Brazilian players in Europe: The biggest names ahead of FIFA 2026

Brazilian players, especially those in the FIFA World Cup 2026 squad, are welcomed all over the world. So, if you happen to watch UEFA matches, you’ll hear many Brazilian names who defend the pride of the European clubs. But who exactly seeks career opportunities abroad in the 2025/26 season?

European club players included in the FIFA World Cup 2026 roster

Among 26 Brazilian footballers in the national team, 17 belong to European football clubs in 2026. Check who secured a place in the starting lineup, their stats and market value:

Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid, left-winger) –  EUR 150m

As of May 2026, Vinicius is ranked  first among all Brazilian football players and fourth worldwide. Born in 2000 in São Gonçalo, he has built a strong image of one of the best left-wingers. In the 25/26 season, he has already scored 22 goals with 14 assists – and we’ll probably see even more magic during the FIFA World Cup 2026.

‘I love Vini. He’s a great friend that football has given me. He’s a fighter who has been through so much in life, but has exceeded every expectation and every piece of criticism. He has become an idol and a hero to us.’ – Neymar Jr

Raphinha (FC Barcelona, left-winger) – EUR 80m

Ranked 30th worldwide and standing second in Brazil, Raphinha is another left-winger who dominates the pitch and belongs at the highest level of European club football. So far, he’s scored 21 goals and successfully assisted eight times during the 25/26 season. Watch Raphinha’s game closely, as he may surprise us with beautiful moments during the tournament.

‘Raphinha gives you a lot, mainly because of his character. First of all, he always fights.’ – FC Barcelona Sporting Director, Deco

Endrick (Olympique Lyonnais, central forward) – EUR 35m

Endrick is just 19 years old and moved to France on a loan in 2025 as a central forward. Such moves are hit or miss, but he didn't waste any time. Endrick scored eight goals and created eight assists, proving that he belongs on the top-level international football stage.

‘I think he is a boy with a very promising future and that he is already acting as a professional.’ – Ronaldo

Read more: Brazil national team 2026 – key players, fixtures and tournament outlook.

Casemiro (Manchester United, midfielder) – EUR 8m

An experienced 34-year-old midfielder has been a reliable player for years. In the 25/26 season, Casemiro scored nine goals, made two assists and played a total of 2,600 minutes. He brings peace and calm, and that’s what we expect to see from him during the FIFA World Cup 2026.

‘Looking for a midfielder with Casemiro’s characteristics is impossible. There’s no other Brazilian player who has the same characteristics as Casemiro.’ – Carlo Ancelotti

Igor Thiago (Brentford, centre-forward) – EUR 50m

Born in 2001, Thiago is already number eight among Brazilian football players. His market value jumped from EUR 25m to EUR 50m in a span of the year – the community is discovering his talent. No surprises here, since Thiago scored 25 goals in the 25/26 season.

‘The goals get all the attention but his overall performance levels continue to get better and better and he’s constantly evolving his game. He’s proving to be a very, very special player.’ – Brentford manager, Keith Andrews

Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal, central defender) – EUR 75m

Among Brazilian footballers, Gabriel is currently number four. Even though his market value has been stagnating recently, the player has successfully scored four goals and made five assists in 25/26. During the World Cup, Gabriel will be a central defender. With 4,090 minutes played this season, he must be prepared well.

‘That desire to get on the end of balls coming into the box, set pieces, in both boxes is amazing. It’s no fluke the number of times that ball lands on Gabriel’s head, both defending and when he has to go up and attack his own corner. It’s such a great skill and technique to have what he has in both boxes, it’s amazing.’ – Alan Shearer

Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle United, midfielder) – EUR 75m

As a central midfielder, Bruno secured nine goals and nine assists in the season 25/26. He’s sharing the fourth place among Brazilian players together with Gabriel Magalhães, because their market value is identical in 2026. However, Bruno has been on the pitch for 3,322 minutes this season – still impressive, but less than Gabriel’s 4,090.

“He’s added a few goals to his game, but he just looks like he knows what the game is about… football intelligence.” – Former Manchester United captain, Roy Keane

Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal, left-winger) – EUR 45m

Young left-winger (born in 2001) who shows legit results even though his market value has been declining recently. In the current season, Gabriel has put the ball in the back of the net 11 times. He has also helped others with seven assists.

‘He loves what he does. He's so eager to do whatever it takes for him to play that he's all the time there, pushing you and giving you the right reasons to give him more minutes.’ – Mikel Arteta

Bremer (Juventus, central defender) – EUR 35m

Reliable central defender from the Italian football club. Scoring goals isn’t his main job, but Bremer still managed to score four times and create three assists in the 25/26 season. While his market value has dropped from EUR 60m to EUR 35m, Bremer is still a valuable Brazilian footballer who made it to the final roster.

‘These were many small steps that together created this journey. I will honour this jersey, the greatest in the world, with all of my strength, my commitment, and my passion. Thank you, Brazil.’ – Bremer

Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain, central defender) – EUR 30m

A 32-year-old well-experienced central defender. This year, he has been on the pitch for 2,564 minutes and managed to defend the team under extreme pressure. He even managed to score two goals while defending the line.

