Early 70s (pre-list)

This provisional list considered the better South American players in each role for 1970-72 period.

Main sources as usual will be: El Mundo, Bola da Prata, El Grafico rankings and other individual awards.


Keepers
Ladislao MAZURKIEWICZ (Uruguay) – Peñarol / Atletico Mineiro
MANGA (Brazil) – Nacional Montevideo
Humberto Horacio BALLESTEROS (Argentina) – Universitario de Deportes
Miguel Angel “Pepe” SANTORO (Argentina) – Independiente Avellaneda
Edgardo “Gato” ANDRADA (Argentina) – Vasco da Gama
Agustín Mario CEJAS (Argentina) – Santos
Hugo GATTI (Argentina) – Gimnasia y Esgrima
Emerson LEAO (Brazil) - Palmeiras

Right Backs
CARLOS ALBERTO Torres (Brazil) – Santos
Enrique “Quique” WOLFF (Argentina) – Racing Avellaneda
Pablo FORLAN (Uruguay) – Sao Paulo
Luis UBIÑA (Uruguay) – Nacional Montevideo
ZE MARIA (Brazil) – Corinthians
Oscar MALBERNAT (Argentina) – Estudiantes La Plata
Eloy CAMPOS (Perú) - Sporting Cristal
HUMBERTO Monteiro (Brazil) – Atletico Mineiro

Centrebacks
Atilio ANCHETA (Uruguay) – Nacional Montevideo / Gremio
Elías FIGUEROA (Chile) – Peñarol
Julio MELENDEZ (Perú) – Boca Jrs.
Roberto PERFUMO (Argentina) – Racing Avellaneda / Cruzeiro
Orlando DE LA TORRE (Perú) – Sporting Cristal
Hercules BRITO (Brazil) – Cruzeiro / Botafogo
Osvaldo PIAZZA (Argentina) - Lanus

Fourth Defender
Héctor CHUMPITAZ (Perú) – Universitario de Deportes
Angel BARGAS (Argentina) – Chacarita Jrs.
Alberto QUINTANO (Chile) – Universidad de Chile / Cruz Azul
César LARAIGNEE (Argentina) – River Plate
Juan MASNIK (Uruguay) – Nacional Montevideo
Roberto MATOSAS (Uruguay) – Peñarol
JAIME HERBAS (Bolivia) - Bolivar

Left Backs
Ricardo PAVONI (Uruguay) – Independiente Avellaneda
EVERALDO (Brazil) – Gremio
Ramón “Cacho” HEREDIA (Argentina) – San Lorenzo
Juan MUJICA (Uruguay) - Nacional
Rubén Osvaldo DIAZ (Argentina) – Racing Avellaneda
Francisco MARINHO Chagas (Brazil) – Clube Nautico
MARCO ANTONIO (Brazil) - Fluminense
Nicolás FUENTES (Perú) – Universitario de Deportes / Defensor Lima
Omar CAETANO (Uruguay) - Peñarol

Deffensive Mids
Wilson PIAZZA (Brazil) – Cruzeiro
Julio MONTERO CASTILLO (Uruguay) – Nacional Montevideo
CLODOALDO (Brazil) - Santos
Miguel RAIMONDO (Argentina) – Independiente de Avellaneda
Luis CRUZADO (Peru) – Universitario de Deportes
Carlos PACHAME (Argentina) – Estudiantes La Plata
Roberto TELCH (Argentina) – San Lorenzo
José FERNÁNDEZ (Perú) - Defensor Lima
Néstor “Tito” GONCALVES (Uruguay) - Peñarol

Center Mids
GERSON (Brazil) – Sao Paulo
José Omar PASTORIZA (Argentina) – Independiente de Avellaneda
ADEMIR da Guia (Brazil) – Palmeiras
Ramón MIFFLIN (Perú) – Sporting Cristal
Carlos REINOSO (Chile) – America Mexico
DIRCEU Lopes (Brazil) – Cruzeiro
Miguel BRINDISI (Argentina) - Huracan
Roberto CHALE (Perú) – Universitario de Deportes / Defensor Lima
Ildo MANEIRO (Uruguay) – Nacional Montevideo

Attacking Mid
TOSTAO (Brazil) – Cruzeiro
Teofilo CUBILLAS (Peru) – Alianza Lima
PELE (Brazil) – Santos
Roberto RIVELINO (Brazil) – Corinthians
Pedro Virgilio ROCHA (Uruguay) – Sao Paulo
Francisco VALDES (Chile) - Unión Española / Colo Colo
Norberto “Beto” ALONSO (Argentina) – River Plate
Victor ESPARRAGO (Uruguay) – Nacional Montevideo
Saturnino ARRUA (Paraguay) – Cerro Porteño
Ermindo ONEGA (Argentina) – Peñarol

