Famous Brazilian Sportspersons

Brazilian football legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele, was named the Football Player of the Century by the IFFHS. He called football “The Beautiful Game” and was one of the world’s highest-paid athlete for a while. His 1279 goals in 1363 games is a Guinness World Record.

Regarded as one of the best football players of all time, Ronaldinho played a crucial role in Brazil’s victory in 2002 FIFA World Cup. Later, he helped FC Barcelona win two La Liga and a UEFA Champions League title. The two time FIFA world Player of the Year, who retired in 2018, was known for his technical skills and creativity.

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.

Regarded as one of the best footballers of his generation, Kaká is a Brazilian retired football player. He is one of eight footballers to have won the Ballon d'Or, the UEFA Champions League, and the FIFA World Cup. Also known for his humanitarian work, Kaká has been working with the United Nations, as part of its World Food Programme initiative.

Brazilian MMA legend Anderson Silva began learning Taekwondo at 12. He holds the record of the longest reign by any UFC title-holder, being the middleweight champion from 2006 to 2013, and also has a record of 16 consecutive wins. He also has black belts in multiple martial art forms.

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.

Brazilian footballer, Phillipe Coutinho, is hailed as one of the most talented midfielders and playmakers in the world. He has been a key player for Premier League clubs like Inter Milan, Liverpool, FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich. He was a member of the Brazilian national team that won the 2019 Copa America.

Brazilian footballer Marcelo Vieira, who now captains the Spanish club Real Madrid, is known as one of the world’s best left-backs. The Rio-born football star has previously had a successful stint with the Brazilian club Fluminense. He also won Brazil a team bronze and a team silver at the Olympics.

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.

Thiago Silva is a Brazilian professional footballer. He plays as a center-back for Premier League club Chelsea and the Brazil national team. He is counted among the best central defenders of his generation. He began playing football as a teenager and had a brilliant youth career. He made his international debut in 2008 and has appeared in seven major tournaments. 

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.

Robinho is a Brazilian football player who was lucky and talented enough to be picked by Pelé as his heir apparent when the former was 15 years old. However, his career has been marked by inconsistency and Robinho is often accused of not living up to his potential. He has also been convicted of sexual assault by an Italian court.

David Luiz is a Brazilian professional footballer. He currently plays for the Brazilian sports club Flamengo. He is primarily a center-back, but he can also play as a defensive midfielder. Since making his full international debut for Brazil in 2010, he has earned over 50 caps for his country. He also co-owns an Italian restaurant.  

Givanildo Vieira de Sousa, better known as Hulk due to his strong built, is a Brazilian football player. He is currently one of the most important members of the Shanghai SIPG F.C., which competes in the Chinese Super League. Also a key player for Brazil, Hulk helped his national team win the silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

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.

Dani Alves is a Brazilian professional footballer. He currently plays as a right-back for La Liga club Barcelona and the Brazil national team. He is widely considered one of the greatest full-backs of all time. With 46 titles at the senior level and 47 official titles overall, he is the most decorated player in the history of football. 

Brazilian professional mixed martial artist Lyoto Machida is currently signed with Bellator MMA. He competes in the light heavyweight division. He was previously associated with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The son of Shotokan karate master Yoshizo Machida, Lyoto began his training when he was just three. He has an MMA record of 26 wins from 36 matches.

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.

Brazilian grappler and mixed martial artist Demian Maia is regarded as one of the greatest grapplers in MMA history. He currently fights for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) as a Welterweight. He began training in judo as a child and started practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a young man. Today, he is a fourth-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Felipe Massa is a Brazilian racing driver who participated in Formula One from 2002 to 2017, during which he gained 11 Grand Prix victories. In 2006, he became the first Brazilian after Ayrton Senna da Silva to win the Brazilian Grand Prix.

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.