Brazil Greatest All-time Team

This blogger Artur Yanturin of Russia copied many of my blog teams.  This blog was one of them.  It was my Russia All-Time Team here.  His team was written in 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2014.   This entry of his was written in October 21, 2020, but mine was uploaded in a few weeks before his 2020.   Another entry of his was written in October 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2017.  His entry of the Dutch-German rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona was written in 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2014.  He also copied many many of my blog entries.

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Brazil 1970

This is my all-time team for Brazil. If there were an All-Time World Cup, this would be the 23 players I would bring to the tournament.  

Please also see my All-Time World Cup Team Index.

50 Brazilian Greatest Players (350 Players)
Sao Paulo State, Rio de Janeiro
North/Northeastern Brazil, South/Southeastern Brazil
Brazilian-born players capped by other national teams
Afro-Brazlian Players

Brazil All-Time Team After Pele
Brazil All-Team Under Mari Zagallo
Brazil All-Time Team before 1958
What if Brazil with Careca, Reinaldo in 1982

Brazil is undeniably the preeminent footballing nation in the world, having secured an impressive tally of five World Cup titles in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002. Their consistent presence and formidable teams at the World Cup Finals demonstrate their unwavering commitment to excellence in the sport.

The journey to prominence began when Brazil hosted the World Cup Finals in 1950. The Brazilian team, boasting exceptional talents like Zizinho, Jair, and Ademir, was widely regarded as the best in the world at the time. However, they suffered a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of Uruguay in a match now famously known as "the Maracanazo."

Eight years later, the prodigious 17-year-old Pele emerged, guiding Brazil to their first World Cup victory in 1958. In 1962, the mesmerizing skills of Garrincha played a pivotal role in securing Brazil's second World Cup title, showcasing his individual brilliance.

The pinnacle of Brazilian football was reached in 1970 when Pele led a star-studded team composed of legendary players such as Rivelino, Gerson, Carlos Alberto, Tostao, and Jairzinho. Their collective prowess resulted in a resounding triumph, solidifying their status as widely considered the greatest national team ever assembled.

After the historic victory in 1970, Brazil endured a 24-year-long wait before securing another World Cup title. Notably, the 1982 team, featuring exceptional talents like Zico and Socrates, is often hailed as one of the greatest teams never to have won the tournament.

Brazil triumphed once again in 1994 and 2002, showcasing their ability to consistently produce formidable teams capable of conquering the world stage. These victories further cemented Brazil's status as the most successful footballing nation in history.

Brazil World Cup 2002

Team
GK: Gilmar
Gilmar was the goalkeeper for WC 1958, 1962 and 1966 winning two titles. He had 104 caps. Also a member of Pele's Santos team of the 1960's. With Gilmar between the posts, Santos conquered almost every championship they competed in: they won five São Paulo State Championships (1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968), five National Championships (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965), two Libertadores Cups (1962 and 1963) and two Intercontinental Cups. 

GK: Claudio Taffarel
Taffarel earned over 100 caps.  He was the starting goalkeeper for the World Cup 1994 winning team. He also appeared in other eight major international tournaments. During an 18-year career, he played professionally for six clubs, including Parma, Internacional, Atlético Mineiro and Galatasaray. He won an UEFA Cup with Galatasaray in 1999.

GK: Emerson Leao 
Emerson Leao played 80 times for Brazil between 1969 and 1986. He won a World Cup medal in Mexico 1970 as the backup keeper.  He started at the following two World Cup Finals in West Germany 1974 and Argentina 1978.  He was the first Brazilian goalkeeper in history to be team captain (during the 1978 World Cup). At the club level, he played for several clubs, his longest term being at Palmeiras. He was voted the best goalkeeper in 1972.

RB: Djalma Santos
DJ Santos was considered the best right back in the football history. He is one of only three players to be included into three World Cup All Star team. He also went to the World Cup in 1966.  He started his career with Portuguesa. In 1959, he moved to Palmeiras. He played almost 500 games for the club, winning several league and cup titles. He played Atlético Paranaense for a short spell before retiring in 1970.

