Famous 20th Century Brazilian Sportspersons

Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima is a Brazilian retired professional footballer who played as a striker. Widely considered one of the greatest players of all time, he played for Brazil in 98 matches, scoring 62 goals. He was named FIFA World Player of the Year three times. He retired in 2011 and has since established himself as a successful businessperson.

Rafael dos Anjos is a Brazilian-American mixed martial artist. A former UFC Lightweight Champion, dos Anjos is renowned for his aggressive approach, which often takes his opponents by surprise. Characterized by his strong takedown capabilities and physical strength, dos Anjos holds victories over popular martial artists like Robbie Lawler and Benson Henderson.

A major force behind Brazil’s World Cup win in 2002, Roberto Carlos was born into a poor peasant family and grew up working on his family farm. He soared to fame during his 11-season stint with Real Madrid, winning four La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions Leagues with them.

Ayrton Senna was a Brazilian racing driver. Widely considered one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time, Ayrton had won the prestigious F1 World Drivers' Championship thrice. Following his fatal accident in 1994, several safety improvements were introduced to the sports' set-up; higher crash safety standards, redesigned tracks, and improved crash barriers became part of the sport.

Rubens Barrichello is a Brazilian racing driver best known for competing in Formula One and scoring 11 Grand Prix wins between 1993 and 2011. From 2000 to 2005, he drove for Ferrari as Michael Schumacher's teammate and contributed to five constructors' titles for Ferrari.

While he initially excelled in tennis, Nelson Piquet later made a name for himself as one of Brazil’s top racers. A 3-time world champion, the Formula One star later also ventured into business. He owned a GPS-tracking company and also launched the racing team Piquet Sports.

Emerson Fittipaldi is a Brazilian retired racing driver best known for winning both the Indianapolis 500 and the Formula One World Championship twice each. In 1972, he won the World Drivers' Championship at the age of 25, becoming the youngest F1 world champion. In 2001, Emerson Fittipaldi was made an inductee of the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.

Zico is a Brazilian former football player renowned for his excellent technical skills. Counted among the best passers and finishers of all time, Zico was often called the White Pelé. Zico is also counted among the greatest players of all time and is widely regarded as one of the best free kick specialists in history.

Remembered as a pioneer of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Carlos Gracie was enrolled into wrestling classes to channelize his aggression in childhood. He also followed what is known as the Gracie diet. Thirteen of his 21 children have the Brazilian Jiu-jitsu black belt. He and his family developed the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

Juninho Pernambucano is a Brazilian former football player. Renowned for his curling free kicks, Juninho is considered the greatest free kick-taker in football history; he holds the record for converting the maximum number of goals (75) through free kicks. On the personal front, Juninho speaks out publicly against racism in Brazil and doesn’t shy away from criticizing President Jair Bolsonaro.

Brazilian-American MMA fighter Wanderlei Silva, or The Axe Murderer, is known for his stints with the UFC and the Japanese Pride Fighting Championships. He set a Pride record for the longest winning streak. He has also participated in Bellator MMA contests and heads the MMA training organization Wand Fight Team.

Rorion Gracie is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Grand Master. Born into the famous Gracie family, which is credited with inventing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, Rorion Gracie is credited with co-founding the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A multi-talented personality, Gracie is counted among the men responsible for introducing Brazilian Jiu-jitsu to the world. 

Brazilian MMA fighter Royce Gracie, part of the renowned Gracie family of mixed martial artists, won the UFC 1, UFC 2, and UFC 4 championships. He made the Brazilian jiu-jitsu, or the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, popular, and holds the 7th degree red/black coral belt in the art.

Brazilian racing driver Hélio Castroneves is a 4-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. Though accused of tax evasion once, he was eventually acquitted the charge. He has also been part of the show Dancing with the Stars and gained the nickname Spider-Man for his unique way of celebrating one of his track victories.