Brazil has the joint most representatives in the Goal 50 list of best players for 2012-13.
Goal.com‘s global team of editors picked their best 50 footballers from around the world using a points-based voting system, and it was Lionel Messi who claimed the crown.
But Brazil’s success at the Confederations Cup has helped them to dominate the list with seven players, joint with Germany after the rise of their top two clubs in the Champions League.
Paris Saint-Germain captain Thiago Silva is the highest ranked Brazilian in eighth place, in only his second appearance in the Goal 50.
The 28-year-old was an ever-present force at the heart of the PSG defence last season as they claimed the Ligue 1 title, before leading the Seleção to victory at last month’s World Cup curtain-raiser.
The best-placed newcomer in the whole list is Paulinho at 12th, who was vital in Corinthians’ Copa Libertadores and Club World Cup triumphs to cement his place in Brazil’s starting XI.
He capped off an unforgettable season by lifting the Confederations Cup and securing a move to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.
Fred is the second of three successive Brazilians in the list, following the best year of his career for both club and country.
The 29-year-old striker has been a huge hit since returning to his homeland in 2009 and picked up the Brasileirão title, Best Player and Top Scorer awards last season thanks to his 20 goals for Fluminense.
He then scored in five consecutive starts during the build-up to the Confederations Cup and finished as joint top-scorer with five goals in the tournament itself, netting a brace in the 3-0 final thrashing of Spain.
Neymar follows Fred in the list at 14th, which is his highest yet, and after picking up the Golden Ball as the best player at the Confeds and his €57 million move to Barcelona from Santos, he is surely a future winner of the award.
Bayern Munich centre-back Dante enjoyed a meteoric rise after his move from Borussia Monchengladbach, picking up a historic treble of Champions League, Bundesliga and DFB Pokal titles in Germany.
His performances at centre-back helped him break into the national team just ahead of their Confederations Cup success, where he scored the opener in the win over Italy.
Also included in the Goal 50 list are former Shakhtar Donetsk stars Willian and Fernandinho, who are 38th and 46th.
Willian reached the levels of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo during the Champions League group stages, while Fernandinho was instrumental in the Shakhtar team that once again swept the league and cup double, as well as the Super Cup, which earned the duo €35 million moves to Anzhi and Manchester City respectively.