Right Winger
JAIRZINHO (Brazil) – Botafogo
Angel MARCOS (Argentina) – Chacarita Jrs. / Nantes
Juan José MUÑANTE (Peru) – Universitario de Deportes
Nilo ACUÑA (Uruguay) – Peñarol
Luis CUBILLA (Uruguay) – Nacional Montevideo
Ramiro BLACUTT (Bolivia) – Bolivar
Pedro ARAYA (Chile) – Universidad de Chile / San Luis
Julio BAYLON (Peru) – Alianza Lima

Strikers
Luis ARTIME (Argentina) – Nacional Montevideo
Hugo “Cholo” SOTIL (Peru) – Deportivo Municipal
Héctor YAZALDE (Argentina) – Independiente Avellaneda / Sporting Lisboa
Percy ROJAS (Peru) – Universitario de Deportes
Carlos BIANCHI (Argentina) – Velez Sarsfield
Carlos CASZELY (Chile) – Colo Colo
Pedro “Perico” LEON (Peru) – Alianza Lima
DARÍO (Brazil) - Atletico Mineiro
Alberto SPENCER (Ecuador) – Barcelona Guayaquil
ROBERTO Miranda (Brazil) - Botafogo / Flamengo

Left Winger
PAULO CESAR Caju (Brazil) – Botafogo
Juan Ramón VERON (Argentina) – Estudiantes La Plata
Oscar “Pinino” MAS (Argentina) – River Plate
Oswaldo “Cachito” RAMIREZ (Peru) – Universitario de Deportes
Alberto GALLARDO (Peru) – Sporting Cristal
Rodolfo “Lobo” FISCHER (Argentina) – San Lorenzo
Osvaldo “Pata Bendita” CASTRO (Chile) – Deportes Concepcion
Julio MORALES (Uruguay) – Nacional Montevideo
EDU (Brazil) - Santos

 

Mid 70s (pre-list)

This provisional list considered the better South American players in each role for 1973-76 period.

Main sources as usual will be: El Mundo, Bola da Prata, El Grafico rankings and other individual awards.


Keepers
Ubaldo FILLOL (Argentina) – River Plate
Hugo GATTI (Argentina) – Gimnasia y Esgrima / Union Santa Fe
Daniel CARNEVALI (Argentina) – UD Las Palmas
Ladislao MAZURKIEWICZ (Uruguay) – Atletico Mineiro / Granada CF
Pedro ZAPE (Colombia) – Deportivo Cali
Valdir PERES (Brazil) – Sao Paulo
Agustín Mario CEJAS (Argentina) – Santos / Gremio
Emerson LEAO (Brazil) – Palmeiras
José "Perico" PEREZ (Argentina) - River Plate

Right Backs
NELINHO (Brazil) – Cruzeiro
Pablo FORLAN (Uruguay) – Sao Paulo
Enrique “Quique” WOLFF (Argentina) – River Plate / Las Palmas
ZE MARIA (Brazil) – Corinthians
Mario GALINDO (Chile) – Colo Colo
CARLOS ALBERTO Torres (Brazil) – Fluminense
Eleazar SORIA (Peru) – Universitario Deportes / Independiente Avellaneda

Centrebacks
Elías FIGUEROA (Chile) – Internacional Porto Alegre
Luiz PEREIRA (Brazil) – Palmeiras / Atletico Madrid
Julio MELENDEZ (Perú) – Juan Aurich
Roberto PERFUMO (Argentina) – Cruzeiro / River Plate
Atilio ANCHETA (Uruguay) – Gremio
Osvaldo PIAZZA (Argentina) – Saint Etienne
Francisco SA (Argentina) – Independiente Avellaneda
Juan MASNIK (Uruguay) - Nacional / Cosmos

Sweepers
Héctor CHUMPITAZ (Perú) – Universitario de Deportes / Atlas
Alberto QUINTANO (Chile) – Cruz Azul
Daniel PASSARELLA (Argentina) – River Plate
Angel BARGAS (Argentina) – FC Nantes
Ramón “Cacho” HEREDIA (Argentina) – Atletico Madrid
Juan Domingo ROCCHIA (Argentina) – Ferrocarril Oeste
Miguel Angel “Zurdo” LOPEZ (Argentina) - Independiente Avellaneda
Luis GARISTO (Uruguay) - Independiente / Peñarol