‘When you're on the pitch you have to fight to win, no matter how you play, good or bad.’ – Marquinhos

Matheus Cunha (Manchester United, centre-forward) – EUR 70m

Cunha was quite productive in the 25/26 season, with ten goals and four assists. He’s a 27-year-old centre-forward who has been gaining more attention recently. Since 2023, Matheus’s market value has increased from EUR 25m to EUR 70m.  

‘I couldn’t improve the talent that he had because his talent was already top. He was just getting more and more opportunities to show the world how good he was. To work with a player with this ability, you could get the ball into the pocket and he could cause chaos or you could ask him to play outside and he could still cause chaos.’ – Gary O’Neill

Ederson (Fenerbahçe, goalkeeper) – EUR 10m

Playing in Turkey as a goalkeeper, Ederson has missed 35 goals in the 25-26 season. At the same time, the number of his clean sheets is 13. What’s interesting is that Ederson is ranked fifth among all active players born in 1993.

‘For eight seasons Ederson delivered against the incredible demands of Pep’s reimagining of what a modern goalkeeper should be. In doing so, he helped to set the standard for the future of the game. His imprint is therefore not only on the history of our club but also on the history of goalkeeping.’ – Manchester City Chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak

Alisson (Liverpool, goalkeeper) – EUR 17m

Another goalkeeper in the Brazilian squad. His stats are quite similar to Ederson’s: 31 goals conceded and eight clean sheets. Alisson was born in 1992, making him one of the oldest national Brazilian footballers. In 2026, he’s ranked 30th among all goalkeepers.

‘He’s very important for me as one of the leaders in the team and I think he is very important on the pitch because I think he is one of the best – in my opinion the best – goalkeeper in the world.’ – Van Dijk

Rayan (Bournemouth, right-winger) – EUR 40m

Rayan is only 19 years old and is already taking the spotlight as a right-winger. He has played 1,205 minutes in the 25/26 season and used this time wisely – scoring seven goals and creating two assists. Rayan’s market value has been growing rapidly lately, so you can keep an eye on this promising player.

‘He has the potential to become one of the best players in the world. He's tall, quick, left-footed, strikes the ball well… And I really like him as a person too.’ – Vasco head coach, Fernando Diniz

Luiz Henrique (Zenit, right-winger) – EUR 24m

Another young right-winger (born in 2001). Henrique scored six goals this season and is the best player at Zenit. He’s also in the top-5 players in the Premier League. If he gets a chance, he might be very useful for the Brazilian national team.

‘When you go out onto the pitch scared, nothing can flow. That's why, when I go into a match, I think I'm in Vale do Carangola (a community in the city of Petropolis, Rio de Janeiro) with my childhood friends having fun.’ – Luiz Henrique

Douglas Santos (Zenit, left-back) – EUR 7.5m

Douglas's main position is left-back, and he has decades of experience there.  Even though the peak of his career has already passed, Douglas is the defensive backup the team needs. He’s played 25 matches in the 25/26 season and scored two goals.

‘Of course there are moments when you think you won’t be called up again, but I never stopped believing. I kept putting in the work at club level, trying to improve and build consistency. So when the opportunity came again, I was ready to take it.’ – Douglas Santos

Wesley (Roma, right-back) – EUR 40m

A 22-year-old right-back player. After moving to Rome, he grabbed more attention than ever before and secured his place in the final FIFA World Cup 2026 roster. In total, Wesley scored five goals with two assists in 25/26. He’s also number seven among all the global right-back players.  

‘It was very difficult to leave Brazil, but coming to Europe has always been a dream, and now I am at a great club like Roma. I’m very happy, I’m doing this for my family’ – Wesley

All stats were collected on May 27th, 2026 from the transfermarkt website. As players participate in further games, the values will change.

Other Brazilian footballers worth your attention

Several talented European club players couldn’t make it to the final lineup, including Rodrygo, Éder Militão, João Pedro, Andrey Santos and Murillo.

• Rodrygo (Real Madrid): Due to the March knee injury, the CBF (Confederação Brasileira de Futebol) had to exclude Rodrygo from the list. It’s a big loss for the team, as he could fill three different attacking roles.
• Éder Militão (Real Madrid): The Brazilian squad has lost a top-tier central defender to a ruptured proximal thigh tendon in late April. There was no chance that he would recover before the tournament started.
• João Pedro (Chelsea): You would think 20 goals and a club Player of the Season award guarantee a ticket. Brazilian manager Carlo Ancelotti, himself, admitted that Pedro deserved the spot. But he wasn't included. Ancelotti explained the choice was based on the lack of international experience, which immediately sparked a debate in the community.
• Andrey Santos (Strasbourg): He spent the 25/26 season on loan and proved that he’s the future midfielder of the team. If Santos keeps the spirit, we might see him in the next World Cup qualification run.

Below you'll find a table of Brazilian footballers who secured their spots in European clubs.

World Cup 2026 tips:

• FIFA 2026 in Europe: How to watch online, on TV and offline.
• FIFA 2026 facts and figures: What you should know as a fan.