Top Ten Greatest South American Soccer (Football) Captains of All Time

The greatest captains are associated with leadership, experience, decision making, commitment and diplomacy. They are able to motivate and inspire their teammates. Some of them are not necessarily the best players on their teams but they are remarkable in their own right.

Club captains and national team captains are eligible.
The Top Ten
Diego Maradona

Best player ever. No doubt.

Sócrates

His doctorate in medicine and political awareness earned him the nickname "Doctor Sócrates." He became a "symbol of cool" for a whole generation of football supporters. Sócrates was a key member of the Brazilian national team of the early to mid-1980s. Jonathan Wilson said, "Sócrates was the brain of Brazil. He might not quite have had the flair of Zico, but he was the central intelligence."

Sócrates played for Brazil for seven years, representing the nation in two World Cups. He captained the team in the 1982 FIFA World Cup. Although they did not win, the 1982 squad is considered one of the greatest Brazilian national teams ever.

Obdulio Varela

He was a Uruguayan football player and captain of the national team that won the 1950 World Cup by defeating hosts Brazil. Before the match, the Uruguayan coach instructed the players to adopt a defensive style. When the coach left the room, Varela told his teammates to do the opposite and finished his speech by advising them to ignore the 170,000 Brazilian fans in the stands: "When you come out to the pitch, don't look at the crowd. Those on the outside are made of wood." His speech had a vital effect on his teammates, who played without fear, despite Sweden and Spain losing to Brazil by large margins in the previous matches.

Lionel Messi

He might not have won the World Cup, but he took Argentina to the final! Messi is the greatest.

The best player makes the best captain.

Daniel Passarella Daniel Alberto Passarella is an Argentine retired footballer who played as a centre back, and former manager of the Argentina and Uruguay national football teams.

A World Cup-winning captain in 1978.

Jose Nasazzi

Nasazzi was not just a great player, but also a born leader. Nicknamed "El Gran Mariscal," or "The Great Marshal," Nasazzi first made his name on the international stage by leading Uruguay to gold medals at the 1924 and 1928 Olympic Games.

When the inaugural World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930, the hosts won under Nasazzi's leadership.

Nasazzi was a great player: the best player of the first World Cup in 1930 and two Copa Americas (1923 and 1935).

Great leader, but Héctor Scarone was the greatest player of that era, regarded as the best player of the mid-war years.

Ronaldinho
Neymar

Neymar forever.

Pelé

His talent as a player was much greater than his leadership skills, and he was more of a symbolic captain. However, his brilliant performances were inspirational.

Best player and super clutch.

Willington Ortiz Willington José Ortiz Palacio is a retired Colombian football player. He played 49 times for the Colombia national team scoring 12 goals and is the top Colombian player in the IFFHS's rank of South American Player of the Century.

He was captain of Colombia's national team, where he played from 1976 to 1986.

The Contenders
Cafu
Juan Roman Riquelme

Boca Juniors legend.

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