The Changing Sports Betting Industry in Brazil
Despite being one of the most sports-mad countries on the planet, Brazilians have been prevented from placing bets since 1946. However, this looks set to change as officials have voted in favour of Bill 442/1991 which will allow sports betting and other forms of gambling. To celebrate, we look back at some of the best players of Brazil’s favourite sport, Football.
The Most Popular Sport for Online Sports Betting in Brazil
If someone asked you what the most popular sport for online sports betting in Brazil will be, the chances are you would say football, and you’d be right as the sport flows through the country’s veins. Every child dreams of being a top player and following in their heroes’ footsteps.
The country has produced some of the most talented players of yesteryear, and we set about choosing who we feel would make our Brazil all-time XI and who we would have been placing bets on, had sports betting in Brazil been available during the golden years.
If you picked a starting eleven of the legendary players who have represented Brazil at the National level, it’s hard to think of a better team or players, and we feel they would more than hold their own against modern-day players.
Here is our Brazil all-time line-up;
Brazil All-Time Line-Up – Goalkeeper
Goalkeeper: Gilmar (1951 – 69) – Gilmar won 94 caps for his national side, narrowly missing out on joining the very exclusive 100 club for Brazil, which only has eight members (Cafu, Thiago Silva, Roberto Carlos, Dani Alves, Lúcio, Cláudio Taffarel, Neymar and Robinho). Part of Brazil’s golden generation, Gilmar played in three World Cups from 1958 – to 1966 and won two of them (England won in 1966). At club level, his notable clubs include Corinthians, Santos. At Santos, he won everything that was to be won at the domestic level. Gilmar still stands as the only goalkeeper to win back-to-back World Cups (1958, 1962).
Brazil All-Time Line-Up – Defenders
Right-back: Cafu (1989 – 2008) – Marcos Evangelista de Morais is better known as Cafu to footballing fans who regard him as one of the greatest in his position of all time. Along with being an excellent defender, Cafu could instantly turn defence into attack with his runs on the flanks, and many consider him the complete player. Cafu played in three World Cups between 1994 – 2002 and won two of them, including the 2002 tournament as captain. For his national team, Cafu made a remarkable 142 appearances. His notable domestic clubs he played for include Sao Paolo, AS Roma and AC Milan. Rather uniquely at As Roma and AC Milan, he was regarded as a legend and is in both clubs’ Hall of Fame.
Centre-back: Carlos Alberto Torres (1963 – 82) – Carlos Torres could be classed as a modern footballer ahead of his time and as a player who liked to work the ball out of defence. We believe he’d slot right into current teams such as Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Technically excellent, he enabled the Brazil teams he was in to be the attacking force they were. He won 52 caps for Brazil and was the leader of the team, captaining them for the 1970 World Cup. In the final of that competition, he scored the fourth goal for Brazil with a beautiful strike. He was also a prolific scorer of penalties which further cemented his place as an all-rounder. He won honours with Fluminense, Santos, and America’s New York Cosmos at the domestic level.
Centre-back: Domingos da Guia (1929-48) – Because Domingos da Guia played his football during a rare barren spell for Brazil, he is not a well-known player, but at the time, his influence was just as significant as the superstars that would follow. Capped 30 times for Brazil; his performances at the 1938 World Cup placed him in the national hero bracket. His dominant display helped Brazil reach the semi-final. At club level, he moved teams regularly, but the fans took to him wherever he went, and the central defender won major honours in three different nations.
Left-back: Roberto Carlos (1991-2015) – While not many people remember Domingos da Guia, the same cannot be said for the remarkable Roberto Carlos, who many believe is the greatest defender of all time. Not only was Carlos an excellent defender, but his striking of the ball was also better than many strikers and few who witnessed it will ever forget his banana free-kick against France, which seemingly defied the laws of physics. Although Carlos won 125 caps for Brazil and won one World Cup, 2 Copa Americas, and a FIFA Confederations Cup, he will perhaps be best remembered for his success at Real Madrid. During his time with Merengues, he won 13 major honours during the Galacticos era of Florentino Perez. In March 2022, the 48-year-old put on his boots again, playing in England for a pub team, Bull in the Barne United, after they won a raffle on eBay for his services. The Brazilian featured in the team to raise money for the charity Football Beyond Borders.
