Greatest South American Sports Stars

Brazilian·Football

Edson Pelé

Three-time World Cup winner widely considered the greatest footballer of all time. Scored 757 career goals for Santos and Brazil.

680 career goals · 77 international goals

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2

DM

Argentine·Football

Diego Maradona

Argentine footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, famous for leading Argentina to 1986 World Cup victory with

259 career goals · 34 international goals

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3

LM

Argentine·Football

Lionel Messi

Argentine footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, known for his dribbling, vision, and goal-scoring ability.

569 career goals · 112 international goals

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4

RG

Brazilian·Football

Ronaldinho Gaucho

The most joyful footballer who ever played — two Ballon d'Or, a World Cup and the Barcelona performance that made Real Madrid fans applaud.

205 career goals · 33 international goals

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5

AS

Brazilian·Formula 1

Ayrton Senna

Brazilian Formula 1 racing driver widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time, winning three World Championships before his tragic de

3× World Champion · 41 race wins

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6

EF

Brazilian·Formula 1

Emerson Fittipaldi

Two-time Formula One World Champion from Brazil whose calm brilliance and smooth driving style brought Lotus and McLaren glory in the early

2× World Champion · 14 race wins

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7

NP

Brazilian·Formula 1

Nelson Piquet

Brazilian Formula 1 driver who won three World Championships (1981, 1983, 1987) and is considered one of the greatest drivers of the 1980s e

3× World Champion · 23 race wins

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8

GS

Argentine·Tennis

Gabriela Sabatini

Gabriela Sabatini is an Argentine former professional tennis player who won the 1990 US Open, defeating Steffi Graf in the final.

1 Grand Slams · 27 titles

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9

JM

Argentine·Formula 1

Juan Manuel Fangio

Argentine Formula 1 racing driver widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time, winning five World Championships in the 1950s.

5× World Champion · 24 race wins

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10

NJ

Brazilian·Football

Neymar Jr.

Brazilian forward and one of the world's most skillful players, known for his dribbling, creativity, and flair on the pitch.

274 career goals · 79 international goals

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11

RK

Brazilian·Football

Ricardo Kaká

Brazilian footballer who won the 2007 Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year, known for his elegant playmaking and technical brillian

149 career goals · 29 international goals

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12

RC

Brazilian·Football

Roberto Carlos

Brazilian footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest left-backs of all time, known for his powerful free-kicks and attacking style at

69 career goals · 11 international goals

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13

MC

Brazilian·Football

Marcos Cafu

Brazilian football right-back widely regarded as one of the greatest full-backs in history, known for his attacking prowess and World Cup su

44 career goals · 5 international goals

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14

RF

Brazilian·Football

Rivaldo Ferreira

Brazil's World Cup winner and Ballon d'Or holder whose bicycle kick goals and creative brilliance lit up the late 1990s.

311 career goals · 35 international goals

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15

RF

Colombian·Football

Radamel Falcao

Colombian striker widely regarded as one of the greatest goalscorers of his generation, famous for his clinical finishing and aerial ability

333 career goals · 36 international goals

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16

SB

Brazilian·Football

Sócrates Brasileiro

Brazilian footballer and intellectual known as 'Doctor Socrates', captained Brazil in two World Cups and was a key figure in Corinthians Dem

223 career goals · 22 international goals

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17

CT

Argentine·Football

Carlos Tevez

Argentine striker known for his work rate, tenacity, and ability to score crucial goals. Won major trophies in Argentina, Brazil, England, a

227 career goals · 13 international goals

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18

LS

Uruguayan·Football

Luis Suárez

Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz was born in Salto, Uruguay in 1987 and became one of the most prolific and controversial strikers in Premier League

421 career goals · 69 international goals

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19

RD

Brazilian·Football

Romário de Souza

Brazil's 1994 World Cup winner and scorer of over 1,000 career goals — a natural finisher of almost supernatural efficiency.

524 career goals · 55 international goals

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20

JA

Venezuelan·Baseball

Jose Altuve

Jose Altuve is a Houston Astros second baseman and one of the best contact hitters of his generation, a 3-time batting champion.

267 home runs · .03 avg

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21

SP

Venezuelan·Baseball

Salvador Perez

Salvador Perez is a durable, powerful catcher who has anchored the Kansas City Royals for over a decade.

318 home runs · .0261 avg

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22

MV

Brazilian·Football

Marta Vieira

Brazilian footballer widely regarded as the greatest female player of all time, six-time FIFA World Player of the Year winner and all-time W

303 career goals · 117 international goals

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23

B

Brazilian·Football

Bebeto

Brazilian footballer regarded as one of the greatest strikers of the 1990s, World Cup winner in 1994 and prolific goalscorer for club and co

366 career goals · 39 international goals

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24

AD

Argentine/Spanish·Football

Alfredo di Stéfano

Argentine-Spanish footballer considered one of the greatest players of all time, led Real Madrid to five consecutive European Cup victories

376 career goals · 23 international goals

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25

GB

Argentine·Football

Gabriel Batistuta

Batigol — the most prolific Argentine striker of his generation and one of the most feared centre-forwards of the 1990s.