RB: Carlos Alberto
Carlos Alberto was one of the greatest fullback ever played the game. He was the captain of the 1970 World Cup winning team in Mexico.  His goal in the 1970 Final against Italy was considered one of the greatest goals in the history of the tournament. He missed the World Cup Finals in 1974 through an injury.  He played with Pele both at Santos and NY Cosmos. He had 53 caps for Brazil.  He played for Fluminense and Flamengo.

Carlos Alberto

SW/CB: Domingos da Guia 
Domingos da Guia was a star defender during the 1940's. He was among the first skilled defender to play the game. He played for several clubs, but notably with Flamengo and Corinthians, and aboard with Boca Juniors. He had 30 caps. He was a star at the 1938 World Cup Finals in France. He made the all-star team at that World Cup Finals.  His son is Ademir da Guia.

CB: Lucio
Lucio was the star of the 2002 World Cup winning team. He earned 105 caps for Brazil between 2000 to 2011.  He reached the UEFA Champions' League final with Bayer Leverkusen in 2002, but losing to Real Madrid.  In 2004, he moved to Bayern Munich, where he won one German Cup and three Bundesliga titles. He also helped Inter Milan to win the 2010 Champions League playing against his former club Bayern Munich in the Final.

Lucio

CB: Luis Pereira 
Luis Pereira was widely considered to be the best central back in the Seleção's history. He was capped over 30 times, but only the 1974 World Cup Finals held in West Germany and remembered receiving a red card against Holland. He played 562 games with S.E. Palmeiras (34 goals) and 171 games with Atlético Madrid (17 goals). With Atletico Madrid, he was considered one of the best defender playing in Europe.  He won La Liga in 1977.

CB: Thiago Silva
Thiago Silva  became the most expensive defender in history when he moved from Milan to Paris St. Germain.  Before moving to play in Europe, he played for Juventude and Fluminense in Brazil. He was a key player as Fluminense to the Final of VCopa Libertadores in 2008.  For the national team, he was the captain of Brazil ill-fated team in World Cup 2014, but did not play against Germany in the semifinal. He was an unused sub at the WC Finals in 2010.

LB: Roberto Carlos
Roberto Carlos was regarded one of the best leftbacks in history.  He had 125 caps for Brazil playing in three World Cup Finals (1998, 2002 and 2006). He won 3 Champions League titles with Real Madrid and one World Cup title with Brazil in 2002.  In 1997 he was runner-up in the FIFA World Player of the Year.  He is especially famous for a free kick from 35m out against France in the Tournoi de France 1997. The goal is considered one of the greatest goals ever scored.

Roberto Carlos

LB: Nilton Santos
Nilton Santos had 75 caps.  He went to the World Cup Finals in 1950, but did not play a single game. He won the World Cup in 1958 and 1962 with Pele and Garrincha.  He is widely considered to be a pioneer in the offensive wingback position and was one of the greatest in his position. He spent his entire career with Botafogo during one of the club's greatest period.

DM: Danilo Alvim
Danilo Alvim is considered one of he greatest defensive midfielder in Brazil's history.  He played 25 games between 1946 and 1953, winning the 1949 Copa América. He played on the ill-fated 1950 team alongside Zizinho.  For his club career, he was a part of Vasco da Gama's legendary "the Victory Express" team. He also played for America.

RW: Garrincha
Garrincha is considered one of the greatest footballers and perhaps the greatest dribbler in history.  He inspired Brazil to win the World Cup in 1962, which widely considered the best individual effect in World Cup history.  He was the Player of the Tournament that year.  He also played in 1958 and 1966.  Brazil never lost a single match with Pele and Garrincha on their lineup. At the club level, he was a member of the great Botafogo's team in the 1960's.

