Brazilian women’s soccer has always been synonymous with talent and creativity, especially in midfield. Brazilian midfielders stand out for their technical ability, vision and ability to score important goals. In this article, we’ll explore the careers, titles, curiosities and life stories of the 10 best Brazilian midfielders of all time. Get to know these players who have left an indelible mark on world soccer.
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Best Brazilian socks of all time
1. Adriana Leal da Silva
Titles
- Paulista Championship: 2016 and 2017 (Rio Preto)
- Brazilian Championship: 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022 (Corinthians)
- Copa Libertadores: 2019, 2021 (Corinthians)
- Campeonato Paulista: 2019, 2020, 2021 (Corinthians)
- Brazilian Super Cup: 2022 (Corinthians)
- Yongchuan International Tournament: 2017 (Brazilian national team)
- Copa América: 2022 (Brazilian National Team)
Known as “Maga” for her magical ability on the pitch, Adriana is a Brazilian striker who plays for Orlando Pride, after a record deal in the country, when the athlete was sold for US$100,000 to Orlando Pride.
2. Luana Bertolucci Paixão
Titles
- Copa América: 2022 (Brazilian national team)
- Paulista Cup: 2022 (Corinthians)
- Campeonato Paulista: 2023 (Corinthians)
- Brazilian Super Cup: 2023 (Corinthians)
- Brazilian Championship: 2023 (Corinthians)
- Copa Libertadores: 2023 (Corinthians)
She began her career in futsal before switching to field soccer, becoming one of the best Brazilian midfielders of all time.
The athlete is versatile, which allows her to play as a midfielder, offering coaches more possibilities.
She is known for her ability to distribute the ball and read the game, which has attracted the attention of clubs she has played for, such as Avaldsnes Idrettslag in Norway, where she played for four years.
As well as South Korean side Hwacheon KSPO WFC, and national clubs including São Bernardo, São Caetano and Associação Desportiva Centro Olímpico Adeco.
Since 2022, he has been with Corinthians, where he has won numerous titles.
3. Angelina Costantino
At just 24, Angelina is already much more than just a promising player in Brazilian women’s soccer.
Known for her vision and precise passing, she is one of the best Brazilian midfielders of all time.
Proof of this is her role in one of the biggest and best women’s soccer clubs in the world, Orlando Pride, which plays in one of the toughest leagues in the sport, theNational Women’s Soccer League.
4. Debinha
Titles
- National Women’s Soccer League: 2018 and 2019 (North Carolina Courage)
- NWSL Shield: 2017, 2018 and 2019 (North Carolina Courage)
- NWSL Challenge Cup: 2020 (North Carolina Courage)
- Copa América: 2018 and 2022 (Brazilian National Team)
Known for her speed and incisive dribbling, Debinha is also on the list of Brazil’s best strikers and has been named in the NWSL squad for several seasons.
Another Brazilian star who plays international soccer, the midfielder plays for Kansas City Current, a team in the United States.
She has also played for teams such as Avaldsnes IL, São José, Dalian Quanjian (China) and North Carolina Courage (USA).
5. Bia Zaneratto
Titles
- Copa Libertadores: 2010 (Santos) and 2022 (Palmeiras)
- Paulista Championship: 2010 (Santos)
- Pernambuco Championship: 2011 and 2012 (Vitória das Tabocas)
- WK League: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 (Incheon Hyundai)
- Chinese Women’s Super League: 2020 and 2021 (Wuhan Xinjiyuan)
- Campeonato Paulista: 2022 (Palmeiras)
- Copa América: 2018 and 2022 (Brazilian national team)
Striker and midfielder Bia has been nicknamed the “Empress” for her dominant presence on the pitch. One example of this is that she is the top scorer in the history of the Palmeiras women’s team.
At the beginning of 2024, after a fine performance in the women’s Brasileiro for Palmeiras, she left for Kansas City Current in the United States, where she plays today.
One of the best Brazilian midfielders of all time, Beatriz was part of the Brazilian Women’s National Team squad at the 2016 Olympics and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. She also won the Women’s Copa América in 2018 and 2022.
