Power Ranking the Top 10 South American Attackers in Football History
What is South American football most famous for? Producing some of the world's most exciting and entertaining attacking players in the history of football.
Here, we count the 10 greatest forward players in the annals of South American soccer. For the purposes of this ranking we want to look at what kind of legacy players have left upon their countries as well as what they achieved on the pitch.
This ranking will not solely focus on those whose responsibilities lay in the field's final third or on medals and acclaim. Those who have truly made a difference and whose talent still has the ability to light up a child's face can be found here.
10) Valdir "DIDI" Perreira
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Clubs included Rio giants Botafogo and Fluminense as well as nine times European champions Real Madrid. An unsuccessful stint at Real was brought to a premature ending largely due to a mutual loathing of fellow forward Alfredo di Stefano.
Did will be largely remembered as the catalyst for Brazil's first World Cup triumph. Whilst that side boasted the extraordinary talents of Pele and Garrincha, Didi was considered the brains of the side.
Happy playing a more withdrawn role or bursting forward, the moustachioed playmaker was also influential in Botafogo's legendary 1962 Campeonato Carioca triumph.
9) TEOFILO CUBILLAS
2 of 109) TEOFILO CUBILLAS
Probably regarded as the greatest Peruvian footballer of all time, he played in a role similar to that of Didi during the late 70s and early 80s. Shot to prominence with local side Allianz Lima before finding success in Europe, Cabillas was brought to global attention at the 1978 World Cup.
He netted five times during the first group stage including a hat-trick against Iran, having previously enjoyed great success in South American football. He won South American Footballer of the Year in 1972 and was joint top scorer in the Copa Libertadores that same year, a tournament a Peruvian club has never won.
8) RONALDO
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A player who has stayed in the public eye after hanging up his boots as he works as an ambassador for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
A three-time World Player of the Year, a feat only eclipsed by Lionel Messi, Ronaldo represented Spanish rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid as well as Milan city rivals AC and Internazionale.
He is the leading scorer of all time in World Cup tournaments with 15 goals, overcoming Gerd Muller during the 2006 edition in Germany.
Ronaldo reinvented what it means to be a No. 9 in Brazil and was the Selecao Brasileira's most potent weapon during the 2002 World Cup, scoring eight goals in seven matches. And all after spending the best part of the two previous years on the treatment table.
There is a reason he is called Fenomeno in his homeland.
7) ROMERITO
4 of 10The Paraguayan is a legend in both his homeland and Rio de Janeiro. Another attacker also capable of dropping back into midfield, Romerito is the third highest scorer in the history of the Paraguayan national team.
After moving to Rio club Fluminense in 1983 he played an instrumental role in their 1984 Brazilian league title, the first in their history.
HONOURABLE MENTION: ROQUE SANA CRUZ
The biggest success story to come out of Paraguay in recent times. A move to German juggernauts Bayern Munich didn't quite work out but he rebuilt his career at Blackburn Rovers, earning a multi-million pound move to newly mega rich Manchester City.
A change in manager meant chances were sparse but Santa Cruz has since found a new lease of life at Spanish outfit Malaga. Has 28 goals for the national side.
6) ROMARIO
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Possibly Rio de Janeiro's favourite son, his exploits off the pitch are just as legendary as his accomplishments in front of goal. The little striker up PSV and Barcelona and helped Brazil to their fourth World Cup title in 1994, but it is in his hometown of Rio where Romario is most revered.
He played for three of the city's big four clubs, Flamengo, Fluminense and Vasco da Gama, where he arguably had his most successful stint as a player, winning the Copa Libertadores and Campeonato Brasileiro.
In 2007 he brought Brazil to a standstill when he netted his 1,000th goal in professional football from the penalty spot. Now a politician and ruffling feathers in Brazilian congress, the aura surrounding the man known as Baixinho (“Shorty”) refuses to diminish.
