Cafu

Cafu holds the record for the most caps by a Brazilian outfield player with 142 international appearances, a feat unmatched by any other South American defender. He remains football’s only player to feature in three consecutive World Cup finals (1994, 1998, 2002), captaining the victorious 2002 side. His trophy count of two World Cups outperforms #7 Roberto Carlos, who won one, and his 1994 triumph came just as he broke into the national team. With a tackle success rate of 72% in World Cup matches, Cafu was 15% more reliable defensively than the average elite fullback of his era. He is the benchmark for longevity and consistency in high-stakes international tournaments.