Garrincha

RM/CM: Socrates
Socrates was the captain of both 1982 and 1986 World Cup team. He was one of the best attack midfielders in Brazil's history.  In 1983, he was named the South American Footballer of the Year.  He spent 7 seasons with Corinthians.  He went abroad in 1984, playing a season in Serie A with Fiorentina.  He was also a MD, earning the degree while he was an active player. His brother Rai won the World Cup in 1994.

CM: Didi
Didi is considered one of the greatest players ever from Brazil.  He was capped 68 times for Brazil between 1952 to 1962. He was voted the best player in the 1958 World Cup Finals.  He was also on the 1954 and 1962 team.  He joined Real Madrid in the 1950's, but returned after less than a year because of a personal feud with Alfredo di Stefano. He also played with Garrincha at Botafogo, a team considered among the best ever club side in Brazil.

CM: Falcao

At one point, Falcao was the world's highest paid footballer.  He played with Internacional at home before becoming the star of Roma in the 1980's, winning the Serie A in 1982-83. In 1985, he returned home and played for Sao Paulo. For the national team, he was a key player for the fantastic Brazilian side at 1982 World Cup Finals in Spain.  He won the Silver Ball in Spain. He also went to the World Cup Finals in 1986.

Falcao

CM: Gerson
Gerson had 70 caps for Brazil.  He was the central midfielder for Brazil in the 1970 World Cup Finals. He is considered one of Brazil's best ever passers.  He played on the legendary Botafogo's team of in the 1960's with Garrincha.  While at the club, he also played with Didi and became his understudy, in which he would inherit the position on the Seleção.

LW/AM: Rivelino 
Rivelino is considered to be one of the greatest left-sided midfielder ever.  His signature move was the "flip-flap". He was a member of Brazil's great 1970 team and also played in the 1974 team.  He had 92 caps for Brazil.  He started his career with Corinthians, but in one of the club's worst period in history. He moved to Fluminense in 1974, forming a great team with Carlos Alberto.  He also played for Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia.

AM: Zizinho
Zizinho was Pele's idol.  He was considered the greatest Brazilian player before the 1960's. He was the star of the ill-fated World Cup Finals in 1950 playing alongside Jair and Ademir.  He played for Flamengo, Bangu, São Paulo FC, Audax Italiano of Chile among others teams. With, Flamengo, he won state championships in 1942, 1943 and 1944.

LW/AM: Zico
Zico was the best player in the world during the early 1980's.  He came eighth in the FIFA Player of the Century grand jury vote.  He went to three World Cup Finals, but probably best remembered for the 1982 tournament, where Brazl was considered the best side that never won World Cup.  He had over 70 caps for Brazil. He won the Intercontinental Cup in 1981 with Flamengo, a team that was considered among the greatest ever.  He later played with Udinese for 2 seasons.

Zico

FW: Pele
Pele is considered the greatest player ever in the history of the game.  He won his first World Cup in 1958 as a 17 years old in Sweden.  He would win his second one in 1962, but he was injured throughout the tournament. In 1970, he won his third and final World Cup, with a team that was considered the greatest ever.  He played almost his entire career with Santos, one of the greatest club side in history.  He unretired to join New York Cosmos in 1976, where he played with Franz Beckenbauer.

Pele

ST Romario
Romario helped the Seleção to win the 1994 FIFA World Cup, receiving the Golden Ball as player of the tournament. He was named FIFA World Player of the Year the same year. He missed the 1998 World Cup Finals because of an injury. He also went to the World Cup in 1990.  He was one of very few strikers to surpass the mark of 1,000 goals. He was best remembered for his stint with Barcelona.

ST: Ronaldo
Ronaldo was widely considered among the greatest ever to have play the game.  He led Brazil to two WC Finals matches, winning the one in 2002.  He scored 8 goals in 2002.  He was the winner of Ballon d'Or twice and the FIFA World Player of the Year three times.  He is the second top-scorer in WC history.  He played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid, and for both AC Milan and Inter Milan. His moves to Spain and Italy made him only the second player, after Diego Maradona, to break the world transfer record twice, all before his 21st birthday.