Brazil All-Time Line-Up – Midfielders
Central midfielder: Dunga (1980-2000) – Watching Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri play, it was hard to believe that Dunga was Brazilian as he lacked the flair of his compatriots. Instead, he was a hard-working tactician who loved nothing better than getting in a tackle or two. Boasting a fine set of lungs, Dunga excelled in the box-to-box midfield role, but he was also a formidable opponent as a defensive midfielder. He has one World Cup to his name as a player and coached his national side for two separate spells. Dunga’s legacy is that he is one of only two players to have played in a World Cup final, a Confederations Cup final, a continental championship final and an Olympic final (Xavi being the other). He won 91 caps while playing for Brazil.
Central midfielder: Zico (1971-1994) – Arthur Antunes Coimbra, known worldwide as Zico, was an amazingly skilful player who was so good he earned himself the nickname the “white Pele”. If you were sports betting in Brazil while he was playing, then chances are you would have backed him to score as he recorded a remarkable 101 goals from free-kicks during his career. Sadly for Zico he played for his national team during a barren spell, and many regard him as the best Brazilian player never to win a World Cup. His notable clubs include Flamengo and Udinese. In his two spells at Flamengo (1971–1983 & 1985–1989), he scored an incredible 508 goals, a club record that stands today.
Brazil All-Time Line-Up – Forwards
Right forward: Garrincha (1951-1972) – Manuel Francisco dos Santos, also known as Garrincha, is another player that is often overlooked, but many who have seen him play regard him even better than Pele! Nicknamed ‘The Little Bird’, Garrincha lit up the right-wing during Brazil’s successful campaigns in 1958 and 1962. In the 1962 tournament, Garrincha replaced the irreplaceable when Pele was injured and came away from the competition with the Golden Boot and Golden Ball, the first player to win both. Sadly, Garrincha’s personal life had echoes of George Best and Paul Gascoigne, and he died in 1983 from alcoholism.
Central attacking midfielder: Pele (1956-1977) – Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele and arguably the best player of all time, but certainly the best player of his generation. Few in the world could do what he did on the pitch, able to change the game instantly. If online betting in Brazil had been possible in his generation, there would have been many happy punters as he is credited with over 1000 goals with his clubs, including Santos and the New York Cosmos. Many football fans remember his performances at the World Cup; he won the competition three times (1958, 1962, and 1970) as a player. His move to America in 1975, aged 34, made him the highest-paid athlete globally; his three-year contract was worth $2.8 million. During his stint stateside, he scored 37 goals and registered 30 assists, and led his team to the 1977 Soccer Bowl title.
Left forward: Ronaldinho (1998-2015) – Few players had the charisma of Ronaldo de Assis Moreira or simply Ronaldinho. Always with a smile on his face, Ronaldinho was a nightmare for defenders as you simply never knew what he was going to do next. Ronaldinho was one of the new generation who embraced the game’s commercialisation. His advert for Nike, in which he repeatedly hits the crossbar, can claim to be one of the first videos to ‘break the internet’ when released on YouTube. Ronaldinho burst onto the scene at 19, winning the Coppa America before going on to win the World Cup in 2002. His personal accolades included two FIFA World Player of the Year awards and one Ballon d’Or during his career. Such was his brilliance that even Spanish opposition fans gave him a standing ovation with his performance for Barcelona against Real Madrid in 2005. He won one World Cup with Brazil and made 97 appearances for his country.
Striker: Ronaldo (1993-2011) – Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima was nicknamed “The Phenomenon”, and for a good reason, as Ronaldo was one of the most gifted players ever. He was one of the first forwards that broke the ‘poacher’ mould of playing football and could create as well as he could finish. He won 98 caps for Brazil, picking up two World Cups scoring 62 goals, putting him third on Brazil’s all-time scoring list. At club level, clubs broke the world record transfer fee twice for his services, and he scored 247 goals in 343 games for clubs he played for, including Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
Sports Betting in Brazil: The World Cup in Qatar
While online sports betting in Brazil wasn’t available when these greats played football, the current Brazil squad is full of talent with household names. Alisson, Marquinhos, Fabinho, Fred, Vinicius Junior and the world’s most expensive player Neymar are in the reckoning to make the team for Qatar this year.
Bookmakers have instilled them as 11/2 favourites to lift the trophy, ahead of France (7/1), Spain (7/1), England (7/1) and Germany (9/1).