Left Backs
Ricardo PAVONI (Uruguay) – Independiente Avellaneda
Francisco MARINHO Chagas (Brazil) – Botafogo
Jorge CARRASCOSA (Argentina) - Huracan
Rubén Toribio DIAZ (Peru) –Universitario de Deportes
Alberto TARANTINI (Argentina) – Boca Jrs.
MARCO ANTONIO (Brazil) – Fluminense
WLADIMIR (Brazil) - Corinthians

Deffensive Mids
Wilson PIAZZA (Brazil) – Cruzeiro
Roberto TELCH (Argentina) – San Lorenzo
Miguel RAIMONDO (Argentina) – Independiente Avellaneda / River Plate
Julio MONTERO CASTILLO (Uruguay) – Granada CF / Nacional Montevideo
Toninho CEREZO (Brazil) – Atletico Mineiro
Guillermo PAEZ (Chile) – Colo Colo
Ruben GALVAN (Argentina) – Independiente Avellaneda

Center Mids
Miguel BRINDISI (Argentina) - Huracan
DIRCEU Lopes (Brazil) – Cruzeiro
Pedro Virgilio ROCHA (Uruguay) – Sao Paulo
Roberto FALCAO (Brazil) – Internacional Porto Alegre
LEIVINHA (Brazil) – Palmeiras / Atletico Madrid
Francisco “Chamaco” VALDES (Chile) – Colo Colo
Paulo CARPEGIANI (Brazil) - Internacional Porto Alegre
Alejandro BRAND (Colombia) – Millonarios
Alfredo QUESADA (Peru) – Sporting Cristal

Attacking Mid
Roberto RIVELINO (Brazil) – Corinthians / Fluminense
Norberto “Beto” ALONSO (Argentina) – River Plate
Ricardo BOCHINI (Argentina) – Independiente Avellaneda
ZICO (Brazil) – Flamengo
Carlos BABINGTON (Argentina) – Huracan / Wattenscheid
Teofilo CUBILLAS (Peru) – FC Basel / Porto
Carlos REINOSO (Chile) – America Mexico
Saturnino ARRUA (Paraguay) – Real Zaragoza
PELE (Brazil) – Santos / Cosmos

Right Winger
Rene HOUSEMAN (Argentina) – Huracan
Carlos CASZELY (Chile) – Levante / RCD Espanyol
Juan José MUÑANTE (Peru) – Atlético Español / UNAM
Hector Horacio SCOTTA (Argentina) – San Lorenzo
Willington ORTIZ (Colombia) – Millonarios
JAIRZINHO (Brazil) – Botafogo / Cruzeiro
Ruben AYALA (Argentina) – Atletico Madrid
Pedro Alexis GONZALEZ (Argentina) – Defensor Lima / River Plate
Ernesto DIAZ (Colombia) - Santa Fé / Standard Liege

Strikers
Fernando MORENA (Uruguay) – Peñarol
Hugo “Cholo” SOTIL (Peru) – FC Barcelona
Héctor YAZALDE (Argentina) – Sporting Lisboa
Percy ROJAS (Peru) – Universitario Deportes / Independiente Avellaneda
Carlos BIANCHI (Argentina) – Stade Reims
Narciso “Loco” DOVAL (Argentina) - Flamengo
Carlos “Lobo” DIARTE (Paraguay) – Real Zaragoza
Sergio AHUMADA (Chile) – Colo Colo / Unión Española

Left Winger
Juan Carlos OBLITAS (Peru) – Universitario Deportes
Mario KEMPES (Argentina) – Rosario Central
Ricardo BERTONI (Argentina) – Independiente Avellaneda
PAULO CESAR Caju (Brazil) – Flamengo / Olympique Marseille
Oswaldo “Cachito” RAMIREZ (Peru) – Universitario de Deportes
Osvaldo “Pata Bendita” CASTRO (Chile) – America Mexico
Polo CARRERA (Ecuador) – El Nacional / LDU
Leonardo “Pollo” VELIZ (Chile) – Colo Colo

 

Late 70s (pre-list)

This provisional list considered the better South American players in each role for 1977-79 period.

Main sources as usual will be: El Mundo, Bola da Prata, El Grafico rankings and other individual awards.


