TF365's Top 30 South American Players

[Berserker]

21 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Almost everyone on here can disagree with people without feeling like they've been personally attacked. And a lot of us who've been talking on here (and the old forum) for what... almost like half my fucking life it feels like, we do personally insult each for banter or our own inside jokes (for example, if @DeadLinesman to get fucked & he tells me to die in a house fire - it's actually friendly as fuck), or if I say something stupid and someone brings it up because it's funny... I can have a laugh at myself saying something stupid - that goes for the real world as well as on the internet.

Obviously not everyone always gets on, and that's life - but I don't think anything anyone says on here (for the most part) means anything as any sort of personal attack. And at the end of the day, most of us on here want a place where we can just chat with each other, sometimes serious shite sometimes just to have a laugh.

There's no vendetta/agenda against you on here, certainly not on the two members of staff you accused of having an agenda against you in that other thread.

In that left back thread, you made a few fairly extreme statements about a left back who'd had a career most football players would dream about having. And in the last World Cup you insisted one of the finalists was pretty shite. There's nothing wrong with having controversial or unpopular opinions about football. But if you're going to say stuff like that and go against the grain, you've got to expect people to wholeheartedly disagree with your opinion. And like you said in that left back thread - it's just debate, it doesn't harm anyone.

Here people have wanted to not send PMs in - and there could be quite a few reasons why someone doesn't want to send a PM. Some people have no issue with it. I don't see what the harm is in not having people's choices be put out in the open, tbh. If anything it'd probably spark more debate about why we selected these players. And then we'd have people talking about football on a football forum. Which I think we'd all prefer to having random internet drama on our football forum, quite frankly.

So let's put all of that bullshit behind us and play nicely everyone. Sound good?

And in the interest of not talking about this anymore and just talking about football, I'll tell everyone else who my picks were and why I picked them:

1. Bobby Firmino - he's probably my favourite player at Liverpool right now. He's got an incredible work ethic, he's got incredible technique, he's a striker that's not selfish and because of that he gets the best out of Mane and Salah, and he's probably the biggest reason our attack is as good as it is currently. Bobby is boss.
2. Lucas Leiva - I love @Lucas. He got a lot of shit when he first joined us as a kid, but steadily grew into a player that was so, so important for us. And he spent a decade at the club - he loves the club, he loves the fans, and we love him back. He probably should have been my #1, but I guess with Firmino being as good as he is he's a bit... unluckeeeeeeeey (those who get this, will get this and those who don't... won't)
3. Alisson - HOLY SHIT WHAT A KEEPER. Before him, I think Pepe Reina was the best keeper we'd had in my lifetime. But Alisson's incredible. He's good at everything you'd want a keeper to be good at and while our defense improved so much with Virgil's introduction into the team... Alisson introduced into the side has made the defense just a bit more tough to get through - both because of his organisation & also because of his excellent goalkeeping. Great keeper, he's so fucking good.

People who were close to being on the list, but ultimately didn't make the cut:

• Fabinho - love this long legged beast of a man, but tbh I couldn't justify not including him over my other 3 as favourite South Americans
• Maxi Rodriguez - we were linked with him for years before we finally got him, but when we got him his best years were passed him. Even so, I remember him as a player that always put a shift in - even if he was playing like dogshite. And I do remember he hit a shockingly good run of form once at a crucial time for us. But even before we had him, he was always a player I admired and thought was pretty underrated.
• Leo Messi - best player ever
• Ronaldinho - the most fun player to watch that I've ever seen
• Pablo Aimar - does anyone remember how good this little man used to be? Fuck me he was good.
• Riquelme - does anyone remember how good this little man used to be? Fuck me he was good.
• Hernan Crespo - I always liked Crespo a lot, mostly from his time in Serie A.

@SirBalon is that you?

[Carnivore Chris]

5 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Lucas left us. If you’re not a cunt who forces moves by refusing to turn up or faking injury then you’re a cunt and not worthy of being loved by fans.

