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Brazil

Federative Republic of Brazil South America Brasilia 202,656,788 inhabitants 8,514,877 sq km 23.80 inhabitants/sq km reals (BRL) population evolution

Famous people from Brazil

Here is a list of famous people from Brazil. Curious if anybody from Brazil made it our most famous people in the world list? Read the aformentioned article in order to find out.

Neymar

Soccer Midfielder

Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, commonly known as Neymar, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for La Liga club FC Barcelona and the Brazilian national team, as a forward or winger. At the age of 19, Neymar won the 2011 South American Footballer of the Year award, after coming third in 2010. He followed this up by winning it again in 2012. In 2011 Neymar received nominations for the FIFA Ballon d'Or, where he came 10th, and the FIFA Puskás Award, which he won. He is known for his acceleration, speed, dribbling, finishing and ability with both feet. His playing style has earned him critical acclaim, with fans, media and former players drawing comparison to former Brazil player Pelé, who has called Neymar "an excellent player". Neymar joined Santos in 2003 and, after rising through the ranks, was promoted to their first team squad. He made his debut for Santos in 2009, and was voted the Best Young Player of the 2009 Campeonato Paulista. Further honours followed, with Neymar being voted best player as Santos won the 2010 Campeonato Paulista, and also being top scorer in the 2010 Copa do Brasil with 11 goals. He finished the 2010 season with 42 goals in 60 games as his club achieved the Double. Neymar was again voted best player of the year in 2011 as his side retained the state title and Santos also winning the 2011 Copa Libertadores in which Neymar scored 6 goals in 13 appearances. He also played a key role in securing a Continental Double for his team, Santos' first since 1963. He received the Bronze Ball in the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup, with Santos making it to the final, where they were defeated 4–0 by Barcelona.

Ronaldo

Soccer

Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima commonly known as Ronaldo, is a retired Brazilian footballer. Popularly dubbed "the phenomenon", he is considered by experts and fans to be one of the greatest football players of all time. In 2011, he was voted Goal.com's "Player of the Decade" in an online poll of the Spanish version of the website, gathering 29.55% of all votes. He won his first Ballon d'Or as the European Footballer of the Year in 1997 and won the award again in 2002. He is one of only three men to have won the FIFA Player of the Year award three times, along with Zinedine Zidane and Lionel Messi. Considered by many the most complete striker in the past thirty years, in 2007 he was named a member of the best starting eleven of all-time by France Football and was named to the FIFA 100, a list of the greatest footballers compiled by Pelé. In 2010, he was voted Goal.com's "Player of the Decade" in an online poll, gathering 43.63 percent of all votes and was also included as centre forward in the "Team of the Decade". On 23 February 2010, Ronaldo announced that he would retire after the 2011 season, signing a two-year contract extension with Corinthians at the same time.

Ayrton Senna

Racing driver

Ayrton Senna da Silva was a Brazilian racing driver who won three Formula One world championships. He was killed in an accident while leading the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. He remains the last driver fatality in Formula One. Senna began his motorsport career in karting, moving up to open-wheel racing in 1981, and winning the British Formula 3 championship in 1983. He made his Formula One debut with Toleman-Hart in 1984 before moving to Lotus-Renault the following year and winning six Grands Prix over the next three seasons. In 1988, he joined Frenchman Alain Prost at McLaren-Honda. Between them, they won all but one of the 16 Grands Prix that year and Senna claimed his first World Championship. Prost claimed the championship in 1989, and Senna his second and third championships in 1990 and 1991. In 1992, the Williams-Renault combination began to dominate Formula One. Senna nonetheless managed to finish the 1993 season as runner-up, winning five races and negotiating a move to Williams in 1994. Senna has often been voted as one of the greatest Formula One drivers of all time in various motorsport polls. He was recognised for his qualifying speed over one lap and from 1989 until 2006 held the record for most pole positions. He was also acclaimed for his wet weather performances, such as the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix, the 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix, and the 1993 European Grand Prix. He holds a record six victories at the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix, and is the third most successful driver of all time in terms of race wins. Senna courted controversy throughout his career, particularly during his turbulent rivalry with Alain Prost. Both the 1989 Championship won by Prost and the 1990 Championship won by Senna were decided by collisions between the pair at those years' Japanese Grands Prix.