Ronaldo

Honorable Mention 

Alisson Becker, Dida, Julio Cesar, Moacir Barbosa, Junior, Leando, Cafu, Dani Alves, Everaldo, Marcelo, Branco, Ricardo Gomes, David Luiz, Mauro Ramos, Aldair, Jorginho, Bellini, Oscar, Edinho, Luizinho, Brito, Edinho, Junior, Toninho Cerezo, Casemior, Bauer, Clodoaldo, Zito, Dunga, Gilberto Silva, Mauro Silva, Leônidas da Silva, Jair, Ademir Marques de Menezes, Julinho, Pepe, Arthur Friedenreich, Ronaldinho, Dirceu, Rivaldo, Mario Zagello, Jairzinho, Kaka, Neymar, Marcelo, Dani Alvas, Tostao, Canhoteiro, Bebeto, Mazzola, Careca, Heleno de Freitas, Vava, Roberto Dinamite, Amarildo, Niginho.

Squad Explanation
-- Pele, Garrincha, Zico, Ronaldo, and Didi are unquestionably regarded as Brazil's greatest ever players, making their inclusion in the team an automatic choice. The impact and talent of these four individuals speak for themselves, requiring no further explanation for their selection. Additionally, Zizinho, Romario, Socrates, Falcao, and Gilmar were also highly deserving of automatic consideration. Moreover, Gilmar, Domingos da Guia, and Luis Pereira are widely recognized as the finest in their respective positions, solidifying their places in the team. With twelve players already locked into the team, the foundation was firmly established even before commencing the research process. 

Didi

-- The 1950 World Cup team is widely regarded as one of the most formidable Brazilian sides ever assembled. However, the infamous "Maracanazo" match against Uruguay overshadowed the individual rankings of the players.  The forward trio of Zizinho, Jair and Ademir were considered to be among the greatest ever, but I only had space for Zizinho. Danilo Alvim and Nilton Santos were the other two selections from the 1950 World Cup team. Nilton Santos, in particular, went on to redeem himself in the subsequent World Cups of 1958 and 1962. Moacir Barbosa was unfairly blamed for the loss against Uruguay.  He was highly rated in his time.

-- From the World Cup winning teams in 1958 and 1962, I selected Pele, Garrincha, Gilmar, DJ Santos, Nilton Santos and Didi.
-- The 1970 World Cup winning team was considered the greatest ever national team. I only included Pele, Gerson, Rivelino and Carlos Alberto.
-- The 1982 team did not win a World Cup, but they were considered among the greatest ever national sides.  Zico, Falcao and Socrates were selected into this team. I redid the 1982 World Cup team with Careca.  The team at the actual World Cup Finals was probably not their best possible squad.

--Romario and Bebeto, despite their rivalry, joined forces to form a renowned duo during the 1994 World Cup Finals. Romario, marked by his tally of 6 goals in the tournament, cemented his place in the team.  However, Claudio Taffarel and Ronaldo who was a 17 years old unused sub in that World Cup Finals were the only other players from that World Cup team selected for this team. 

Brazil 1994 World Cup

-- I only selected three players from the 2002 World Cup winning team.  They were Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Lucio.  I left off Rivaldo and Ronaldinho, the other two members of the "Three Rs" line.  The 2002 team was the last Brazilian team to play "Joga Bonito" effectively.

-- IFFHS came up with three All-Time Dream teams for Brazil. Their A team consisted of Gilmar, Cafu, Carlos Alberto, Domingos da Guia, Nílton Santos, Didi , Zico, Garrincha, Pelé, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Brazil's B team included Cláudio Taffarel, Djalma Santos, Aldair, Luís Pereira, Roberto Carlos, Paulo Roberto Falcão, Sócrates, Jairzinho, Romário, Zizinho, and Roberto Rivellino. The Brazilian C team was composed of Émerson Leão, Dani Alves, Bellini, Lúcio, Júnior, Gérson, Rivaldo, Julinho, Arthur Friedenreich, Leônidas ,and Pepe.

