3 Greatest Brazilian Players Ever to Grace the Persian Gulf Pro League

When many football fans think of Brazilian players they think only of the biggest names, such as Ronaldo, Neymar, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldinho.

However, there are many Brazilian players who are willing to travel far and wide in order to play top level football, sending much of their salary back to friends and family.

In 2001 that trend was extended to the Persian Gulf Pro League, as the newly founded Shahab Zanjan made a leap of faith in signing the league’s first ever Brazilian player in the form of Adriano Alves. Such was his success that Shahab Zanjan along with their rivals have never looked back.

Here are the greatest Brazilian players ever to have set foot on a Persian Gulf Pro League pitch.

Brazilians have become mainstays of the Persian Gulf Pro League

Adriano Alves

With Iranian teams priced out of being able to acquire expensive European players their scouts went in search of available talent in South America and Brazil was their hunting ground of choice.

And so it was that the trailblazing Alves joined Shahab Zanjan, going on to score 49 goals in 192 appearances for no less than five of the league’s teams, making himself a fan favourite in the process and a player whom many a savvy tipster will have backed with a free bet over the years.

Brazilians love football so much that their fans will go anywhere to watch, and their players will travel long distances to play

Fernando de Jesus Ribeiro

Normally Brazilian players are brought in for their flare and skill, but that is not to say they can’t command a back line when required to.

That is just what goalkeeper Fernando de Jesus Ribeiro did, when in his very first season he helped Esteghlal Khuzestan win their maiden league title. The following season he continued his fine form, only this time for Gostaresh Foolad, where he won the 2016 goalkeeper of the season award.

Felipe Alves de Souza

The next most longstanding Brazilian performer in the league after Adriano Alves is Felipe Alves de Souza, who learnt the game at the famous Vasco De Gama club, eventually playing three seasons in Iran.

A defensive midfielder, he was always strong in the tackle and skilled at threading balls through to the front line. In all he turned in a whopping 104 appearances and never let the fans down once.