South America's 11 Best Players Who Never Played Club Ball in Europe

It's a common theme in football discussion at present. Can a player be perceived as one of the best in the world if he has never played in one of Europe's top leagues?

To many, the answer is no, and there are justifiable reasons to that end. After all, could Neymar, for example, be judged on the same level as the world's best before playing in the World Cup and Champions League? Probably not.

It has not always been the case, though. Indeed, when the argument is raised that "Pele never played in Europe," it is somewhat lacking in historical context. It is, perhaps, only in the past 20 years that European football has become the platform on which everyone must be judged.

Who, then, are the 11 best South American players never to have played football in Europe?

Gerson

A winner of the 1970 World Cup, Gerson is widely remembered as one of the greatest passers of all-time for his role as the creative hub of the Selecao at the event.

Another famous member of Botafogo's incredible side of the 1960s, Gerson was fortunate enough to spend much of his playing career at club level in the company of world-leading talents such as Garrincha, Didi, Jairzinho and Zagallo.

Pushed ahead of the mighty Clodoaldo in the 1970 World Cup side, the “Golden left foot” was then able to influence proceedings behind as one of the greatest forward lines in history alongside Pele, Tostao Rivellino and Jairzinho.

Unsurprisingly, the team is still remembered to this day as one of the finest attacking sides in modern history—even if the 1982 side may occasionally steal its thunder.

His name may occasionally get lost with the passing of time, but to those who remember with fondness the Brazil side of that era, Gerson is one player that is always regarded in incredibly high esteem.

Arsenio Erico

Arsenio Erico never got to play at a World Cup, but mainly through choice. Despite playing the vast majority of his football career in Argentina, he rejected the chance to represent the country at the 1938 tournament to remain loyal to his native Paraguay.

Erico, though, remains a hero in both countries.

Best remembered for a 13-year spell with Independiente, in which he set the jointly held record for most Argentine Primera Division goals, Erico was a scoring phenomenon.

His "Jumping Red" nickname is recognition of the player's phenomenal ability to jump for the ball and seemingly hang in the air, the attribute that has become the defining memory of Erico as a player.

He has been heralded as the inspiration for latter greats such as Leonidas and Alfredo di Stefano, but one can only wonder how much greater he would be regarded had he taken the offer to appear for Argentina at the 1938 World Cup.

Alberto Spencer

A three-time winner of the Copa Libertadores, Alberto Spencer is the famous tournament's all-time record goalscorer, with a total of 54 goals to his name.

The son of a British-Jamaican (Guardian), Spencer was born in Ecuador in 1937 and went on to represent CD Everest in Guayaquil before earning a switch to Uruguayan giants Penarol.

It was in a 10-year spell with the Carboneros that Spencer truly wrote his name into history, winning seven league titles, three Libertadores and two Intercontinental Cups.

A powerful and fast centre-forward known for his wonderful heading ability, Spencer was named Ecuador's best player of the 20th century—despite also representing Uruguay internationally.

It is testament to his goalscoring feats that, in the 41 years since his retirement, no player has yet managed to overhaul his Libertadores record.

Angel Labruna

Angel Labruna is the joint top-scorer in the history of the Argentine Primera Division, scoring on 293 occasions for River Plate across a 20-year career.

Regarded as one of the greatest forwards in the history of football in the country, Labruna won a remarkable nine league titles with the club throughout the 1940s and 1950s.

Labruna would only have the opportunity to participate in one World Cup in 1958—at the age of 39. His record of 17 goals in 37 games for his country, though, is not to be disregarded.

The biggest idol in the history of River Plate and one of the greatest Argentine No. 10s in history, the tenacious striker also holds the record for most goals scored past rivals Boca Juniors in Superclassico fixtures.

Leonidas Da Silva

Leonidas da Silva, known as the "Black Diamond," is remembered as one of the greatest goalscorers in Brazilian football history. Pre-Pele, he is perhaps the biggest and most influential star the country had produced.

Another to have spent time with Uruguayan greats Penarol, Leonidas excelled as an inside-right early in his career before developing into one of the most feared centre-forwards in South America.

His goalscoring feats late in his career at Flamengo (153 goals in 149 games) and Sao Paulo (141 goals in 212 games) would define his legacy, but he also had a more unusual claim to fame.

While often credited as the inventor of the overhead kick, Leonidas is more accurately the man who first took the skill to a wider audience at the 1938 World Cup.

It was a tournament that the forward would finish as top-scorer and, indeed, he holds the distinction of having scored in every World Cup fixture in which he played (1934 and 1938 tournaments).

The bicycle kick is now his legacy to the world game, but the quick and nimble centre-forward truly deserves to be remembered for his great contribution to Brazilian football.

Jose Leandro Andrade

Another Uruguayan, the "Maravilla Negra" Jose Leandro Andrade was a major player in his country's early successes at the 1924 and 1928 Olympic Games, as well as the 1930 Olympics.