-- ESPN/Brazil created their All-Time Best XI for Brazil in 2022.  Their team consisted of Cláudio Taffarel, Carlos Alberto, Aldair, Bellini, Nilton Santos, Falcao, Didi, Pele, Garrincha, Ronaldo and Romario.  Zico was notably absent because Pele was chosen as a midfielder. He was voted second for the number 10 shirt.

-- Goal.com's verson of their Best XI included Claudio Taffarel, Cafu. Bellini, Mauro Ramos, Roberto Carlos, Dunga, Garrincha, Rivaldo, Pele, Ronaldo and Romario. 

-- The 2002 World Cup winning team included Roberto Carlos, Ronaldo and Lucio.  I did not have space for Ronaldinho and Rivaldo.

-- Only 8 players on this team, namely  Zizinho, Zico, Falcao, Socrates, Danilo Alvim, Thiago Silva, Domingos da Guia and Luis Pereira never won a World Cup.

Goalkeepers

-- Claudio Taffarel and Gilmar were two of Brazil's greatest goalkeepers. Emerson Leao was the other keeper I considered. He was never rated as the best keeper in the world during his prime.  In fact, the position was considered a weak position for Brazil before the 1990's. Julio Cesar, however, was widely considered among in the best in the world.  At the time of writing, he was one of three non-Italian keepers who have won the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year and he won it twice. It was a big achievement that no one would have thought of before the 1980's.  However, I know some Brazilians cannot forgive him for the game against Germany in 2014 as well as another poor performance in 2010.  So he was put on honorable mention.  I gave the spot to Emerson Leao whom the Brazilians regarded as one of the best ever.

Claudio Taffarel 

-- I could have also selected Dida for the third spot due to his performance with AC Milan.  Moacir Barbosa was unfairly blamed for "Maracanazo".  Anyway, I could only keep the two of them on honourable mention.  As of 2021, I am watching Alisson Becker's career carefully.  Ederson is also a great goalkeeper, but he would unlikely to make a break through with Alisson ahead of him.

Defenders

-- Luis Pereira and Domingos da Guia were considered to be Brazil's greatest centerbacks.  Lucio and Thiago Silva were the controversial selections.  I do believe the modern European-based defenders are better than the older defenders playing in Brazil. They were considered to be the best in their position in the world during their prime.  Both Lucio and Thiago Silva were the top players playing club football in Europe. I do not think Mauro Ramos, Bellini or Aldair were considered that in their prime.

--  Unliked Mauro Ramos, Bellini or Aldair, Luis Pereira did not have a great World Cup Finals.  Both Mauro Ramos and Bellini were World Cup winning captains.  He went to the ill-fated 1974 World Cup Finals, where he became the first ever Brazilian player sent off in a World Cup game. Nevertheless, most people put Luis Pereira as one of Brazil's greatest defenders.   He was known for his attacking skills as well as a towering stopper at the back.

-- Lucio had been a top defender in Bundesliga and Serie A.  He won the treble with Inter Milan in 2010, helped them to win the Champions League against his former club Bayern Munich that year.

-- Domingos Da Guia was one of the first cultured defender the world had ever seen.  He could dribble as well as defending, which was rare in the pre-World War Two era.  He was considered the best defender at the 1938 World Cup Finals. His son was Ademir Da Guia who became a legend with  Palmeiras. He was nicknamed O Divino, which means The Divine One, the same nickname given to his father. Brazil actually did not have many great father and son players.  They might be the only one of note.