Kaká

Soccer Midfielder

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, commonly known as Kaká or Ricardo Kakà, is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder who currently plays for Italian Serie A club Milan and the Brazilian national team. Kaká started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club. At the time, he also played tennis, and it was not until he moved on to São Paulo FC and signed his first professional contract with the club at the age of 15 that he chose to focus on football. In 2003 he joined Milan for a fee of €8.5 million. While at Milan, Kaká won the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards in 2007. After his success with Milan, Kaká joined Real Madrid for a transfer fee of €65 million. At the time, this was the second highest transfer fee ever, behind only the €75 million fee for Zinedine Zidane. In addition to his contributions on the pitch, Kaká is known for his humanitarian work. In 2004, by the time of his appointment, he became the youngest ambassador of the UN World Food Programme. Kaká was the first sportsperson to amass 10 million followers on Twitter.

Pelé

Soccer

Pele, is almost universally regarded as the greatest player in the history of football. Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in the Minas Gerais region of Brazil, Pele emerged on to the international stage at the 1958 World Cup, at the age of just 17. He went on to win three winners medals in football's most important tournament. Pele remains Brazil's record goal scorer and netted more than 1,000 goals in all during his career. Today he is a businessman and global ambassador for what he once called "the beautiful game". He was awarded the title Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee.

Anderson Silva

Martial Artist

Anderson da Silva is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and former UFC Middleweight Champion. Silva holds the longest title defense streak in UFC history, which ended in 2013 with 16 consecutive wins and 10 title defenses. He has 12 post-fight bonus awards. Silva is ranked as the #2 middleweight in the world by multiple publications including Sherdog and is the consensus No. 1 pound-for-pound mixed martial arts fighter in the world according to ESPN, Sherdog, Yahoo! Sports and other publications. UFC president Dana White and other publications have called Silva the greatest mixed martial artist of all time.

Pepe

Soccer

Képler Laveran Lima Ferreira, commonly known as Pepe, is a professional footballer who plays for Real Madrid in La Liga and the Portuguese national team, mainly as a central defender. During his professional career he played for Marítimo, Porto and Real Madrid, with individual and team success with the latter two clubs. Born in Brazil, Pepe represented Portugal at international level, playing at the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships.

Paulo Coelho

Novelist

Paulo Coelho is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist. He has become one of the most widely read authors in the world today. He is the recipient of numerous international awards, amongst them the Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum. The Alchemist, his most famous novel, has been translated to 80 languages. The author has sold 150 million copies worldwide.

Felipe Massa

Racing driver

Felipe Massa is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver, currently driving for Ferrari. Massa started his career in go-karting from the age of eight continuing in national and regional championships for seven years. He moved into Formula Chevrolet and claimed the championship. He moved in Italian Formula Renault in 2000 and won the title along with the European championship. Massa went into Euro Formula 3000 taking the championship. Massa started his Formula One career with Sauber before joining Ferrari as a test driver for 2003. He returned to Sauber for 2004 and 2005 before rejoining Ferrari where he won two races in 2006 including his home Grand Prix becoming the first Brazilian since Ayrton Senna to win the Brazilian Grand Prix. Massa won three races in 2007, finishing 4th in the Drivers' Championship. He finished second in the 2008 Drivers' World Championship after a long title battle with Lewis Hamilton. At the 2009 Hungarian Grand Prix, Massa was injured by a suspension spring off the Brawn GP car of Rubens Barrichello. Massa was forced to miss the rest of the season but returned in 2010. Massa suffered a dip in form in 2011 scoring no podiums but consistently scoring points. Massa contributed to Ferrari's Constructors Championships in 2007 and 2008 and is under contract to race for the team until the end of the 2013 season. On 10 September 2013, he confirmed he will be leaving Ferrari at the end of the 2013 season.

