Famous Brazilian footballer names and the players behind them
Brazilian football is full of players known around the world by a single name, nickname or shortened form. Here are some of the most famous examples, with their full names and a quick look at the careers that made those names part of football history.
Pelé
Full name: Edson Arantes do Nascimento
Pelé became the most famous Brazilian footballer of his generation after starring for Santos and the Brazil national team. He won the FIFA World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970, combining extraordinary goalscoring with creativity and technique. His long Santos career included domestic and Copa Libertadores success, while his later spell with the New York Cosmos helped popularise football in the United States.
Ronaldo
Full name: Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima
Ronaldo, often called Ronaldo Nazário or simply O Fenômeno, was one of the defining strikers of the 1990s and 2000s. He played for Cruzeiro, PSV, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Corinthians, winning two Ballon d'Or awards. With Brazil he won the 1994 and 2002 World Cups, scoring twice in the 2002 final against Germany.
Ronaldinho
Full name: Ronaldo de Assis Moreira
Ronaldinho built a career around imagination, dribbling and spectacular skill. After emerging at Grêmio, he played for Paris Saint-Germain before becoming a global superstar at Barcelona, where he won La Liga, the UEFA Champions League and the Ballon d'Or. He also represented AC Milan, Flamengo, Atlético Mineiro, Querétaro and Fluminense, and was part of Brazil's 2002 World Cup-winning team.
Rivaldo
Full name: Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira
Rivaldo was an elegant attacking midfielder and forward whose left foot made him a major threat from distance and around the penalty area. His club career included Palmeiras, Deportivo La Coruña, Barcelona, AC Milan and Olympiacos. He won the 1999 Ballon d'Or and was one of Brazil's key attacking players when the national team won the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Zico
Full name: Arthur Antunes Coimbra
Zico is one of Flamengo's greatest-ever players and one of the most celebrated playmakers Brazil has produced. Known for his vision, finishing and free-kicks, he won major honours in Brazil as well as the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup with Flamengo. He also played in Italy for Udinese and represented Brazil at the 1978, 1982 and 1986 World Cups.
Cafu
Full name: Marcos Evangelista de Morais
Cafu was a relentless right-back whose stamina and attacking runs became a feature of Brazil's national team. He played for São Paulo, Real Zaragoza, Palmeiras, Roma and AC Milan, collecting major trophies in both South America and Europe. Cafu appeared in three consecutive World Cup finals and captained Brazil when they lifted the trophy in 2002.
Casemiro
Full name: Carlos Henrique Casimiro
Casemiro developed into one of the leading defensive midfielders of his era. After beginning with São Paulo, he became central to a hugely successful Real Madrid side, winning multiple UEFA Champions League and La Liga titles before moving to Manchester United. For Brazil he has combined ball-winning, tactical discipline and an ability to score important goals from midfield.
Kaká
Full name: Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite
Kaká was a graceful attacking midfielder known for carrying the ball at speed and arriving in goalscoring positions. After breaking through at São Paulo, he became a star with AC Milan, winning Serie A and the UEFA Champions League before joining Real Madrid. He won the 2007 Ballon d'Or and was also part of Brazil's squad that won the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Roberto Carlos
Full name: Roberto Carlos da Silva Rocha
Roberto Carlos redefined the attacking role of a left-back with explosive pace, powerful shooting and constant forward runs. He played for Palmeiras, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, where he won La Liga and the UEFA Champions League several times. With Brazil he won the 2002 World Cup and became famous worldwide for spectacular long-range free-kicks.
Romário
Full name: Romário de Souza Faria
Romário was a penalty-box specialist with exceptional movement and finishing. His club career took him from Vasco da Gama to PSV, Barcelona, Flamengo, Valencia and other teams in Brazil and abroad. He was the outstanding attacking figure in Brazil's 1994 World Cup triumph and won the FIFA World Player of the Year award in the same year.
Garrincha
Full name: Manuel Francisco dos Santos
Garrincha became a Brazilian icon through extraordinary dribbling and unpredictable wing play. He spent most of his club career with Botafogo and was a central figure in Brazil's World Cup victories in 1958 and 1962. In 1962, with Pelé injured for much of the tournament, Garrincha produced one of the most celebrated individual World Cup campaigns in football history.
Sócrates
Full name: Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira
Sócrates was a tall, elegant midfielder remembered for intelligence, back-heels, passing and leadership. He became an icon at Corinthians and also played for Botafogo-SP, Fiorentina, Flamengo and Santos. As captain of Brazil's celebrated 1982 World Cup team, he was central to a side admired for its technical and attacking football despite not winning the tournament.
Jairzinho
Full name: Jair Ventura Filho
Jairzinho was a powerful winger and forward who starred for Botafogo and Brazil. His most famous achievement came at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, where he scored in every match Brazil played on the way to winning the tournament. His pace, strength and direct attacking style made him one of the outstanding players of that legendary team.
Didi
Full name: Waldyr Pereira
Didi was one of Brazil's great midfield organisers and a master of passing and set pieces. He played for clubs including Fluminense, Botafogo and Real Madrid, and was instrumental in Brazil's first two World Cup victories in 1958 and 1962. His composed style and famous folha seca free-kick technique helped establish his reputation as one of the game's earliest great playmakers.
Tostão
Full name: Eduardo Gonçalves de Andrade
Tostão was an intelligent forward whose movement and combination play were crucial to Brazil's 1970 World Cup-winning attack. He became a star with Cruzeiro before later joining Vasco da Gama. Although an eye problem forced him to retire unusually early, his technical quality and role alongside Pelé, Jairzinho and Rivellino secured his place in Brazilian football history.
Neymar
Full name: Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior
Neymar emerged at Santos as one of Brazil's most exciting young attackers before moving to Barcelona, where he won La Liga and the UEFA Champions League alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez. He later joined Paris Saint-Germain and also played for Al Hilal. For Brazil he became one of the national team's leading goalscorers and won Olympic gold in 2016.
Vinícius Júnior
Full name: Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior
Vinícius Júnior began his senior career with Flamengo before moving to Real Madrid, where his pace, dribbling and direct attacking play helped him become one of Europe's leading wide forwards. He has won major domestic and UEFA Champions League honours with Madrid and has also become an important attacking player for the Brazil national team.
Rodrygo
Full name: Rodrygo Silva de Goes
Rodrygo came through at Santos before moving to Real Madrid as a teenager. Comfortable across the forward line, he became known for intelligent movement and important goals in major European matches, including the UEFA Champions League. He has also represented Brazil at senior international level as part of a generation of technically gifted attacking players.