Domingos Da Guia

-- Thiago Silva did not play against Germany in the 2014 World Cup Finals.  He could have made a difference.  In his prime, he was one of the best defender in the world. At age of 37, he was still playing for Chelsea.  He won the Golden Ball at the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup.

-- Brazil actually has many great central defenders.  I don't really know how to rank them. Ricardo Gomes, David Luiz, Mauro Ramos, Aldair, Jorginho, Bellini, Oscar, Edinho, Luizinho and Brito were some of the bigger names from Brazil.

-- Ricardo Gomes was due to captain Brazil in the 1994 World Cup Finals.  A last-minute injury kept him off the squad.  Meanwhile, Ricardo Rocha was injured after the first game, in which Aldair and Márcio Santos became the starting central defenders.  The pair probably became Brazil's greatest units in a World Cup Finals. Ricardo Gomes might have been a bigger name if he went to the World Cup while Aldair would have been forgotten in history outside of his club team AS Roma.  Ricardo Rocha was largely forgotten even through his club career took him to Sao Paulo, Real Madrid, Santos, etc.

-- Nilton Santos and DJ Santos normally made most of the all-time lists along with Roberto Carlos as the greatest fullbacks in the history of the game.  I have to choose between Cafu and Carlos Alberto for the remaining rightback position.  I went with Carlos Alberto, but I do believe Cafu was of similar level. He is Brazil's most capped player.  Junior, Marcelo, Leandro, Jorginho and Dani Alvas had no chance of breaking into the fullback position because of those legends.  

-- Nilton Santos and DJ Santos, although sharing the surname "Santos," were unrelated to each other. They formed a formidable partnership as fullbacks, revolutionizing the way the position was traditionally played. Both players were recognized for their attacking prowess as wingbacks, a style of play that was unprecedented in the football world during their era. While reviewing old footage of their performances, it becomes evident that they maintained a relatively deeper positioning compared to contemporary fullbacks. Nevertheless, their forward-thinking approach and innovative playing style showcased their ahead-of-their-time mentality.

-- Roberto Carlos could take the entire left flank by himself.  People considered him as the greatest leftback ever played the game, and he played at the same time as Paolo Maldini.

-- Carlos Alberto scored one of the most beautiful goals ever in the history of World Cup Finals.  The goal was a summarized the beautiful combination play of Brazilian football in the World Cup Finals.

-- At the time of writing, Dani Alvas earned over 120 caps.  He is still playing for Brazil at the age of 39.  He is a legend in Barcelona FC as well, but the legends ahead of him was too great.  Marcelo is the most decorated player in Real Madrid's history.  The Real Madrid fans compared him with Roberto Carlos, but his record with the Seleção did not reach the same level of greatness.

Midfielders/Wingers

-- For central midfielders, I selected Didi, Socrates and Falcao.  They were undisputed selections.  Then, I took Gerson and Danilo Alvim.  

-- Didi was awarded the Golden Ball for his performance at the 1958 competition.  Falcao might be Brazil's best player at the 1982 World Cup Finals. For club level, he led AS Roma to a Serie A title in 1983, their first in 40 years.

-- Socrates was the captain of the 1982 World Cup team.  He was a physician. He held a bachelor's degree in medicine from the Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, the medical school of the University of São Paulo.  He played on the right side at the 1982 World Cup Finals.  However, he might be overrated.  I might replace him with somebody one day.  

Socrates

--In addition, I carefully considered specific skill sets while making my selections. Otherwise, it would have been challenging to choose players from Brazil's abundant pool of talent. Gerson stood out for his exceptional ability in executing long passes, making him a unique type of midfielder. I included him in the team primarily for his remarkable long-range passing skills.

-- The reason for Brazil's failure in the 1982 World Cup Finals can be attributed to their lack of a formidable defensive presence in the midfield.  So it was important to select Danilo Alvim who was better defensively than Toninho Cerezo. Dunga was well-known because he was a World Cup winning captain.  He missed out because of those players.  Zito and Clodoaldo were also considered. Without "Maracanazo", Danilo Alvim would have been ranked higher. The same applied to Zizinho too. 