Robinho

Soccer Midfielder

Robson de Souza, more commonly known as Robinho, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Italian Serie A club Milan. He is known for his ball control, attacking instinct and speed. In 1999, at only 15 years of age, Robinho was personally picked by Brazil legend Pelé as his heir apparent and went on to lead Santos FC to their first Campeonato Brasileiro title since Pelé himself played for the club. Since then, he has won a second title with Santos and two more with Spanish club Real Madrid. He won the Italian Serie A title in his first season at Milan. Robinho has won one Copa América title and two Confederations Cups with the Brazilian national team, and played at two World Cups.

Roberto Carlos

Soccer Midfielder

Roberto Carlos da Silva Rocha, more commonly known simply as Roberto Carlos, is a retired Brazilian footballer and coach who currently manages Sivasspor in Süper Lig. Roberto Carlos started his career in Brazil as a forward but spent most of his career as a left back and has been described as the "most offensive-minded left back in the history of the game". He started playing for Brazil in 1992 and was a member of the Brazil national team in three World Cups, helping the team reach the final in 1998 and win the 2002 tournament. He was nicknamed el hombre bala due to his powerful free kicks, which have been measured at over 105mph. He is also known for his running speed, long throw ins and 24 inch thighs. In August 2012, he announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 39.

Hulk

Soccer Midfielder

Givanildo Vieira de Souza, commonly known as Hulk, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Zenit Saint Petersburg, as a striker or winger. After starting out professionally with Vitória and playing three years in Japan, he went on to play several seasons in Portugal with Porto, winning ten major titles – including the 2011 Europa League and three national championships – and being crowned the league's top scorer once. Hulk made his international debut in 2009, and played for Brazil at the 2012 Summer Olympics as one of the three permitted overage players.

Daniel Alves

Soccer

Daniel Alves da Silva, commonly known as Dani Alves, is a Brazilian footballer. He plays as an offensive right defender for FC Barcelona and the Brazilian national team. Before joining Barcelona, Alves spent a successful six-year spell with Sevilla FC, winning two UEFA Cups and the Copa del Rey with the Andalusian side. He joined Barcelona for €32.5 million, becoming the third-most expensive defender of all time. He won the Treble in his first season with the club and in the next season, he won the Spanish Super Cup, European Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup. Also, he helped the club to clinch another Spanish Super Cup, two league titles, and a UEFA Champions League in the years that followed. Alves has held a Spanish passport since 2005. On 29 September 2011, Alves was appointed as a Special Olympics Ambassador for its Global Football program, charged with promoting respect and inclusion in football for people with intellectual disabilities, particularly in the run up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

David Luiz

Soccer Midfielder

David Luiz Moreira Marinho, known as David Luiz, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Chelsea in the Premier League and as vice-captain for the Brazil national team. Primarily a central defender, he can also be deployed as a left back and a defensive midfielder. After starting out at Vitória, he moved to Benfica at the age of 19, remaining with the club five seasons. He joined Chelsea in January 2011, winning the Champions League and the FA Cup in the following season.

Gisele Bündchen

Supermodel

Gisele Bndchen was born in July 20, 1980 in the town of Horizontina in Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil. Shes a super model that has been the face for more than 20 brands like Nivea, Colcci (Brazilian Brand) Christian Dior and Victorias Secret among others. Gisele was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the Worlds Richest Model and Forbes called her the Best Paid Model of all time. As a child she wanted to be a Volleyball player but then in 1993 she joined a modeling course with her sisters and then in 1994 while in a school excursion in a shopping mall in Porto Alegre, Brazil she was discovered by a modeling agency. Her first time appearing as a model was in a national contest Elite Look of the Year, where she got the second place. Then in 1996 she moved to New York City to pursuit her modeling career and debuted at the Fashion Week. Gisele owns a footwear brand for women called Ipanema and she owns a Hotel in Rio Grande do Sul: Palladium Executive Flat. As well a being a model Gisele has had experience working in movies such as Taxi and had a small part in The Devil Wears Prada.