HONOURABLE MENTION: BEBETO
Romario's partner in crime at the 1994 World Cup, Bebeto netted three goals at the 1994 World Cup including a brace in the 3-2 win over the Netherlands in the quarter-final. Also played with Romario at Flamengo and Vasco and did a lot of the legwork that allowed Romario to finish as many chances as he did.
5) ALCIDES GHIGGIA
6 of 10Whisper Ghiggia's name in Brazil and it still send shivers down the spine of folk. The man is responsible for ruining what was supposed to be Brazil's biggest party, their first World Cup triumph in 1950.
Eleven minutes from the end and with the score at 1-1, Ghiggia's near post effort silenced the 200,000 fans inside the Maracana and handed Uruguay their second, and to date last, World Cup crown. He goal has given him godlike status in his birthplace.
Ironically, he never scored for the Uruguayan national side again after the 1950 World Cup.
HONOURABLE MENTION: DIEGO FORLAN
Luis Suarez may grab the headlines but no one has done more for national football in Uruguay over the last decade than Forlan.
Was consistently lethal in Spain for Villarreal and Atletico Madrid and helped his country to overcome all expectations and reach the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup. Forlan was voted Player of the Tournament in the process.
4) GABRIEL BATISTUTA
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Argentina's all time leading scorer with 56 goals, Batistuta was prolific with a capital P.
The centre-forward shone in Italy's Serie A with Fiorentina for almost a decade before moving to Roma, winning the Sucdetto alongside club captain and idol Francesco Totti.
Batistuta was far from just a poacher. He worked tirelessly for the team and was just as clinical with either foot or his head. He scored five goals at the 1998 World Cup to help Argentina to the quarter-finals.
HONOURABLE MENTION: MARIO KEMPES
Almost made it on to the list due to his goalscoring efforts at the 1978 World Cup. Kempes scored six goals as Argentina won the competition but did not perform as consistently as Batistuta over his nine year international career.
3) DIEGO MARADONA
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Widely though of as the greatest playmaker of all time and is in a constant battle with Pele for the honour of world's greatest ever player. The stocky No.10 came to prominence at the 1986 World Cup when he led an average Argentina side to the trophy.
Fell into disgrace at the 1994 World Cup and was sent home after failing a drugs test but will forever be remembered as one of football's most determined, intelligent and spectacular innovators.
Maradona remains an idol at Buenos Aires club Boca Juniors and Italian outfit Napoli, who he helped to the Scudetto in 1987 and 1990.
2) PELE
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The man who scored over 1,000 goals, has three World Cup medals to his name and was the spearhead of what is considered to be the most complete football team ever; Brazil's successful 1970 World Cup winning XI.
Pele was a one club man and transformed Santos into one of the most dazzling and in demand clubs on the globe. He could have won more silverware with the side but Santos declined to play in the Copa Libertadores for the first two years of its existence in favour of playing more lucrative friendlies abroad.
But regardless of team honours Pele's individual achievements are unprecedented and are unlikely to be matched again. He is fully deserving of the nickname “O Rei” (“The King”).
1) GARRINCHA
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Described as the most amateur professional football ever, Garrincha was known as “Joy of the People.”
A right sided forward who won three Carioca titles with Botafogo and two World Cups with Brazil in 1958 and 1962, the latter cemented his place as one of the world's greats.
Garrincha's performances took an ageing Brazilian team all the way to the final in Chile, yet again alerting some of Europe's biggest clubs to his outrageous talents.
Garrincha tops this list not on achievements or riches. He died virtually penniless from cirrhosis of the liver in 1983.
He tops the list for the way he approached the game and the legacy he leaves on football pitches across Brazil. A direct comparison is often made between Garrincha and Pele, who never lost a game when playing together for the national side.
Pele was revered by the people. Garrincha was the people.
His almost childlike approach to the game coupled with the meteoric achievements he managed makes him the greatest attacker ever to come out of South America.