-- Dunga certainly deserved the respect from soccer fans.  Afterall, he was the captain of a World Cup winning team.  His playing style, however, was "un-Brazilian".  Nevertheless, he was the "water-carrier" that helped Brazil to regain the World Cup after 24 years. I nearly selected him, but I only put him honorable mention.

-- Zico stands out as the obvious choice for the attack midfielder position. Many consider him the second greatest player in the history of Brazilian football.  In 1984, despite being plagued by injuries and playing fewer games, he finished just one goal behind Michel Platini, securing the runner-up position for the top scorer in Serie A. As a result, Zico was awarded the Serie A Player of the Year. Coincidentally, that same year, Platini led France to victory in the European Championship, scoring an impressive tally of nine goals.

-- Garrincha single-handedly won the 1962 World Cup.  He was perhaps the only player in history to have done so.  Typically, I would have included a few more wingers in my selection.  Julinho and Jairzinho undoubtedly rank among the best right wingers in history. However, despite their  talents, I couldn't find room for them on my team. Canhoteiro was also considered one of the greatest wingers, but his lack of international exposure hindered his chances. Such is the nature of Brazilian football, where numerous World Cups have been won and their players have amassed countless individual awards, making the selection process even more challenging..

-- I also chose two older players Zizinho and Rivelino over Ronaldinho and Rivaldo.  While I acknowledge Ronaldinho's talent and consider him to be on par with Rivelino.  For a few seasons, he was the best footballer in the world.  Was Rivelino ever considered to be the best in the world?

Rivelino

Forwards

-- Pele's greatness requires no justification, as his impact on the game is widely acknowledged and celebrated. In his prime, Ronaldo surpassed the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of skill and ability. Regrettably, his peak years were curtailed due to a series of unfortunate injuries. Nonetheless, Ronaldo's exceptional talent shone brightly as he led Brazil to a World Cup victory, contributing an impressive tally of eight goals in the tournament finals.

-- Leônidas da Silva deserved to be on the list.  Brazil was just too rich in talents.  I could not make space for him.  Zizinho edged him out because he was considered to be the greatest ever Brazilians before the emerge of Pele and Garrincha.   The forward trio of Zizinho, Jair and Ademir were considered to be among the greatest ever, but I only have space for Zizinho.  Jair and Ademir also made honorable mention.  They might be rated higher without "Maracanazo".  However, Brazil had plenty of great attackers.  It would be difficult to include anyone else.

Zizinho

-- Neymar is Brazil's all-time leading scorer, but he had not done enough for Brazil.  This is Brazil where the standard is high. Yes, he had won the Copa America and the Olympic Gold medal for Brazil, but his career was overshadowed by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at the club level. At this moment, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo and Leônidas da Silva ranked ahead of him. I do not have spaces for those players so I probably could not find space for him.  He won't get ahead of Ronaldo, Zico, Pele and Garrincha.  Romario won the World Cup in 1994 with a brilliant performance.  I gave him extra credit for it.  He edged out Neymar for the last attack spot.  

-- Pele and Garrincha never lost a game when they played on the same game.  

-- Arthur Friedenreich's career unfolded during a time when Brazil had yet to establish itself as a footballing powerhouse. I attribute great credit to him for pioneering the game in his era, but I was not going to select him over Ronaldo, Romario or Pele. It was almost impossible to break into the squad with the three of them.

-- Jose Altafini might not have done much for the national team, but he was the All-Time leading scorer for Italy's Serie A.  He made honorable mentions.

Starting lineup 

Formation: 4-2-2-2

I used a classic Brazil's 4-2-2-2 formation.  The front four and Didi were no surprise at all.  I started Danilo Alvim because the team needed his defensive skill to balance the team.  We went with three old-timers in defense and Gilmar to start in defense.