Rivaldo

Rivaldo, a master of improvisation, combined technical wizardry with genuine impact in the biggest matches. He won the 1999 FIFA World Player of the Year award and scored 35 goals in 74 appearances for Brazil, including three crucial goals in the 2002 World Cup — a tournament where his performances were pivotal for the title. His stoppage-time overhead-kick hat-trick against Valencia in a 2001 Champions League group-stage match remains one of the most dramatic individual performances in the competition's history.