Which is the best soccer team in Brazil? A top 10 list

Which is the best soccer team in Brazil? A top 10 list

Ciku Njuguna
April 19, 2024 at 7:12 AM
In this article:
Palmeiras logo
Palmeiras
Brazil
38
Santos logo
Santos
Brazil
42
Fluminense RJ logo
Fluminense RJ
Brazil
36
Gremio (RS) logo
Gremio
Brazil
23
Atletico Mineiro logo
Atletico Mineiro
Brazil
31

To Brazilians, football is more than just a game. It is a way of life and defines the entire nation. The love story between Brazil and football can be told through the number of soccer teams in the country, professional football players and the nation's contribution to global football. Dig in here for a deep dive into Brazilian football and the best soccer team in Brazil.

The best soccer team in Brazil
Brazilian players of Flamengo (fl), Santos (l), Fluminense (r), and Palmeiras (fr). Photo by Buda Mendes, Ricardo Nogueira, Franklin Jacome and Gaston Brito Miserocchi. Modified by author
Source: Getty Images

Table of Сontents:

How many soccer teams are there in Brazil? According to FootballDatabase, forty Brazilian clubs have amassed between 1,314 and 1,773 points. To determine the best soccer teams in Brazil, Sports Brief has analysed performance details from reputable sites such as FootballDatabase, Transfermarkt, and the official Serie A website.

Which is the best soccer team in Brazil?

Why is football so important in Brazil? A 2024 Statista report revealed that 46 percent of the South American nation's citizens were fans of the sport, with 24 percent declaring themselves true aficionados.

O País do Futebol is also the top producer of soccer talent, with at least 10,000 Brazilian international footballers playing in foreign countries. In first place is Campeonato Brasileiro's champions, the Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, who rank 26th globally and first in South America.

The best soccer team in Brazil
Cruzeiro's players pose for photos before a match aganist Alianza Petrolera at Mineirao Stadium on April 11, 2024, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Photo by Pedro Vilela.
Source: Getty Images

What is the best soccer team in Brazil?

Brazil's name, the country of football, is associated with playing top-quality players to producing some of the world's greatest players. Here are details of the best soccer teams in Brazil.

Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Ranking

Club

Squad number

10

Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas

40

9

Red Bull Bragantino

28

8

Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense (Grêmio)

33

7

Clube Atlético Mineiro

32

6

São Paulo Futebol Clube (São Paulo FC)

34

5

Sport Club Internacional (Internacional)

30

4

Fluminense Football Club

36

3

Sport Club Corinthians Paulista (Corinthians)

36

2

Clube de Regatas do Flamengo (CR Flamengo)

26

1

Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras (Palmeiras)

32

10. Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas

The best soccer team in Brazil
Botafogo's players acknowledge fans after a Brasileirao Series A Championship match against Vasco da Gama at Engenhao Stadium on June 02, 2019. Photo by Wagner Meier.
Source: Getty Images
  • Nickname: Botafogo
  • Year founded: August 12, 1904
  • Stadium: Estádio Nilton Santos
  • World ranking: 158
  • South American ranking: 26

The idea of the football club was born in a classroom at the Alfredo Gomes School among students Flávio Ramos and Emmanuel Sodré and their teacher, General Júlio Noronha. Two years after its formation in August 1904, its players played their first friendly game against the Football and Athletic Club. The club's first Campeonato Carioca competition was held in 1906.

At the time of this writing, the club holding the tenth position on the league table has won two Brazilian Championship titles, one CONMEBOL Cup, and two Champion Brazilian Championship Series B trophies.

9. Red Bull Bragantino

The best soccer team in Brazil
Red Bull Bragantino players celebrate after defeating Aguilas Doradas at the Nabi Abi Chedid stadium in Braganca Paulista, Brazil, on February 27, 2024. Photo by Nelson Almeida.
Source: Getty Images
  • Nickname: Bragantino
  • Year founded: January 8, 1928
  • Stadium: Estádio Nabi Abi Chedid
  • World ranking: 94
  • South American ranking: 12

Founded in 1928, the soccer club began to dominate the Brazilian football scene in 1989 after winning the season's Campeonato Brasileiro Série B trophy and later the 1990 Campeonato Paulista title. In 2019, the club had two major achievements including the season's Brazilian Serie B Championship title and purchase by Red Bull. In 2021 and 2023, the women's team won the Women's Championship A2 titles.

8. Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense

The best soccer team in Brazil
Gremio's players pictured celebrating a goal during the Copa do Brasil match against Bahia at Arena do Gremio on July 12, 2023, in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Photo by Richard Ducker.
Source: Getty Images
  • Nickname: Gremio
  • Year founded: September 15, 1903
  • Stadium: Gremio Arena
  • World ranking: 132
  • South American ranking: 19

Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense is a first-tier club in eighth position in the league table. Founded on September 15, 1903, the Brazilian team has had significant success, winning numerous titles such as the 1996 and 2018 Recopa Sudamericana Recopa Sudamericana, the 1983, 1995, and 2017 Copa Libertadores Copa Libertadores, the 1989, 1994, 1997, 2001, 2016 Brazilian Cup, and the 1981, and 1996 Championship title.

7. Clube Atlético Mineiro

The best soccer team in Brazil
Atletico Mineiro's footballers celebrate with the Brazilian Championship trophy at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte on December 5, 2021. Photo by Douglas Magno.
Source: Getty Images
  • Nickname: Atletico
  • Date founded: March 25, 1908
  • Stadium: Arena MRV, Mineirão
  • World ranking: 30
  • South American ranking: 2

Like Botafogo, Clube Atlético Mineiro was founded by students. With 94 years of existence, the football squad's history is marked by seventeen international and eight national titles. As one of the most successful Brazilian football clubs, the team has accumulated the most state titles with 43 Minas Gerais State Championships.

6. São Paulo Futebol Clube

The best soccer team in brazil
Sao Paulo FC players celebrate after winning the Legends Cup 2019 final at Morumbi Stadium on December 15, 2019, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photo by Miguel Schincariol.
Source: Getty Images
  • Nickname: São Paulo
  • Date founded: December 16, 1935
  • Stadium: MorumBIS
  • World ranking: 112
  • South American ranking: 18

In sixth position in Brazil's First League is São Paulo Futebol Clube, located in Morumbi, São Paulo. The São Paulo club was founded on January 25, 1930, disbanded, and later reformed in 1935. The team has had a successful history marked by six Brazilian Championships, two Recopa Sudamericana, two Intercontinental Cups, a Brazilian Cup, and a Super Cup, among other titles.

5. Sport Club Internacional

The best soccer team in brazil
Internacional's players pose for a photo before their 2020 Copa Libertadores match at the Arena do Gremio in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on March 12, 2020. Photo by Silvio Avila.
Source: Getty Images
  • Nickname: Internacional
  • Date founded: April 4, 1909
  • Stadium: Estadio Beira-Rio
  • World ranking: 56
  • South American ranking: 6

The origins of Sport Club Internacional can be traced to three brothers, Henrique Poppe Leão, José Eduardo Poppe, and Luiz Madeira Poppe, in Rio Grande do Sul in 1909. The team's male and female teams have had near equal success with numerous titles in the Campeonato Gaúcho. In its trophy room, the football club that holds fifth position in the nation's First League has three Brazilian Champion titles, two Copa Libertadores, two Recopa Sudamericana, one Brazilian Cup, Copa Sudamericana and FIFA Club World Cup.

4. Fluminense Football Club

The best soccer team in Brazil
Fluminense's players lift the trophy after winning the Carioca Championship 2023 Final Match at Maracana Stadium on April 09, 2023, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by MB Media.
Source: Getty Images
  • Nickname: Fluminense
  • Date founded: July 21, 1902
  • Stadium: Maracanã
  • World ranking: 42
  • South American ranking: 4

As the best Brazilian soccer team ever, Fluminense FC needs no introduction on a regional, national, continental, or global stage. Some of the most famous players who have played for Fluminense include Chelsea's Thiago Silva, Real Madrid's Marcelo, and Liverpool's Fabinho.

Regarded as the best soccer team in Rio de Janeiro, the club has had a rich history of success. It is the only Brazilian club to receive the Olympic Cup, an award it holds in recognition of its reputation for merit and integrity.

