Best Women Soccer Players From Brazil: Brazil’s women’s soccer team has a strong history, winning Copa América Femenina twice and the International Women’s Football Tournament nine times. They first played internationally in 1986, becoming the first South American team in FIFA-recognized matches. They’re dominant in South America and have done well globally, getting second place in the 2007 Women’s World Cup and two Olympic silver medals in 2004 and 2008.
In their early World Cup appearances in 1991 and 1995, they were eliminated in the first round. They got third place in 1999 and reached the quarterfinals in 2003. They made it to the semis in the Olympics four times and beat Germany in the 2008 semis. However, they were eliminated by Japan in the 2012 quarterfinals.
In South American Women’s Championships, they won the first four tournaments and have been strong contenders, winning multiple times. Despite their success, there has been a recent dip in performance, especially among junior teams. Their FIFA world rankings have varied over the years, with their lowest being 10th place in August 2016.
In 2023, Brazil, representing South America, lost to European champions England in the Finalissima, a tournament, on penalties with a score of 4-2.
Best Women Soccer Players From Brazil
In this article, we will highlight some of Brazil’s best women’s soccer players, focusing on top scorers from the national team.
1. Marta
- Career Span: 2003–
- Matches: 177
- Goals: 115
- Average: 0.65
Marta is a famous soccer player from Brazil, known for her incredible skills and goal-scoring abilities. She gained international recognition at the age of 16 during the U-19 World Cup in Canada, where she scored six goals. In 2003, she helped Brazil win the South American Championships and scored three goals in the World Cup. Her big breakthrough came in the 2004 Athens Olympics, where Brazil won a silver medal. Marta was a key player and also performed well in other tournaments, like the 2007 Pan American Games, where she won gold and became popular in Brazil.
In the 2007 World Cup in China, Marta became even more famous. She scored seven goals and helped Brazil reach the final, although they lost. She continued to excel in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, winning another silver medal.
In 2011, Marta scored goals in the World Cup but Brazil lost in the quarterfinals. In the 2015 World Cup, she became the top scorer with 15 goals, but Brazil was eliminated in the round of 16. The 2016 Olympics in Brazil didn’t go as planned, and Marta’s team finished fourth. In the 2019 World Cup, she scored her 17th goal, but Brazil lost in the round of 16 to France.
Despite her individual success, Marta’s teams faced challenges in winning major tournaments.
2. Cristiane
- Career Span: 2003–
- Matches: 151
- Goals: 96
- Average: 0.64
Cristiane is a talented soccer player from Brazil. She played her first international match in 2003 and quickly became a key player for Brazil’s women’s team. In the 2003 World Cup qualifiers, she helped Brazil secure a spot in the tournament. Her breakthrough came in the 2004 Athens Olympics, where Brazil won a silver medal. Cristiane was the tournament’s top scorer with five goals. She then played in Germany for a while but returned to Brazil in 2007.
Cristiane continued to shine in international tournaments. In the 2007 Pan American Games, she scored the winning goal, and in the 2007 World Cup, she was Brazil’s second-highest scorer, helping the team reach the final.
After playing in Sweden, she joined the Chicago Red Stars in the USA. She represented Brazil in the 2011 World Cup and later moved to Russian champions FK Rossijanka. Cristiane played a crucial role in Brazil’s qualification for the 2015 World Cup. In the 2015 World Cup, she played three games, but Brazil was eliminated in the round of 16. Cristiane then joined Paris Saint-Germain, where she excelled in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
According to records, Cristiane played 151 international matches and scored 96 goals, making her one of Brazil’s top scorers.
3. Debinha
- Career Span: 2011–
- Matches: 135
- Goals: 58
- Average: 0.43
Debinha is a talented soccer player from Brazil. She started making her mark in international soccer at the U-20 World Cup in Germany in 2010, where she scored two goals. Debinha made her senior national team debut in 2011 and scored her first international goal shortly after.
She didn’t participate in the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2015 World Cup, but she was part of the Brazilian squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where Brazil finished fourth.
In the 2019 World Cup, she played in four games but didn’t score, and Brazil was eliminated in the round of 16 after a tough match against hosts France.
In 2021, Debinha reached a significant milestone by playing her 100th international match during the SheBelieves Cup against the United States. She continues to be an important player for Brazil’s women’s soccer team.
4. Roseli
- Career Span: 1988–2004
- Matches: 45
- Goals: 42
- Average: 0.93
Roseli is a remarkable soccer player from Brazil, known for her significant contributions to the national team. She played a pivotal role in the 1988 FIFA Women’s Invitation Tournament, helping Brazil finish third. Her outstanding performance earned her a spot in the tournament’s all-star team, recognized by the Chinese press.
Roseli made history at the 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup by starting in Brazil’s first-ever World Cup match, securing a 1–0 victory over Japan. In the 1995 World Cup, she scored the only goal in Brazil’s surprising 1–0 win against hosts Sweden in the opening match. One of her memorable moments came in December 1997 when she scored the game-winning goal against the United States in her hometown São Paulo, marking Brazil’s first-ever victory over their American rivals.
Although a knee injury kept her out of the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Roseli had a remarkable qualifying campaign, scoring 15 goals. Brazil reached the semi-finals without her but was eventually knocked out by the United States. She returned to the national team in 1999, continuing to showcase her skills.
Roseli was a part of the Brazilian squad for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, contributing as a substitute in Brazil’s semi-final defeat to the United States. Her talent and impact on the game were widely recognized, as she was named one of the best women’s footballers of the century, sharing the honor with esteemed players like Pretinha and Sissi, according to the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).
