Brazil is one of the greatest footballing nations of all time. The beautiful game is almost like a religion in the South American country.
Brazil is home to some of the greatest footballers of all time
Brazil is renowned for producing some of the very best to have ever worn a pair of cleats and trodded on to the football field.
In Brazil, football is played in every corner and alley where space is available and their footballers have always been known for their streetsmarts and flair. The Brazilian national team is packed to the brim with talented players and they are widely viewed as one of the early favorites to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Players from Brazil play for clubs all across the globe, with the very best of them plying their trade in Europe. Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the best Brazilian footballers in the world right now.
#5 Neymar Jr. (Paris Saint-Germain)
Neymar Jr. has had quite an underwhelming season so far by his own lofty standards. The 30-year-old missed around three months of action due to an ankle injury, but his form since returning has not been all that encouraging.
Neymar continues to produce moments of magic, but they have come far too sporadically for PSG's liking since his return from the injury layoff. The Brazilian winger has struggled to sustain high performance levels throughout the 90 minutes this term.
But we all know that form is temporary and class is permanent. Neymar will go down in history as one of the finest attackers of the modern era. He will also be the leader of the Selecao at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Tite will be relying on his maverick forward to provide the creative spark for his side.
In 20 appearances across all competitions for PSG so far this season, Neymar has scored five goals and provided five assists.
#4 Thiago Silva (Chelsea)
When Thiago Silva joined Chelsea in the summer of 2020 as a free agent, fans and pundits were apprehensive about the signing. After all, he was just about to turn 36 and keeping up with the rigors of a league as physically demanding as the Premier League seemed a daunting task.
However, the Brazilian international has been phenomenal for Chelsea in defence. Silva played a crucial role in Chelsea's Champions League triumph last season. He is a resolute defender who loves a tackle and is very dominant in aerial duels.
Silva continues to do a fantastic job for Chelsea at the center of their three-man defence. Despite being 37 years old, he is still going strong and has been crucial to Chelsea maintaining the second-best defensive record in the league currently.
The Blues have only conceded 19 goals in the Premier League this term. That's one more than league leaders Manchester City.
#3 Fabinho (Liverpool)
Fabinho is one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe. He has all the qualities that we've come to identify with the very best midfield destroyers in the game. The Brazilian international is a very intelligent player whose main job is to break up play and get his team started on offensive transitions.
Fabinho is excellent at making tackles and recoveries. Standing at 188 cms, he is a tall midfielder who is formidable in aerial duels as well. He possesses a great reading of the game as well and complements Liverpool's gegenpressing system by making some crucial interceptions.
If and when the need arises, Fabinho can also score some absolute scorchers from range as well. In 33 appearances across all competitions so far this term, the 28-year-old has scored six goals and provided one assist.
#2 Casemiro (Real Madrid)
Brazil really have no shortage of quality defensive midfielders, but if there's one man who has reigned supreme over the past decade, it is Real Madrid's Casemiro. One of the greatest midfield destroyers of the 21st century, Casemiro provides the platform from where midfield maestros Toni Kroos and Luka Modric work their magic.
The 30-year-old is excellent at making tackles, recoveries and interceptions and has been excellent throughout the curernt season for Real Madrid. He puts in a shift every time he is on the pitch and Real Madrid benefit a lot from his tenacity and reading of the game.
Casemiro is not all muscle and is quite an intelligent footballer. He is perhaps a tad bit too aggressive, but as long as he stays within the limits, Casemiro is the kind of rowdy defensive midfielder every coach covets.
#1 Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid)
Vinicius Jr. has always looked like he has immense potential. But it's never been more apparent than in the ongoing season. The Real Madrid winger has been simply phenomenal down the left flank for his club and is starting to deliver on that early promise.
Vinicius Jr. embodies the 'samba' flair we've come to associate with Brazilian attackers. The nimble-footed winger leaves defenders chasing ghosts and clutching at tufts of grass almost every time he gets on the ball.
Vinicius Jr. has turned in a number of quality performances in crucial encounters this season. He has arguably been Real Madrid's most important player this season after Karim Benzema.
In 38 appearances across all competitions for Los Blancos so far this term, Vinicius has scored 17 goals and provided 14 assists.