3. The Sport Club Corinthians Paulista

The best soccer team in Brazil
Corinthians celebrate after scoring during the Copa Sudamericana at the Neo Quimica Arena Stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on April 9, 2024. Photo by Nelson Almeida.
Source: Getty Images
  • Nickname: Corinthians
  • Date founded: September 1, 1910
  • Stadium: Neo Química Arena
  • World ranking: 106
  • South American ranking: 16

Formed by São Paulo natives in September 1910, Sport Club Corinthians Paulista was inspired by a touring English team, the Corinthian-Casuals Football Club. A year after its founding, the football club participated in its first away competition and won its first title, Campeonato Paulista, in 1914.

At the time of writing, the team has won various international titles, including the 2013 South American Cup, the 2000 and 2012 FIFA Club World Cup, and the 2012 Copa Libertadores da América. Its national trophies include seven Championship titles, three Brazilian Cups, and a Super Cup, among others.

2. Clube de Regatas do Flamengo

The best soccer team in Brazil
Flamengo's players celebrate after winning the Copa do Brasil at Maracana Stadium on October 19, 2022, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Buda Mendes.
Source: Getty Images
  • Nickname: Flamengo
  • Date founded: November 17, 1895
  • Stadium: Maracanã
  • World ranking: 43
  • South American ranking: 5

Some of Flamengo’s most famous former players include Thiago Silva, Vinicius Junior, and Ronaldinho. Over its decades of existence, the team has amassed various titles, including seven Brazilian Championship titles, four Cups, and three Copa Libertadores.

However, at the time of its creation, the club's preferred sport was rowing rather than football. On November 8, 1911, a football section was created at the club, marking the start of a remarkable success in the country of football.

1. Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras

The best soccer team in Brazil
Palmeiras's players celebrate after winning the Brasileirao Serie A match at Mineirao Stadium on December 6, 2023, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Photo by Gledston Tavares.
Source: Getty Images
  • Nickname: Palmeiras
  • Date founded: August 26, 1914
  • Stadium: Allianz Parque
  • World ranking: 26
  • South American ranking: 1

Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras is undeniably Brazil's best soccer team in the world. At the time of writing, the São Paulo team holds the first position on the national league table.

According to the club's history records, it has won 3462 and drawn in 1569 out of 6436 matches played. Since its founding, the soccer club's players have scored 12391 goals and conceded 7105.

Frequently asked questions

The search for the best Brazil soccer team of all time may be futile as all have recorded remarkable performances over time. Here are some more facts about the country of football and its teams.

 The best soccer team in Brazil
Botafogo's players pose for a photo prior to a match against Vasco da Gama on June 02, 2019, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photo by Bruna Prado.
Source: Getty Images

1. Which team has the most fans in Brazil?

What is the most popular soccer team in Brazil? A 2023 study by Statista revealed that Flamengo is the most famous soccer team in Brazil, with over 45 million fans. Teams such as Corinthians, São Paulo FC, and Palmeiras follow closely with 32.2 million, 17.03 million, and 15.37 million fans.

2. Which team has the biggest stadium in Brazil?

The Library of Congress lists the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro as the largest stadium, with a maximum capacity of about 200,000 people. Founded in 1950, the Maracanã is home to Fluminense and Flamengo.

3. Who has the most titles in Brazilian football?

The Guinness World Records registers Palmeiras as the only football team with the most victories in the Brazilian top division. At the time the record was won on November 13, 2022, Palmeiras had eleven titles. After defeating Fluminense and drawing against Cruzeiro in 2023, the São Paulo team won their 12th Brazilian Championship title.

Final word

To determine the best soccer team in Brazil, one has to consider historical heritage, achievements, fanbase, and other factors. However, each team possesses special attributes that endear it to its fans.

READ ALSO: Ranking the top 10 best Brazilian football strikers of all-time

Sports Brief has published an article on the best football players of Brazilian heritage. The South American team is home to some of the world's most prolific players, including big names such as Ronaldinho, Péle, Jairzinho and Jairzinho. Click on the link above and find out which of your favourite players make it to the list.

Authors
Ciku Njuguna photo
Ciku Njuguna
Ciku Njuguna is a journalist with 3 year’s experience in content creation based in Kenya. She currently covers sports personnel as well as team biographies.