5. Pretinha
- Career Span: 1991–2014
- Matches: 67
- Goals: 42
- Average: 0.63
Pretinha is a standout soccer player from Brazil, despite her height of only 1.57 meters. She has a remarkable career, participating in numerous Women’s World Cups, starting from the inaugural tournament in China in 1991. She missed the 2003 World Cup but played in the 2007 edition in China.
Pretinha’s World Cup participation record is impressive, with only Kristine Lilly having played in more World Championships. One of her memorable moments was in the 1999 Women’s World Cup in the USA, where she scored three goals in a 7-1 victory over Mexico.
From January 2006, Pretinha played in Japan for INAC Kōbe Leonessa, having previously played for CR Vasco da Gama. In 2009, she moved to Icheon Daekyo WFC, where she concluded her active career in 2017.
Her greatest achievement came in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, where she won a silver medal, marking a significant milestone in her sporting career.
6. Bia Zaneratto
- Career Span: 2011–
- Matches: 111
- Goals: 38
- Average: 0.34
Bia Zaneratto is a talented soccer player from Brazil, known for her skills on the field. She made her debut for the senior national team in 2011 during a friendly match against Chile. Bia Zaneratto also played in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany.
In 2015, due to her club commitments in South Korea, she couldn’t join Brazil’s training program for important tournaments like the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics. Despite this, she played in some matches during the World Cup in Canada.
Bia Zaneratto represented Brazil in the 2016 Summer Olympics, scoring three goals, but Brazil finished fourth. She gained attention during the Olympics and attracted interest from clubs in the American National Women’s Soccer League. In 2019, during the SheBelieves Cup, Bia Zaneratto got injured in a match against the United States, fracturing her fibula.
In the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, she scored a goal against Panama, showcasing her skills once again on the international stage.
7. Sissi
- Career Span: 1988–2000
- Matches: 47
- Goals: 33
- Average: 0.7
Sissi is a talented women’s soccer player from Brazil and is the 7th highest scorer in the Brazil Women’s Team. She played her first international match on January 8, 1995, against Ecuador in the Women’s Football South American Championship. She also participated in other friendly games like the Torneio Cidade de Uberlândia and the 1995 Women’s World Cup, although Brazil was eliminated in the preliminary round.
In the 1996 Summer Olympics, Brazil narrowly missed winning the bronze medal. In 1998, Sissi and her team successfully defended the South American title. In the 1999 Women’s Football World Cup, Brazil achieved third place, and Sissi was named the top scorer with seven goals.
She also played in the 2000 CONCACAF Women’s Gold Cup, where Brazil lost to the USA in the final. In their last major tournament, the 2000 Summer Olympics, Brazil was eliminated in the quarterfinals.
8. Kátia Cilene
- Career Span: 1995–2007
- Matches: 47
- Goals: 29
- Average: 0.62
Kátia Cilene is a prominent women’s soccer player from Brazil and ranks 8th in the list of top scorers for the Brazil Women’s Team. She started playing for a Brazilian youth team when she was just 14 years old. Kátia participated in four World Cup finals with the national team in 1995 (although she didn’t play), 1999, 2003, and 2007. Brazil secured third place in 1999 and finished as runners-up in 2007 against Germany. In total, she scored six goals in the World Cup finals.
She also competed in the Olympic women’s football tournaments in 1996 and 2000, where Brazil lost the bronze medal match. Unfortunately, she missed the 2004 Olympics due to a torn ligament.
Throughout her career, Kátia achieved significant victories, including winning the gold medal at the Pan American Games in 2007 and becoming the military world champion with Brazil’s military national team in 2011. Despite her remarkable international career, she played only 47 matches, scoring 29 goals. This is quite impressive considering the tough competition she faced from other talented players like Pretinha, Marta, Cristiane, and more, all vying for positions in the attack.
9. Formiga
- Career Span: 1995–2021
- Matches: 206
- Goals: 29
- Average: 0.14
Formiga, one of Brazil’s top women’s soccer players, is known for her incredible career. She played in several World Cup tournaments, including 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019. In the 2007 World Cup, Brazil reached the final but lost to Germany. Formiga is the only player to participate in all women’s Olympic football tournaments since 1996, holding the record with 29 games played and three goals scored. She’s also the first South American player to achieve 100 caps, as recognized by FIFA.
During her international career, Formiga played 206 matches and scored 29 goals. She participated in various competitions, including the Pan American Games, where she scored two goals in the finals in 2003 and 2015. Formiga retired from the national team in 2016 but made a comeback in 2018 for the South American Championship. She even set a new age record at the 2019 World Cup, being 41 years and 112 days old during the round of 16 match against France.
Despite a brief retirement in 2021, Formiga played for another 12 minutes in a game against India as part of the Torneio Internacional de Manaus. Her enduring legacy in women’s soccer remains remarkable.
10. Andressa Alves
- Career Span: 2012–
- Matches: 107
- Goals: 21
- Average: 0.2
Andressa Alves is a notable women’s soccer player from Brazil and stands as the 10th highest scorer in the Brazil Women’s Team. She began her international career by participating in the 2010 and 2012 World Cups with the Brazilian U-20 national team. On March 6, 2013, she made her debut for the Brazilian senior national team and was part of the victorious 2014 South American Championship team.
Alves was selected for the 2015 Algarve Cup, a tournament Brazil participated in for the first time. She also represented Brazil in the 2015 World Cup held in Canada, where the team reached the round of 16.
During the tournament, she made three appearances and scored her first World Cup goal in the group game against Spain, securing a 1-0 victory for Brazil.
