Aarran Summers

South Americans have left their mark on the Champions League, from rampaging defenders, masterful playmakers and graceful strikers. We profile our top 5! 

5) Claudio Pizarro

In a distinguished career at the top, Claudio Pizarro won the Champions League with Bayern Munich in 2013. Bayern’s tie with Borussia Dortmund was the first all-German final. Despite falling out with the club Chairman, Karl Heinz Rummenigge, Pizarro returned to Bayern in 2012.

A popular character in the squad, he was often known as Anden-Bomber by the club’s record goalscorer, Gerd Muller. A consummate professional throughout, Pizarro scored in Bayern’s quarter-final defeat of Juventus. The Peruvian was an unused substitute in the final at Wembley Stadium in London. Pizarro’s status as one of the club’s icons was confirmed the following week when Bayern secured the treble.

4) Dani Alves

Dani Alves is a three-time winner of the competition in Barcelona. He joined the club in July 2008 from Sevilla. Regarded as one of the best full-backs of his generation, Alves was known for his fast overlapping runs and good passing accuracy. Robust and tenacious, Alves was talented at pressing opponents when not in possession. Despite his many attributes, Alves was often criticised for his lack of defensive play. Alves featured in his first Champions League Final in 2009 in Barcelona’s win over Manchester United. He also played an integral in the final 2011, which was a repeat of the final in Rome. Alves’ third and final triumph occurred in Berlin when Barcelona overcame Juventus at the Olympiastadion in Germany’s capital, Berlin. 

3) Roberto Carlos

Like Alves, Roberto Carlos is also a three-time winner and regarded as one of the best in world football. He joined Real Madrid in 1996, and was a highly influential member of the club and considered one of the Galatacticos during Florentino Perez’s first tenure as club president. Roberto Carlos made surging runs throughout his career and is known more for attacking flair than his defending. Roberto Carlos won the competition in 1998 and 2000. His last Champions League victory in 2002 saw the Brazilian assist Zinedine Zidane’s wonder goal at Hampden Park in Scotland. Carlos was also named in the UEFA Team of the Year twice in 2002 and 2003. 

2) Javier Zanetti

Javier Zanetti only won the UEFA Champions League once. Still, the manner of victory and the way he guided Inter to the trophy will go down as one of the greatest achievements in world football. Zanetti was known for his quick and physical style of play. The Argentine was renowned for his reading of the game and passing from either flank. His attributes and leadership saw Inter overcome Barcelona in a Jose Mourinho tactical masterclass in the 2010 semi-finals. A 2-0 win over Bayern Munich, secured Zanetti’s status as one of the competition’s all-time greats. Zanetti’s work was not complete after the final. He became the oldest player to score in the Champions League when he netted against Tottenham in 2010 at the age of 37 years and 71 days. It was only his second goal in the competition. His first was way back in 1998.  

1) Lionel Messi 

Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest player in the UEFA Champions League, if not the world. The Argentine is a four-time time winner of the competition. Messi is quite simply one of the most prolific goalscorers and clinical finishers of all time. He is tactically a very versatile player. Prodigious as a teenager, his former coach at Barcelona, Pep Guardiola, labelled the forward as the greatest player that he has ever seen. From the first Champions League title against Arsenal in 2006 to his most recent in 2015, Lionel Messi has lit up the competition’s stage. He arguably scored one of the goals of the Champions League, when he headered the second against Manchester United in 2009. Guardiola once said, ‘‘don’t write about him, don’t try to describe him, just watch him.” Messi is the greatest South American player to feature in the Champions League, if not the world.