10 Greatest Brazilian Forwards in Football History [Ranked]

Brazilian football may have taken a bit of a dip in recent times, but there can be no qualms over their plethora of legendary players. Simply, no other nation can match their conveyor belt of talent over the years and their success on the international stage....Read The Full Story Here ▶

Especially in attacking areas, where their expert combination of flair and technique has dazzled many, their back catalogue of stars – including the likes of Pele, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho – is nothing short of incredible. After all, they are the only nation to have won five World Cup titles in their storied history.

From world-beating full-backs to elegant midfielders, it is their goalscoring forwards who have captured the imagination of the football world. Whether it be second strikers who don the No. 10 shirt or an out-and-out No. 9, Brazil’s long line of forwards are a bunch to marvel at. Let’s take a look at their top 10 attackers of all time.

Ranking factors

• International achievements
• Club achievements
• Individual awards
• Legacy within football

10 Leonidas Da Silva

Career span: 1929-1951

Credited with inventing the bicycle kick, Leonidas da Silva featured as a prominent member of Brazil’s World Cup squad in 1934 and, four years later, in 1938. While unsuccessful in terms of collective silverware at both, the diminutive forward scored in every game of both showpiece tournaments, hence why he racked up the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the latter.

Leonidas may not have the same longevity as the rest of the forwards on this list, but his goalscoring rate cannot be matched. In just 19 outings for his nation, the ‘Black Diamond’ scored a total of 21 goals. His glittering display transpired into his club career with him scoring goals for fun for an array of Brazilian sides: Botafogo, Vasco da Gama, Flamengo and Sao Paulo.

9 Didi

Career span: 1947-1967

Before the likes of Ronaldinho and R9 set Brazilian football alight with their respective skill sets, Didi – born in Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil – was an ace of the global football scene and was the scorer of the first goal at the fabled Macarana stadium on the day it opened its doors. Alongside the aforementioned Pele, Didi’s close control, cardiovascular capacity and chilled persona helped Selecao pick up two World Cups between 1958 and 1962.

Also able to play in central midfield, even Pele admitted that Didi was his childhood hero. He said:

“I’m nothing compared to Didi. I’ll never be anywhere near as good as he is. He’s my idol, he’s the guy I look up to. The very first picture cards I bought were of him.”

The alleged pioneer behind the ‘knuckleball’ technique, which has been recycled time and time again, Didi had versatility in abundance and plied his trade for the likes of Real Madrid, Fluminese and Botafogo.

8 Romario

Career span: 1985-2008

Romario retired from football in 2008. But the fact that, one year later, he returned to the pitch to play one game with America, a second-division Brazilian outfit who he was managing at the time, showcased the type of man he was: a huge lover of the beautiful game. During his pomp, there were very few that could mimic his potency in front of goal with him scoring goals for fun.

A scorer of a magnitude of strikes, the centre forward scored 55 times for Brazil and also turned out for his respective clubs over the years, figureheading both Barcelona and PSV Eindhoven – on three occasions – to domestic gold. Nicknamed ‘Baixinho’ – which can be translated into ‘Shorty’ – Romario ensured to not let his dainty size get in the way of becoming one of the greatest Brazilians to ever lace up their boots.

7 Neymar

Career span: 2009-Present

Anointed the face of Brazilian football at a young age, the stratospheric rise of Neymar cannot be understated. From being a lesser-known talent at Santos to a world-beating winger – and one of the most famous footballers in the world – at Barcelona, the tricky operator stole the hearts of his nation, all while playing in a team of a lesser standard.

Flicks, tricks and the moments of magic are what encapsulated Brazil as their new poster boy attempted to spearhead them to glory, something they had become accustomed to over the years. In an otherwise illustrious career, the former Paris Saint-Germain superstar has only led his nation to a Confederations Cup triumph in 2013, but that certainly does not cloud his legendary status.

6 Jairzinho

Career span: 1959-1984

A man that often gets pushed to the side thanks to the star-studded nature of the teams he was a key part of, Jairzinho had the perfect blend of brutal, raw speed and fantastic technical ability. A certified legend in Brazil and Botafogo echo chambers, the fleet-footed Brazilian’s versatility, which allowed him to be deployed on either wing or through the middle, was an impressive string in his bow.