Tall and quick, with wonderful close control, Andrade captivated European audiences at both Paris and Amsterdam Olympiad. He is heralded as being one of the first true international stars of football.

Domestically, Andrade would win league titles with both of Montevideo's historic clubs—Nacional and Penarol—cementing his place as a true great of Uruguayan football.

In 1994, France Football placed the right-back in 10th position on their list of players who influenced the World Cup—an indication of the impact he made on the 1930 competition.

Nowadays he may be a distant memory to most outside his homeland, but Andrade's achievements placed him right at the top of world football in the 1920s and '30s.

Jose Manuel Moreno

Another of the River Plate "machine" that dominated Argentine football in the 1940s, Moreno was actually overlooked by rivals Boca Juniors before turning up at the club. It would be a costly mistake.

Moreno won three South American Championships with Argentina, as well as five league titles in his time at River. However, perhaps his greatest achievement was to become the first player to win top-flight leagues in four separate countries—also emerging triumphant in Mexico, Chile and Colombia.

An inside forward renowned for his excellent footwork, Moreno played at his best in a free-role at River, from where his technique could shine through.

Equally comfortable off either foot, Moreno's international record of 19 goals in 34 fixtures is testament to his ability. In whichever country he played, he would score goals at will.

To this day, "El Charro" is remembered as one of the all-time great Argentine players and one of the best anywhere of his era.

Obdulio Varela

A six-time Uruguayan champion with Penarol and a World Cup winner in 1950, Obdulio Varela is regarded as one of the all-time great defensive midfielders.

Commonly known by his "El Negro Jefe" nickname, Varela was renowned for his leadership ability. His finest hour would come when he lifted the 1950 World Cup trophy, having led his side to unlikely glory in the Maracana.

There were 170,000 expectant spectators in the famous old stadium that day, and Varela is credited with his sizeable influence in silencing them. He famously told his teammates pre-game:

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“Put all those people out of your minds, don’t look up. The game is played down on the pitch and if we win, nothing’s going to happen, just as it’s never happened before. Those people don’t count.” (FIFA)

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The game and its 2-1 result have gone down in history, cementing Varela's reputation as one of South America's finest-ever players and captains.

A fine defensive operator and distributor of the ball, he simply conquered all before him with both club and country.

Elias Figueroa

The greatest player in the history of Chilean football, and one of the best defenders of all time, Elias Figueroa was a defining player of the 1970s.

Another to have spent time at Penarol in Uruguay, Figueroa was named best player in the division on three occasions in his six-year spell. He would then move to Internacional in Brazil, where he would also be named player of the year twice.

Named in the Team of the Tournament at the 1974 World Cup, Figueroa drew plaudits for his calmness in defence and his impressive ability to read the game.

Hailed by Pele as "the finest central defender in the history of football in the Americas," the Chilean certainly has his fair share of lofty admirers.

"Don Elias," as he was heralded, remains the only Chilean to have participated in three World Cup tournaments and is, without doubt, the nation's greatest player ever.

Garrincha

The romantic football fan is automatically drawn to Garrincha above all others. Surgery to correct deformities at birth left the unlikely superstar with a bent right leg, but it would not stop the player going on to become a footballing legend.

Voted the best player of the 1962 World Cup, having been in the Team of the Tournament four years earlier, Garrincha's influence on Brazil's first two successes on the global stage cannot be underestimated.

Life off the field may never have been complete for the Botafogo star, who sought sanctuary with women and alcohol, but he was a marvel on the pitch.

His final international appearance against Hungary in the 1966 World Cup would be his first and only defeat in a Brazil shirt. It would be a sad end to what had been a glittering career.

The undisputed people's champion, Garrincha's mazy dribbles and ability to produce the unexpected separated him from the rest. Had it not been for the great Pele, it may have been Garrincha who would have been hailed as the greatest ever.

Pele

It's time to pull out that old Ferenc Puskas quote once more:

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“The greatest player in history was Di Stefano. I refuse to classify Pele as a player. He was above that.” (H/T FIFA.com)

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Considering the speaker, it is some compliment. Puskas, though, is not alone in thinking as much with Bobby Charlton, Johan Cruyff and Juste Fontaine also among those to have eulogised the legendary Brazilian.

Debates will rage on and on eternally over who was the greatest with many in Brazil even favouring Garrincha over O Rei (the King).

To be mentioned in the same terms as Pele, though, is to know that you are in the presence of footballing greatness.

If Pele had have been twenty years younger, he would surely have played in Europe, but as this list should have shown, it was far from the centre of the footballing universe as it is today.

Pele played a large part of his career for a Santos side that was among the best teams anywhere on the plant, and he was revered everywhere he ventured with the Brazil national team, winning three World Cups in the process.

The greatest player of all-time in the eyes of many, without needing to play in Europe.