-out against Santos, then won the 2016 Brasileirão.
   447pts
10. 10
    Zé Roberto

    Versatile Brazilian veteran who joined Palmeiras in 2015 aged 40 and, at left-back and in midfield, won the 2015 Copa do Brasil and the 2016 Brasileirão.
    447pts
11. 11
    Paulo Nunes

    Flamboyant forward of Luiz Felipe Scolari's side that won the 1998 Copa do Brasil, the 1998 Copa Mercosur and the 1999 Copa Libertadores.
    447pts
12. 12
    Luís Pereira

    Commanding centre-back of the second 'Academia' who won the 1972 and 1973 Brazilian titles before joining Atlético Madrid in 1975, later returning for a second spell.
    400pts
13. 13
    Antônio Carlos Zago

    Tough centre-back at the heart of the Parmalat-backed defence that won the 1993 Paulista and the 1993 and 1994 Brasileirão titles.
    400pts
14. 14
    Alex

    Classic number 10 who helped win the 1998 Copa Mercosur and the club's first Copa Libertadores in 1999, later becoming a legend at Fenerbahçe.
    400pts
15. 15
    Raphael Veiga

    Brazilian midfielder and Palmeiras' most reliable penalty taker and set-piece specialist in the modern era, contributing crucial goals across domestic and continental competition.
    400pts
16. 16
    Djalma Santos

    Two-time World Cup-winning right-back who joined from Portuguesa in 1959 and won national and state titles with Palmeiras' first 'Academia' until 1968.
    400pts
17. 17
    Julinho Botelho

    Brilliant right winger who returned from Fiorentina in 1958 and became an idol of the first 'Academia', winning the 1960 Taça Brasil and three Paulista titles.
    400pts
18. 18
    Rony

    Tireless forward whose goals and work rate powered Palmeiras to back-to-back Copa Libertadores titles in 2020 and 2021 and the 2022 Brasileirão.
    346pts
19. 19
    Roberto Carlos

    Future World Cup winner whose overlapping runs from left-back helped Palmeiras win the 1993 and 1994 Brasileirão titles before his move to Inter in 1995.
    346pts
20. 20
    Edílson

    Quick, skilful forward of the Parmalat era who helped Palmeiras win the 1993 Paulista and back-to-back Brasileirão titles in 1993 and 1994.
    346pts
21. 21
    Felipe Melo

    Veteran midfielder and dressing-room leader who won the 2018 Brasileirão and the 2020 Copa Libertadores during his Palmeiras spell from 2017 to 2021.
    285pts
22. 22
    César Sampaio

    Combative defensive midfielder who won the 1993 and 1994 Brasileirão titles and returned from Japan to help win the 1999 Copa Libertadores.
    285pts
23. 23
    Edmundo

    Explosive forward nicknamed 'Animal' who starred in the Parmalat-backed side that won the 1993 Paulista and the 1993 and 1994 Brasileirão titles.
    285pts
24. 24
    Jair Rosa Pinto

    1950 World Cup playmaker who joined Palmeiras in 1949, starring in the 1950 Paulista title and the 1951 Copa Rio, the club's celebrated international triumph.
    285pts
25. 25
    Gabriel Jesus

    Academy striker who won the 2015 Copa do Brasil and starred as Palmeiras won the 2016 Brasileirão, ending a 22-year wait, before joining Manchester City.
    285pts
26. 26
    Estêvão

    Teenage winger from the Palmeiras academy who dazzled in 2024 and 2025 as one of the Brasileirão's standout players before his move to Chelsea.
    285pts
27. 27
    Emerson Leão

    Brazilian goalkeeper and national team regular who made hundreds of appearances for Palmeiras and won the 1972 and 1973 Brazilian championships, one of the finest keepers of his generation.
    215pts
28. 28
    Zinho

    Left-sided midfielder who won the 1993 and 1994 Brasileirão titles in the Parmalat side and returned to lift the 1999 Copa Libertadores.
    215pts
29. 29
    Oberdan Cattani

    Goalkeeper with famously huge hands who guarded Palmeiras' goal from 1940 to 1954, winning the 1942 'Arrancada Heroica' Paulista title and the 1951 Copa Rio.
    215pts
30. 30
    Mazzola (José Altafini)

    Prolific young striker, then known as Mazzola, who scored freely for Palmeiras from 1956 to 1958 before winning the 1958 World Cup and joining Milan.
    215pts
31. 31
    Evair

    Striker whose goals ended a 16-year title drought in the 1993 Paulista, won the 1993 and 1994 Brasileirão titles and returned to win the 1999 Copa Libertadores.
    215pts
32. 32
    Heitor

    Palestra Itália's prolific centre-forward from 1916 to 1931 who remains Palmeiras' all-time leading goalscorer, winning several Campeonato Paulista titles in the club's early years.
    215pts
33. 33
    Gustavo Gómez

    Paraguayan centre-back and captain who lifted the 2020 and 2021 Copa Libertadores and the 2022 and 2023 Brasileirão titles under Abel Ferreira.
    215pts
34. 34
    Mazinho

    1994 World Cup winner who joined in 1992 and controlled midfield as Palmeiras won the 1993 and 1994 Brasileirão titles.
    133pts
35. 35
    Endrick

    Brazilian teenage sensation who broke through at Palmeiras as one of the most exciting prospects in world football before his €35m move to Real Madrid at just 18 years of age.
    133pts
36. 36
    Leivinha

    Brazilian forward who was Palmeiras' most creative attacker during their back-to-back Brazilian championship years in 1972 and 1973, and a beloved figure of Brazilian futebol arte.
    0pts
37. 37
    Weverton

    Goalkeeper of the Abel Ferreira era who won back-to-back Copa Libertadores titles in 2020 and 2021 and the 2022 and 2023 Brasileirão crowns.
    0pts

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