Zico

Zico, known as the White Pele, was the creative heartbeat of Brazilian football's golden era, scoring 48 goals in 71 international caps—a strike rate of 0.68 per game that outperforms #3 Ronaldo's 0.63. He led Flamengo to 5 state titles, 2 Brazilian Série A championships, and the 1981 Copa Libertadores, amassing over 500 career club goals. In the famous 1982 World Cup, Zico provided 5 assists, the most of any Brazilian player in a single tournament. His 48 international goals place him 14 behind Ronaldo's 62, yet his playmaking metrics, such as 1.2 key passes per game over his career, are faster than the average of any Brazilian midfielder on this list.