Keepers
Ubaldo FILLOL (Argentina) – River Plate
Hugo GATTI (Argentina) – Boca Jrs.
Daniel CARNEVALI (Argentina) - UD Las Palmas
Ramon QUIROGA (Peru) – Sporting Cristal
Miguel MARIN (Argentina) - Cruz Azul
Ever ALMEIDA (Paraguay) - Olimpia
Emerson LEAO (Brazil) – Palmeiras / Vasco da Gama
Jorge D’ALESSANDRO (Argentina) – UD Salamanca
Roberto “Gato” FERNANDEZ (Paraguay) – RCD Espanyol

Right Backs
NELINHO (Brazil) – Cruzeiro
Jorge OLGUIN (Argentina) – San Lorenzo
Mario GALINDO (Chile) – Colo Colo
ZE MARIA (Brazil) – Corinthians
Vicente PERNIA (Argentina) – Boca Jrs.
Jaime DUARTE (Peru) – Alianza Lima
Arturo SEGOVIA (Colombia) - Millonarios
Alicio SOLALINDE (Paraguay) - Olimpia

Centrebacks
Elías FIGUEROA (Chile) – Palestino
Osvaldo PIAZZA (Argentina) - Saint Etienne
Henry CAICEDO (Colombia) - Deportivo Cali
Francisco SA (Argentina) – Boca Jrs.
OSCAR (Brazil) – Ponte Preta
Luis GALVAN (Argentina) – Talleres Cordoba
German LEGUIA (Peru) – Deportivo Municipal / Universitario Deportes
Hugo VILLAVERDE (Argentina) – Independiente Avellaneda

Sweepers
Daniel PASSARELLA (Argentina) – River Plate
Luis PEREIRA (Brazil) – Atletico Madrid
Ricardo REZZA (Argentina) – UD Salamanca
Roberto MOUZO (Argentina) – Boca Jrs.
Héctor CHUMPITAZ (Perú) – Sporting Cristal
Daniel KILLER (Argentina) – Racing Avellaneda
AMARAL (Brazil) – Guarani / Corinthians
Walter OLIVERA (Uruguay) - Peñarol

Left Backs
Alberto TARANTINI (Argentina) – Boca Jrs.
Rubén Toribio DIAZ (Peru) –Universitario Deportes / Sporting Cristal
Jorge CARRASCOSA (Argentina) – Huracán
EDINHO (Brazil) – Fluminense
PEDRINHO (Brazil) – Palmeiras
Rodrigues NETO (Brazil) - Botafogo
Enzo ESCOBAR (Chile) - Cobreloa
MARCO ANTONIO (Brazil) – Vasco da Gama

Deffensive Mids
Jose VELASQUEZ (Peru) – Alianza Lima
Toninho CEREZO (Brazil) - Atletico Mineiro
Americo GALLEGO (Argentina) – Newells Old Boys
Ruben GALVAN (Argentina) – Independiente Avellaneda
BATISTA (Brazil) - Internacional Porto Alegre
Ruben SUÑE (Argentina) – Boca Jrs.
Rodolfo DUBO (Chile) – Palestino
Reinaldo MERLO (Argentina) – River Plate

Center Mids
Roberto FALCAO (Brazil) – Internacional Porto Alegre
Cesar CUETO (Peru) – Alianza Lima
DIRCEU Guimaraes (Brazil) – Vasco da Gama / America Mexico
Enrique “Quique” WOLFF (Argentina) – Las Palmas / Real Madrid
Osvaldo ARDILES (Argentina) – Huracán
Ildo MANEIRO (Uruguay) – Peñarol
Juan Jose LOPEZ (Argentina) – River Plate
LEIVINHA (Brazil) - Atletico Madrid
Carlos Rivas (Chile) – Colo Colo

Attacking Mid
ZICO (Brazil) – Flamengo
Teofilo CUBILLAS (Peru) – Alianza Lima
Roberto RIVELINO (Brazil) – Fluminense
Diego MARADONA (Argentina) – Argentinos Jrs.
Julio Cesar ROMERO (Paraguay) – Sportivo Luqueño
Ricardo BOCHINI (Argentina) – Independiente Avellaneda
Norberto “Beto” ALONSO (Argentina) – River Plate
Carlos REINOSO (Chile) - America Mexico
Miguel BRINDISI (Argentina) – UD Las Palmas / Huracan
Mario ZANABRIA (Argentina) – Boca Jrs.

