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The first international break of 2022 will be the time when most of the remaining slots in the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup will be filled. From South America's CONMEBOL, Brazil and Argentina were the first two teams to secure their places at the Mundial. Ecuador have secured their place alongside Uruguay, and Colombia look as though they may not make it.
The South American continent is one that has produced some of the world's best strikers over the years. Strikers like Radamel Falcao, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Edinson Cavani, Luis Suarez and a host of others have emerged from the region and dominate world football at club level. They honed their skills while playing in South America in their youth.
Also, competition in the region is always very high owing to the nature of the rivalries that exist between the teams. These rivalries and competitions spur the players to perform at their best, at all times. Without further ado, here are the five best goalscorers for South American teams in the 21st century.
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#5 Edinson Cavani (54 goals)
Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani is one of the most iconic strikers of the 21st century. He has represented Napoli and PSG, two of Europe's biggest teams, and is the record scorer for the latter. The Uruguayan has also left his mark in the colours of his national team.
Cavani has 54 goals in 124 appearances since making his national team debut in 2008. He had to wait two years before he scored his first national team goal. He was also part of the Uruguayan team that won the Copa America in 2011, featuring thrice for the country.
Cavani has found the net for Uruguay in the Copa America, World Cup, and FIFA Confederations Cup. The Manchester United man has scored the second-highest number of goals in the history of the country.
#4 Ronaldo (62 goals)
Legendary Brazilian striker Ronaldo is widely regarded as the most complete striker ever to play professional football. The retired striker played for nearly all the biggest clubs in Europe, including Inter Milan, AC Milan, Real Madrid, and FC Barcelona. Some of his best performances, however, came in the colours of the Seleçao.
Ronaldo made his debut for Brazil as a 17-year-old in 1994 and was part of the squad that won the World Cup in the same year. He scored 62 goals in 98 appearances for the national team between 1994 and 2011, when he played the final match of his professional career.
He won five major honours with Brazil in his professional career, including two World Cups, two Copa America, and the FIFA Confederations Cup.
Before Miroslav Klose broke his record in 2014, Ronaldo held the record for the most goals scored in World Cup history, a record he set in 2006. The striker was famously plagued by injuries throughout his career but managed to win the Ballon d'Or twice. He was also named the FIFA Best Player of the Year three times.
#3 Luis Suarez (67 goals)
Luis Suarez is one of the deadliest finishers still active in the game of football. The Uruguayan striker remains the only man to outscore both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi at the peak of their powers. He has featured for Ajax, Liverpool, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid since moving to Europe.
Suarez has scored 67 goals in 131 appearances for Uruguay since making his debut in 2007. The two-time European Golden Shoe winner was the Player of the Tournament when Uruguay won the Copa America in 2011. He became his country's all-time leading scorer in 2013.
Suarez has seen his time with the national team marred by a number of controversies, especially on the biggest of stages. His handball incident in the 2010 World Cup and biting incident four years later stand out in memory.
#2 Neymar (71 goals)
PSG star Neymar has been the driving force and biggest star of Brazil's national team for the past decade. The forward was thrust into superstardom as a teenager and he handled it with poise and grace, growing into one of the best ever to represent Brazil.
Neymar has scored 71 goals for Brazil in 117 appearances since making his debut as an 18-year-old in 2010. The forward has featured in six tournaments and two Olympic games for the Seleçao. He inspired Brazil to win their first Olympic gold medal in 2016 after scoring the decisive penalty in a shootout win over Germany in the Final.
Neymar has become the face of the team and a leader. He captained Brazil in the Copa America in 2015 and has done so on several other occasions. He helped Brazil win the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and is behind only Pele for goals scored in Seleçao history.
#1 Lionel Messi (80 goals)
The world has run out of superlatives to describe Lionel Messi. The forward remains one of the greatest footballers ever and has continued to show why he deserves his accolades.
Messi has scored 80 goals in 158 appearances for Argentina since making his debut for the country in 2005. Messi holds the record for being the youngest Argentine to feature in a World Cup and also the youngest to score in a World Cup after his exploits in 2006. He became the team's captain in 2011 and has held the post ever since.
Messi is the first South American ever to score 80 international goals. He led Argentina to Olympic Gold in the Beijing 2008 Olympics. He won his first senior title with his country when he captained them to Copa America glory in 2021 after losing four separate Finals in previous years. He is the most capped Argentine player ever.