Obviously that doesn’t work with modern day Barca as being a cunt is a pre-req for joining 

Wow, I've never known you to bite so easily mate

 

But as fans, we are all like that. Some of the players I loved in the past ended up being ones I despised in the end. I mean, I genuinely can't understand now, looking back, how I used to love David Bentley as the fella is an utter twat.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Just now, Carnivore Chris said:

Wow, I've never known you to bite so easily mate

 

But as fans, we are all like that. Some of the players I loved in the past ended up being ones I despised in the end. I mean, I genuinely can't understand now, looking back, how I used to love David Bentley as the fella is an utter twat.

Yeah I fully aware of how I'm a hypocrite - I'm pretty sure a shitload of our former Southampton players did exactly what Mascherano, Suarez, and Coutinho did to us - but I can't really help it, as you say... it's just how we're wired as fans, I think.

I think the best example from a Liverpool perspective is Michael Owen. He could have been a real Liverpool legend, he was our golden boy. He could have been loved eternally the way Fowler is, even after his messy departure from the club. But then he joined Manchester United and talked a load of shite about us. Now he's pretty universally hated.

He's also mean to children and is a complete twat.

[Mpache]

Shit, we need one more.

I think I'll just include Rabs vote as the 30th player even though he just voted for one.

How does that sound? We can get started as soon as the football is over.

EDIT: We have 30 now. I'll count them up.

[Mpache]

Just a heads up, there is going to be a lot of joint spots in this due to the low votes we got. That's fine though, just to make it fair in every way.

[Mpache]

Before we start, here is an Honourable Mention

31. Alfredo Morelos - Rangers - Colombia - 0 points

Currently playing his football at Rangers football club. Has become a fan favourite and joined from HJK of Finland in 2017.  In 82 appearances, he scored 44 goals . Currently linked to plenty of clubs but gaffer Steven Gerrard has publicly stated he's not interested in selling him.

He began his roots at Independiente Medellin, known as the second big Medellin side after Atletico Nacional. Though he only played 12 games with the senior team before moving to Finland for HJK in 2016. Not only that but he only scored 1 goal. More proof as to how moving abroad has become easier and easier as time goes on.

For the national team, he's only played 7 games but is starting to get geled into the side more and more after Falcao's departure or lack of form better said. He fights the spot with Duvan Zapata.

 

 

[Lucas]

I'll be severely disappointed in this forum if I am the only one to give Batigol the nod.

God, I love that bloke. Serie A Sundays on Channel 4 were my childhood.

[Dr. Gonzo]

3 minutes ago, Lucas said:

I'll be severely disappointed in this forum if I am the only one to give Batigol the nod.

God, I love that bloke. Serie A Sundays on Channel 4 were my childhood.

Ah fuck I completely forgot about him. He wouldn't have made my incredibly biased list though, as he didn't play for Liverpool. But what a fucking player.

[Lucas]

24 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Ah fuck I completely forgot about him. He wouldn't have made my incredibly biased list though, as he didn't play for Liverpool. But what a fucking player.

I admire your honesty, and thank you for doing the decent thing by excluding Suarez.

[Stan]

7 hours ago, Lucas said:

I'll be severely disappointed in this forum if I am the only one to give Batigol the nod.

God, I love that bloke. Serie A Sundays on Channel 4 were my childhood.

They were my childhood too and I loved watching him but I also loved watching the phenomenon on it too

Those days of Serie A though. Legendary. 

[Mpache]

Joint 30.  Ezequiel Lavezzi - Argentina - 1 Point

Very recently retired after finishing his career in China in 2019. Ezequiel Lavezzi was a left winger with a huge scoring instinct  He had scored about 137 goals in his career total in a career that included Estudiantes DLP, San Lorenzo, Napoli, PSG and Heibei China Fortune. He also got capped 51 times.