Right Winger
Juan José MUÑANTE (Peru) –UNAM
Willington ORTIZ (Colombia) - Millonarios
Rene HOUSEMAN (Argentina) – Huracan
Hector Horacio SCOTTA (Argentina) – Gremio / Sevilla FC
Gerónimo BARBADILLO (Peru) – Tigres Nuevo Leon
Ruben AYALA (Argentina) – Atletico Madrid
Ernesto MASTRANGELO (Argentina) – Boca Jrs.
Evaristo ISASI (Paraguay) – Olimpia
GIL (Brazil) - Botafogo

Strikers
Carlos BIANCHI (Argentina) – Paris St. Germain
Carlos CASZELY (Chile) - RCD Espanyol / Colo Colo
REINALDO (Brazil) – Atletico Mineiro
Roberto DINAMITA (Brazil) – Vasco da Gama
Fernando MORENA (Uruguay) – Peñarol
Leopoldo LUQUE (Argentina) – River Plate
CABINHO (Brazil) – UNAM
Carlos MORETE (Argentina) – UD Las Palmas

Left Winger
Mario KEMPES (Argentina) – Valencia
Ricardo BERTONI (Argentina) – Independiente Avellaneda
Juan Carlos OBLITAS (Peru) – Sporting Cristal
Oscar ORTIZ (Argentina) – River Plate
Enzo FERRERO (Argentina) – Sporting Gijon
Eugenio MOREL (Paraguay) – Libertad
JOAOZINHO (Brazil) - Cruzeiro

 

Thank you once again for such TOP-CLASS info, "sioux"...

 

How come Luis Perreira is not named in this list and why is he named in 1980s ? He won top 5 South American Footballer of the year 3 times in row between 1974 - 1976).

 

In the mid-70s, i placed Luis Pereira 2nd to Figueroa.
And in the late 70s, i placed 2nd to Passarella.
I also think that in his european years, Luis Pereira played more a sweeper or free defensive role than in his brazilian years.

Finally in the early 80s, he was still top-10 material among SA defenders.

Thanks for your inputs, mate.

 

Do you think who is better between Roberto Perfumo and Luis Perreira ?

 

It's really a close close one, IMO. Two different kind of CBs.

Perfumo is one of the most underated defenders. His peak was in 2nd mid 60s (arguably 3 world class years). After WC'74 returned to play in River and had 2 great years (at least 1 world class).

At his best, he was a rock, a "one-army defender", i mean he can covered all his teammates when counter-attacks comes. Fast, strong, very combative and athletic defender.


Luis Pereira, was the best SA defender, behind Figueroa, in mid 70s. He also won POY award in La Liga one season (76-77 ). In competition w/Cruyff, Pirri, Neeskens, Netzer, Breitner, etc.

He was the technical-type of defender, with awesome ofensive duties for a defender (dribling, passing, breaking-lines, etc.). But also, very good as a defender role.

 

It's really a close close one, IMO. Two different kind of CBs.

Perfumo is one of the most underated defenders. His peak was in 2nd mid 60s (arguably 3 world class years). After WC'74 returned to play in River and had 2 great years (at least 1 world class).

At his best, he was a rock, a "one-army defender", i mean he can covered all his teammates when counter-attacks comes. Fast, strong, very combative and athletic defender.


Luis Pereira, was the best SA defender, behind Figueroa, in mid 70s. He also won POY award in La Liga one season (76-77 ). In competition w/Cruyff, Pirri, Neeskens, Netzer, Breitner, etc.


He was the technical-type of defender, with awesome ofensive duties for a defender (dribling, passing, breaking-lines, etc.). But also, very good as a defender role.

Very good info and I could conclude from your opinion that Perfumo is slightly better than Perreira in defensive quality while Perreira is a better technical defender ?

 

Friend, in late 70s you put in the category of Mid Attacking to a Chilean Carlos Rivas, who does not transcend to my taste. At that time Carlos Reinoso was much greater. Reinoso did great to the America de Mexico with whom he won the first CONCACAF Champions League for the club and especially the first Interamericana Cup in Mexico against Boca Junior.

Is still remembered his with a free kick goal with which a Mexican club, was titled champion of all America for the first time in history.

April 14, 1978
ZRYPgrCCKMM
Carlos Reinoso consolidates by make great at America of Mexico FC.

Another issue that remains is to remember in the category of Attacking Mid (Early 70s), at the great player Francisco "chamaco" Valdés. Despite being Attacking Mid and not a striker, the "chamaco" is the top one scorer in the Chilean league and in total made ​​275 goals and that is a very high number for a midfielder.

S0hl1h_rvfU
Both Valdes and the lefty Reinoso are the two greatest creative midfielders in the history of my country.

 

I could say, yes

Pereira has more recognition because he played in La Liga and shined there!
La Liga rankings

Perfumo had these world class seasons in Argentine league:
1975, 1969 and probably 1968 & 1967.
Rated as International class:
1976, arguably 1966 & one season for Cruzeiro.
El Grafico rankings