Neymar, Roberto Carlos, Thiago Silva: Who are Brazil's top UEFA Champions League performers?
Saturday, December 20, 2025
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Which Brazilian players have the most appearances and goals in Europe's leading club competition?
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While Brazil has long been a footballing powerhouse, it was not until relatively recently that the nation's top players gravitated towards Europe. Until the 1982 finals in Spain, no Brazilian FIFA World Cup squad had featured any European-based players. However, while the likes of Pelé and Garrincha never represented European clubs, modern greats such as Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Neymar and Vinícius Júnior have lit up the UEFA Champions League.
Last updated: 20/12/2025
Most appearances by Brazilian players in the UEFA Champions League (group stage/league phase to final)
120: Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid, Fenerbahçe)
111: Dani Alves (Sevilla, Barcelona, Juventus, Paris)
111: Marquinhos (Paris)
105: Thiago Silva (AC Milan, Paris, Chelsea)
103: Fernandinho (Shakhtar, Manchester City)
102: Marcelo (Real Madrid)
94: Maxwell (Ajax, Inter, Barcelona, Paris)
86: Ederson (Benfica, Manchester City)
86: Kaká (AC Milan, Real Madrid)
83: Casemiro (Real Madrid, Porto, Manchester United)
83: Lúcio (Leverkusen, Bayern München, Inter, Juventus)
Top-scoring Brazilian players in the UEFA Champions League (group stage/league phase to final)
43: Neymar (Barcelona, Paris)
30: Kaká (Real Madrid, AC Milan)
29: Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid)
27: Rivaldo (Barcelona, AC Milan, Olympiacos)
26: Rodrygo (Real Madrid)
25: Giovane Elber (Bayern München, Lyon)
25: Jardel (Porto, Galatasaray)
24: Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City, Arsenal)
22: Roberto Firmino (Liverpool)
21: Luiz Adriano (Shakhtar, Spartak Moskva)
Most appearances by Brazilian players in UEFA club competition*
155: Dani Alves (Sevilla, Barcelona, Juventus, Paris)
147: Fernandinho (Shakhtar, Manchester City)
144: Roberto Carlos (Inter, Real Madrid, Fenerbahçe)
142: Taison (Metalist, Shakhtar, PAOK)
127: Luisão (Benfica)
126: Willian (Shakhtar, Anji, Chelsea, Arsenal, Olympiacos)
119: Fernando (Porto, Manchester City, Galatasaray, Sevilla)
114: Casemiro (Real Madrid, Porto, Manchester United)
112: Marquinhos (Paris)
111: Fred (Shakhtar, Manchester United, Fenerbahçe)
Top-scoring Brazilian players in UEFA club competition*
43: Neymar (Barcelona, Paris)
43: Vágner Love (CSKA Moskva, Beşiktaş, Kairat Almaty)
40: Sonny Anderson (Servette, Monaco, Barcelona, Lyon, Villarreal)
39: Rivaldo (Barcelona, AC Milan, Olympiacos, AEK Athens)
37: Ronaldo (PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Inter, Real Madrid, AC Milan)
36: Luiz Adriano (Shakhtar, Spartak Moskva)
36: Jardel (Porto, Galatasaray, Sporting CP)
32: Hulk (Porto, Zenit)
32: Giovane Elber (Grasshoppers, Bayern München, Lyon)
31: Kaká (AC Milan, Real Madrid)
31: Marcos Tavares (APOEL, Maribor)
Notable firsts
First Brazilian to play in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League final
Julinho (Real Madrid 2-0 Fiorentina, 1957)
First Brazilian to win the European Cup/UEFA Champions League
Canário (Real Madrid 7-3 Eintracht Frankfurt, 1960)
First Brazilian to appear in/win a European Cup Winners' Cup final
Dino da Costa (Rangers 1-4 agg Fiorentina, 1961)
First Brazilian to appear in/win a UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League final
Tita (Espanyol 3-3 agg Leverkusen, Leverkusen won 3-2 on pens, 1988)
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*UEFA club competitions means European Champion Clubs' Cup/UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, European/South American Cup, Finalissima, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, UEFA Super Cup and UEFA Intertoto Cup