He started his professional career at Estudiantes, but is more recognized in his own home for being from San Lorenzo. There he scored 25 goals from 2004-2007. He actually managed to finish as champion of Argentina in the 2007 clausura, the same year he left for Napoli. In that team, he played along with ex Leicester City Leonardo Ulloa, and long serving former Boca Juniors keeper in Agustin Orion as a few notable names.

Honours

Former Notable Teammates

Leonardo Ulloa (San Lorenzo)

Edinson Cavani (Napoli and PSG)

Thiago Silva (PSG)

Agustin Orion (San Lorenzo)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG)

[Spike]

8 hours ago, Lucas said:

I'll be severely disappointed in this forum if I am the only one to give Batigol the nod.

God, I love that bloke. Serie A Sundays on Channel 4 were my childhood.

I'm too young. Really, his career was over by the time I was 8.

[Carnivore Chris]

12 hours ago, Lucas said:

I'll be severely disappointed in this forum if I am the only one to give Batigol the nod.

God, I love that bloke. Serie A Sundays on Channel 4 were my childhood.

Batistuta would easily get a mention from me, just not over the likes of Messi, Romario, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho. If I was to write a full list though, then he'd easily be in my top 10 favourite South Americans.

Hard player to dislike to be honest.

[Mpache]

Joint 30. Alisson Becker - Brazil - 1 Point

Currently playing at Liverpool and sometimes regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world. Certainly Brazil's best since Julio Cesar. Very important asset to Liverpool. A keeper who likes to play it short to his defence instead of taking long goal kicks and has a very good passing ability for a keeper. Also a great shot stopper.

Not really loved by the Brazilian crowd but adored by the English and Italians.The "Gaucho" goalkeeper started for Internacional Porto Alegre and played for them from 2013 to 2016 making 43 appearances before being bought out by Roma in Italy.

Honours

Notable Former/Current Teammates

Sadio Mane (Liverpool)

Roberto Firmino (Liverpool)

Luis Seijas (Internacional)

Mohamed Salah (Roma and Liverpool)

Radja Naingolan (Roma)

 

[Stan]

Why is he not loved by Brazilians? 

[Mpache]

7 minutes ago, Stan said:

Why is he not loved by Brazilians? 

@El Profesor can enlighten you. Basically he had a rough start with the national team and it lead to many Brazilians not rating him. I don't know how the situation is as of now, but the last I know Brazilians didn't like him.

Peruvians don't like him either. They would call him Alisson "La mentira" Becker. So it could be a South American thing. He has improved for Brazil though, so maybe things have changed in both countries while I've been back in Canada.

[Dr. Gonzo]

@Carnivore Chris - I think Masch might have googled himself and seen what I’d said about him and he’s trying to guilt trip me now: https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/video/mascherano-futbol-argentina-estudiantes-barcelona-liverpool-perspectivas-buenos-aires-cnnee/amp/

[Mpache]

Joint 30. Roberto Carlos - Brazil - 1 point

Sometimes regarded as debatably the best left back in history, Roberto Carlos was your classic Brazilian left back. Great at attacking and going forward with overlapping runs but not very good defensively. Similar to Marcelo and also played for Real Madrid.

Born in Graca in the Sao Paulo state, he started from the grass roots of Brazilian football for Uniao Sao Joao. Had a short loan spell with Atletico Mineiro but his first big stint in professional football was with giants Palmeiras. Meanwhile his first club in Europe was Inter Milan.

Honours

Notable Former Teammates

Ronaldo Nazario (Real Madrid)

Raul (Real Madrid)

Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan)

Ronaldinho (Brazil)

[Mpache]

Joint 30. Paolo Guerrero - Peru - 1 Point

Still currently playing though in the latter stages of his career having turned 35 this year in 2020. Paolo Guerrero is Peru's all time top scorer with 38 goals. He smashed Teofilo Cubillas' record of 26. Though he was one of the players to unfortunately have been banned for some time due to being positive in drug tests. Whether it was intentional is up for debate, but he was the next Peruvian NT footballer to fall into that since Chemo del Solar.