6. Ary Borges
Titles
- Pernambuco Championship: 2017, 2018 (Sport)
- Brazilian Championship – Série A2: 2019 (São Paulo)
- Paulista Cup: 2021 (Palmeiras)
- Copa Libertadores: 2022 (Palmeiras)
- Campeonato Paulista: 2022 (Palmeiras)
- International Women’s Football Tournament: 2021 Brazilian National Team
- Copa América: 2022 Brazilian National Team
Among the best Brazilian midfielders of all time, Ary is known for her ability to finish and create plays.
She began her career at São Paulo before moving to Palmeiras, but currently plays for Racing Louisville.
In her first Women’s World Cup, Ary Borges scored 3 goals and repeated the feat of Sissi, Pretinha and Cristiane with 3 goals in 3 World Cup matches.
7. Andressa Alves
Titles
- Brazil Cup: 2011 (Foz Cataratas)
- Brazil Cup: 2013 (São José)
- Copa Libertadores: 2013 and 2014 (São José)
- Copa de La Reina: 2017 and 2018 (Barcelona)
- Catalan Cup: 2016, 2017 and 2018 (Barcelona)
- Italian Cup: 2020-2021 (Roma)
- Italian Super Cup 2022 (Roma)
- Italian Championship 2022-2023 (Roma)
- Pan American Games Gold Medal: 2015 (Brazilian National Team)
- Women’s Copa América: 2014, 2018 (Brazilian national team)
Andressa was the first Brazilian to play for Barcelona, for whom she won the Queen’s Cup twice in 2017 and 2018, as well as playing in theChampions League final won by Lyon.
She is known for her versatility, being able to play in various attacking positions, including left-back.
One of the best Brazilian midfielders of all time in European soccer, Andressa also played for Montpellier in France and Roma in Italy, winning titles and consolidating her career, leading her to wear the Houston Dash jersey in the United States.
8. Ana Vitória (Aninha)
Titles
- Copa Libertadores: 2017 (Corinthians)
- Brazilian Championship: 2018 (Corinthians)
- BPI League: 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23 (Benfica)
- Portuguese Cup: 2018/19 (Benfica)
- Super Cups: 2019, 2022 (Benfica)
- League Cups: 2019/20, 2020/21, 2022/23 (Benfica)
- II Division Championship: 2018/19 (Benfica)
At just 24, Aninha is already on the list of the best Brazilian midfielders of all time, as a player for Spanish giants Atlético de Madrid.
The athlete is known for her dribbling and finishing ability and, even at her young age, has accumulated a great deal of experience, with successful spells at clubs such as Corinthians, Benfica (Portugal) and PSG (France).
Read also: 10 best Brazilian defenders of all time, their titles and records!
9. Duda Sampaio
Titles
- Copa Libertadores: 2023 (Corinthians)
- Brazilian Championship: 2023 (Corinthians)
- Paulista Championship: 2023 (Corinthians)
- Brazilian Super Cup: 2024 (Corinthians)
- Silver Ball – Best midfielder: 2023
Known for her vision and precision passing, in 2023 Duda was voted the best midfielder in the Brazilian Championship, and was decisive in Corinthians’ victory.
The athlete, who began her career with América Mineiro, played for Cruzeiro and Internacional, and is now with the reigning Brazilian champions, Corinthians, as one of their most valuable players.
10. Kerolin
Titles
Known for her speed and finishing ability, Kerolin is one of the TOP Brazilian midfielders of all time.
She plays for the North Carolina Courage in the US National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and is a regular in the Brazilian national team.
Before moving to the United States, she also played in Spain for Madrid CFF.
In 2023, she was voted MVP of the NWSL, establishing herself as the best player in the North American league.
These Brazilian midfielders not only shone for their clubs and the national team, but also inspired and continue to inspire future generations of players. With their technical skills, vision and ability to score decisive goals, they have left an indelible mark on women’s soccer.
List of the 10 best Brazilian midfielders of all time
- Adriana Leal da Silva
- Luana Bertolucci Paixão
- Angelina Costantino
- Debinha
- Bia Zaneratto
- Ary Borges
- Andressa Alves
- Ana Vitória (Aninha)
- Duda Sampaio
- Kerolin
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