249 career goals · 56 international goals

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26

IZ

Chilean·Football

Iván Zamorano

Prolific and combative Chilean striker nicknamed 'Bam Bam' who was among the most feared forwards in South America and Spain during the 1990

247 career goals · 34 international goals

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27

EC

Uruguayan·Football

Edinson Cavani

PSG's all-time leading scorer — the most dedicated professional of his generation and one of football's great out-and-out strikers.

288 career goals · 58 international goals

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28

MG

Argentine·Basketball

Manu Ginobili

Argentine basketball legend known for his flashy style, clutch performances, and key role in Argentina's 2004 Olympic gold and Spurs dynasty

4× champion · 13.3 ppg career

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29

AS

Brazilian·MMA

Anderson Silva

Legendary Brazilian who dominated the middleweight division for nearly seven years and once held the record for most consecutive UFC title d

34-11-1 NC · 1 title reigns

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30

GM

Brazilian·Surfing

Gabriel Medina

Three World Championship titles and a levitation photograph at the Paris 2024 Olympics that became one of sport's most iconic images.

3× World Champion · 18 CT wins

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31

BR

Brazilian·Volleyball

Bernardo Rezende

Brazilian volleyball coach known as 'Bernardinho', one of the most successful coaches in volleyball history with Olympic golds coaching both

2 Olympic golds · 3 world titles

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32

CM

Argentine·Boxing

Carlos Monzón

Carlos Monzón dominated the middleweight division for most of the 1970s and made a record 14 successful title defenses.

87-3-9 · 1 world titles

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33

RA

Brazilian·Gymnastics

Rebeca Andrade

Brazilian artistic gymnast who became the first Brazilian woman to win Olympic gold in gymnastics, claiming vault gold at Paris 2024.

2 Olympic golds · 3 world titles

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34

RA

Venezuelan·Baseball

Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuña Jr. is an explosive power-speed talent for the Atlanta Braves who became the first member of the 40 HR-70 SB club in 2023.

193 home runs · .0287 avg

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35

FT

Brazilian·Surfing

Filipe Toledo

Brazilian professional surfer who became World Surf League Champion in 2021 and 2022, known for his aerial maneuvers and progressive surfing

2× World Champion · 18 CT wins

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36

GV

Argentine·Tennis

Guillermo Vilas

Guillermo Vilas is an Argentine former professional tennis player who won four Grand Slam singles titles and is considered one of the greate

4 Grand Slams · 62 titles

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37

G

Brazilian·Volleyball

Giba

Three-time World Champion and three consecutive World League MVP awards — Giba is the greatest volleyball outside hitter in history.

1 Olympic golds · 3 world titles

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38

YR

Venezuelan·Athletics

Yulimar Rojas

Triple jump world record holder (15.74m).

1 Olympic golds · 4 world titles

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39

WS

Brazilian·MMA

Wanderlei Silva

Brazilian legend who dominated PRIDE's middleweight division through the early 2000s and later became a UFC Hall of Fame pioneer-wing induct

35-14-1 (1 NC) · 1 title reigns

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40

AP

Brazilian·MMA

Alex Pereira

Brazilian striker and former kickboxing champion who became the 9th UFC fighter to win titles in two weight classes.

13-4 · 3 title reigns

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41

SC

Brazilian·Volleyball

Sheilla Castro

Brazilian volleyball player and three-time Olympic gold medalist, widely regarded as one of the greatest opposite hitters in volleyball hist

2 Olympic golds

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42

CJ

Brazilian·MMA

Cristiane Justino (Cyborg)

Cris Cyborg is regarded as one of the greatest female MMA fighters ever, the only fighter in history to win championships in Strikeforce, In

29-2 (1 NC) · 4 title reigns

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43

WD

Brazilian·Volleyball

Wallace de Souza

Brazilian volleyball outside hitter who won Olympic gold in 2016 and multiple FIVB World League titles, known for his powerful attacking.

1 Olympic golds · 2 world titles

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44

IF

Brazilian·Surfing

Italo Ferreira

World Champion and Olympic gold medallist at Tokyo 2020 — Italo Ferreira's aerial surfing is the most spectacular in the current professiona

1× World Champion · 11 CT wins

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45

BR

Brazilian·Volleyball

Bruno Rezende

Brazilian volleyball setter and Olympic champion, widely regarded as one of the best setters in the world with multiple Olympic and World Le

1 Olympic golds · 1 world titles

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46

SM

Peruvian·Surfing

Sofia Mulanovich

Peruvian professional surfer who became the first South American to win the World Surfing Championship, capturing the WSL World Title in 200

1× World Champion · 9 CT wins

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47

GK

Brazilian·Tennis

Gustavo Kuerten

Gustavo Kuerten, known as 'Guga', is a Brazilian former professional tennis player who won the French Open three times and reached world No.

3 Grand Slams · 43 weeks at No.1

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48

AD

Brazilian·Surfing

Adriano de Souza

Brazilian professional surfer who won the 2015 WSL World Championship, becoming the first Brazilian to claim the men's world surfing title.

1× World Champion · 7 CT wins

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49

RG

Brazilian·MMA

Royce Gracie

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu icon whose tournament dominance in 1993-1994 launched the UFC and BJJ into mainstream combat sports.

15-2-3 · 3 title reigns

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50

AN

Brazilian·MMA

Amanda Nunes

Retired Brazilian two-division champion who ended her career in 2023 with a title-defense win, entering the UFC Hall of Fame in 2025.

23-5 · 3 title reigns

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