Paolo Guerrero never played professionally in Peru and went straight to Germany, though he played his youth days at Alianza Lima alongside Jefferson Farfan. The 2 are best friends even still today.

Fun fact: he actually had a movie. A pretty bad one and was an ego trip, but it highlights his childhood and time at Alianza Lima.

Honours

Notable Former Teammates

Jefferson Farfan (Alianza Lima and Peru)

Alexandre Pato (Corinthians)

Diego Ribas (Flamengo)

Roque Santa Cruz (Bayern Munich)

[Dr. Gonzo]

Oh Alexander Pato, thats a name that takes me back. I remember when he was the hottest prospect around - crazy how his career didn’t pan out like anyone would have expected

[Mpache]

3 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Oh Alexander Pato, thats a name that takes me back. I remember when he was the hottest prospect around - crazy how his career didn’t pan out like anyone would have expected

If I recall correctly, injuries hurt his career a lot. I could be forgetting something though.

Brazilian's often have careers that go either way. Being a 5 time world champion helps getting their players to Europe. I also think gauchos are more common in getting an EU passport thanks to the influx of Germans and Italians, though I could be wrong on that.

[Dr. Gonzo]

17 minutes ago, Vader said:

If I recall correctly, injuries hurt his career a lot. I could be forgetting something though.

Brazilian's often have careers that go either way. Being a 5 time world champion helps getting their players to Europe. I also think gauchos are more common in getting an EU passport thanks to the influx of Germans and Italians, though I could be wrong on that.

Yeah injuries fucked his career up. He was meant to be an AC Milan talisman for a decade and early on it looked like that was going to be the case.

I think that Brazil & Argentina do get into Europe more in part from the Italian/German connection with Brazil and the Italian connection with Argentina. But I think another big part of it is Argentina and Brazil do have the big domestic leagues with the bigger clubs. So I think traditionally it’s been viewed as doing well in those leagues does translate to playing well in Europe.

[Carnivore Chris]

23 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

@Carnivore Chris - I think Masch might have googled himself and seen what I’d said about him and he’s trying to guilt trip me now: https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/video/mascherano-futbol-argentina-estudiantes-barcelona-liverpool-perspectivas-buenos-aires-cnnee/amp/

Luis Suarez was saying how much he loves your fans in an interview not so long ago aswell. 

[El Profesor]

22 hours ago, Stan said:

Why is he not loved by Brazilians? 

Firstly, due to club rivalries. Alisson has a strong link to Inter and that means Grêmio fans will criticize him at every opportunity. 

Also due to the regional rivalries. Alisson is a gaúcho and fans from São Paulo and Rio tend to claim the players developed at their clubs are better.

There is as well the World Cup. Many brazilians thought he should have saved De Bruyne's shot. To this day, many Corinthians fans claim Cássio would have made that save. 

But after winning the Champions League and Copa América most brazilians now like him.

[Mpache]

Joint 30. Alfredo Di Stefano - 1 Point

Considered a revolutionary player in his time and one of the best players ever. Alfredo Di Stefano was an Argentine forward but sometimes even called a "total football" player. Being able to play in a number of different positions. Despite being recognized as Argentine, he is often remembered internationally for his stint with Spain. Though in these times, footballers were allowed to change national teams. He played for Argentina, Colombia and Spain.

He began his career at River Plate but in 1949 moved to Millonarios in Colombia. This was an era in Colombia known as "El Dorado" where clubs would do whatever they want in a rules-less era. Many players from across the continent would join Colombian clubs in the early 1950's and Alfredo Di Stefano was one of those players. He scored 90 goals for Millonarios in 101 appearances and is now regarded as a club legend.

However, he is most seen as a legend at Real Madrid, where he made his name for future generations. Scored 216 goals in 282 appearances and won several of the earliest Champions League editions.

Honours

Notable Former Teammates

Ferenc Puskas (Real Madrid)

Angel Labruna (River Plate)

Julio Aragon (Millonarios)