He was a paramount cog of the well-oiled Brazilian side of 1970 – the one in which secured the World Cup. By the time his official international retirement beckoned in 1982, the fleet-footed attacker had scored 33 times in 81 outings for Brazil.

5 Rivaldo

Career span: 1992-2015

One third of what may be considered the greatest attacking unit in international football history – alongside Ronaldo and Ronaldinho in Brazil’s 2002 World Cup triumph – Rivaldo had everything: strength, dribbling know-how and a thuggish demeanor that allowed him to terrorise defenders week in, week out. A reliable source of goals, too, the Barcelona cult hero scored 35 goals in 76 outings for his country and 238 in his 563-game club career.

The 1999 Ballon d’Or winner may have been incredibly one-footed but, in full force, the bandy-legged forward was practically unplayable on his day – the closest thing football had seen since the late, the great Diego Maradona. Those of a younger generation will always question how good the likes of Rivaldo were, but one look at his highlight reel, and you’ll understand why he is mentioned in the same breath as the greatest of all time.

4 Ronaldinho

Career span: 1998-2015

One of the standout performers from the 2000s, Ronaldinho was a one-of-a-kind talent. Not the brightest from a goalscoring perspective, R10’s flair and technical ability was streets above the rest, providing undying entertainment across his 547-game club career for the likes of Barcelona, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain. The sight of a chained-up Ronaldinho in a baggy shirt is one that is forever etched in the memory of fans all over the world.

Capped 97 times for his country and, in return, providing 33 goals and 29 assists, the intangible aspects of his game were mesmerising. As his pace deteriorated around the age of 30, his pizzazz and eye for a pass remained, with him consistently leaving defenders in the dark. They just don’t make them like Ronaldinho anymore.

3 Garrincha

Career span: 1953-1973

With Pele injured in 1962, Brazil required a new talisman to bring home World Cup glory. Up stepped Garrincha. The tricky 50-cap Brazil international, who initially emerged from humble beginnings, was a dribbling genius. Widely considered as one of the greatest footballers in World Cup history, the explosive man on the flank encapsulated everything joyous about the game we know and love.

Nicknamed ‘Little Bird’ by those who watched him on a weekly basis, thanks to observing his unrivalled ability to weave in and out of players with relative ease, getting the ball off him was a mundane task and while his goalscoring prowess – he scored 12 goals in 50 Brazil caps – was not of the highest order, his marvellous dribbling ability, which tended to wreak havoc, certainly was.

2 Ronaldo Nazario

Career span: 1993-2011

There is every chance that, had it not been for Ronaldo Nazario’s injury woes, he’d be topping this very list. A scarily potent frontman with the technical nous to match, the affectionately monikered ‘O Fenomeno’ was a brute force in front of goal, notching a barrage of strikes for both club and country at the peak of his powers, hence why he is widely considered as one of the best footballers of all time.

Having represented some of the biggest clubs in the world – Barcelona and Real Madrid included – the sight of Ronaldo burning down on goal was nothing short of frightening and, in some ways, he redefined his position. A two-time Ballon d’Or winner, the 1998 World Cup final proved to be a turning point in his career, but that didn’t deter him from scoring eight goals in 2002, guiding Brazil to yet another World Cup triumph.

1 Pele

Career span: 1956-1977

“The greatest player in history was Di Stefano. I refuse to classify Pele as a player. He was above that.”

Those were the words of Ferenc Puskas about the blistering goal gobbler of a centre forward. But that’s how many people viewed the one and only, Pele – the game’s first superstar who was a household name in all corners of the globe. Those before and after have tried to match his ungodly exploits but have failed miserably.

To put his talent into perspective: Pele became the youngest player to feature in a World Cup final in 1958 and scored on six occasions in the Sweden-based tournament – consisting of a semi-final hat-trick and a brace in the final. The influence that the much-beloved Brazilian, who won three World Cups between 1958 and 1970, had on the beautiful game is somewhat unmatched – and for that, we tip our proverbial hat to you, Pele.