The Brazilian football team has historically found great success on the world stage and long been associated with innovative game-changing flair.
During most international competitions they have enjoyed victories across the Confederations Cup, Copa America and World Cup tournaments.
Through the generations, Brazil have produced a whole host of iconic attackers along with some of the best forwards the game has ever witnessed.
Let’s explore the top five Brazilian strikers of all-time.
5. Bebeto
In his prime, Bebeto featured for Brazil during the late 80s into the mid-90s, scoring 40 goals in 77 appearances. The forward was best known as a pint-sized, direct and powerful striker.
His finest year for the national side was 1994, when he found the net eight times in eleven matches, including five in friendly matches and three during their 1994 World Cup run.
Whilst representing his country, Bebeto won the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Copa America in 1989 and 1997 Confederations Cup. He was also the Copa America’s top scorer and South American Footballer of the Year for 1989 along with being named Olympic Games top scorer in 1996.
In club football, he played for the likes of Flamengo, Vasco da Gama and Deportivo La Coruña, scoring 197 times in 372 games.
4. Neymar
Neymar quickly became Brazil’s golden boy when he burst onto the international scene in 2010. He is currently his country’s greatest ever goalscorer having netted 79 times in 126 matches. Neymar is considered a silky-skilled and creative attacker.
The forward’s best calendar year was 2014, firing 15 goals in only 14 international appearances, with four strikes during their run to the 2014 World Cup semi-final.
Despite his prestigious national record, Neymar has only laid claim to one world title, winning the Confederations Cup in 2013 and finishing as runner-up in the 2021 Copa America.
Individual accolades include being named South American Footballer of the Year in 2011 and 2012 along with the 2013 Confederations Cup Golden Ball.
He scored 360 goals in 589 club appearances for Santos, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain before joining Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal in 2023.
3. Romario
Romario boasts the best goals to game ratio on this top five list by scoring 55 times in only 71 international games. He was a stocky, adaptable and instinctive finisher.
His two greatest years for Brazil proved to be 1994, in which he hit 10 goals in as many matches including five during the 1994 World Cup – along with 1997 when he struck three times in the Copa America and on seven occasions in the Confederations Cup
Romario won four major international honours, the 1994 FIFA World Cup, two Copa America titles in 1989 and 1997 alongside the FIFA Confederations Cup.
He was named the Dutch League’s top scorer over three consecutive seasons between 1988 and 1991 and crowned Dutch Footballer of the Year in 1989. Romario was also named Champions League top scorer in 1989/90 and 1992/93.
The Brazilian scored 690 goals across 893 appearances for Brazilian clubs Vasco De Gama, Flamengo along with European clubs PSV and Barcelona.
2. Ronaldo
Ronaldo’s 62 goals for Brazil in 99 international games speaks volumes of the forward’s immense quality. His speed, skill and goal scoring repertoire made him an incredibly deadly striker.
1997 was an incredible year for R9. He scored a remarkable 15 times in 20 appearances including five strikes in the Copa America and four goals in the Confederations Cup. Five years later in 2002, Ronaldo scored eleven times and hit six at the World Cup, which Brazil went on to lift.
He was part of the 1994 FIFA World Cup squad as well as the 1997 Copa America and Confederations Cup winning sides.
Ronaldo won FIFA World Player of the Year in 1996, 1997 and 2002. He claimed the Serie A Footballer of the Year in 1998 and Club Footballer of the Year for 1997/98.
Some of his finest accolades include the 1998 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball, World Cup Golden Shoe in 2002 alongside the 1997 and 2002 Ballon d’Or.
Ronaldo’s club career was remarkable. He scored 352 goals in 518 matches for PSV, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
1. Pele
The legendary Pele is one of the greatest players the game has ever witnessed. He excelled for Brazil and became synonymous with their numerous successes on the world stage.
Pele scored 77 goals in 92 international appearances. He was elegant yet powerful, creative and technically gifted, able to score all types of goals.
His finest year for the national team was 1958, when at the age of just 17 he hit nine goals for Brazil and took the World Cup by storm, scoring six times at the tournament as his country lifted their first ever world title.
Pele was named FIFA World Cup Best Young Player for 1958. He went on to win the World Cup in 1962 and 1970, claiming the Golden Ball for Best Player during the 1970 tournament. Pele was also crowned as FIFA Player of the Century in 2000.
For club side Santos, he was Campeonato Paulista’s Top Scorer across nine consecutive seasons from 1957 to 1965 – and twice again in 1969 and 1973. He scored 643 official club career goals in 659 matches over a 21 year-career at Santos.