Caetano Veloso

Música Popular Brasileira Artist

Caetano Emanuel Viana Teles Veloso, better known as Caetano Veloso, is a Brazilian composer, singer, guitarist, writer, and political activist. Veloso first became known for his participation in the Brazilian musical movement Tropicalismo, which encompassed theatre, poetry and music in the 1960s, at the beginning of the Brazilian military dictatorship. He has remained a constant creative influence and best-selling performing artist and composer ever since. Veloso has won nine Latin Grammy Awards and two Grammy Awards. On November 14, 2012, Veloso was honored as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year. Veloso was one of seven children born into the family of José Teles Velloso, a government official, and Claudionor Viana Teles Velloso, a housewife. He was born in the city of Santo Amaro da Purificação, in Bahia, a state in the northeastern area of Brazil, but moved to Salvador, the state capital, as a college student in the mid-1960s. Soon after the move, Veloso won a music contest and was signed to his first label. He became one of the founders of Tropicalismo with a group of several other musicians and artists—including his sister Maria Bethânia—in the same period. However the Brazilian government at the time viewed Veloso's music and political action as threatening, and he was arrested, along with fellow musician Gilberto Gil, in 1969. The two eventually were exiled from Brazil, and went to London, where they lived for two years. After he moved back to his home country, in 1972, Veloso once again began recording and performing, becoming popular outside of Brazil in the 1980s and 1990s.

Adriana Lima

Supermodel

Adriana Francesca Lima is a Brazilian model and actress who is best known as a Victoria's Secret Angel since 2000, and as a spokesmodel for Maybelline cosmetics from 2003 to 2009. At the age of 15, Lima finished first in Ford's "Supermodel of Brazil" competition, and took second place the following year in the Ford "Supermodel of the World" competition before signing with Elite Model Management in New York City. In 2012, she came in 4th on the Forbes top-earning models list, estimated to have earned $7.3 million in one year. She is married to Serbian basketball player Marko Jarić, with whom she has two daughters.

Rubens Barrichello

Racing driver

Rubens Gonçalves "Rubinho" Barrichello is a racing driver from Brazil, best known for competing in Formula One between 1993 and 2011. After losing his seat at the Williams F1 team, Barrichello moved to the IndyCar Series in 2012 with KV Racing Technology. After only one year and being unable to find a ride for the 2013 season, Barrichello moved back to Brazil to participate in the Brazilian Stock Car V8 Series. Barrichello has scored the tenth highest points total in Formula One history. Barrichello drove for Ferrari from 2000 to 2005, as Michael Schumacher's teammate, enjoying considerable success including finishing as championship runner-up in 2002 and 2004. Schumacher's retirement at the end of 2006 made Barrichello the most experienced driver on the grid, and at the 2008 Turkish Grand Prix he became the most experienced driver in F1 history. He became the first driver to reach 300 Grand Prix entries and 300 starts, doing so in 2010. He was also appointed chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association in 2010, but after losing his seat in Formula One, he was replaced by Pedro de la Rosa. In 2013 he started covering F1 race weekends for Brazil's TV Globo, interviewing drivers and team members on the grid and commenting during qualifying and race coverages.

Adriano Leite Ribeiro

Soccer

Adriano Leite Ribeiro, commonly known as simply Adriano, is a Brazilian footballer who last played for Flamengo. A striker, Adriano's career has been marked by inconsistency: despite having won four scudettos, a FIFA Confederations Cup and a Copa América, he also has the most "wins" of the Bidone d'Oro award, given to the worst player of the year in the Italian Serie A.

Romário

Politician

Romário de Souza Faria, better known simply as Romário, is a former footballer who played striker, manager and current politician. He helped the Brazil national team win the 1994 FIFA World Cup and was one of the most prolific strikers in the world. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time. He won FIFA World Player of the Year and World Cup Golden Ball in 1994. He also was chosen as forward on FIFA Dream Team of the history of World Cups and named as one of the Top 125 greatest living footballers as part of FIFA's 100th anniversary celebration. Playing for PSV Eindhoven, he managed to be top scorer of 1989-90 European Cup and 1992–93 UEFA Champions League. He is also known as one of very few strikers to surpass the mark of 1,000 goals, and the second most prolific goalscorer in the history of football.

Alexandre Pato

Soccer

Alexandre Rodrigues da Silva, commonly known as Alexandre Pato or just Pato, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Sport Club Corinthians Paulista and the Brazilian national team. His nickname, Pato, is a play on his place of birth, Pato Branco, with the literal translation of "pato" from Portuguese to English being "duck".

Tony Kanaan

Racing driver

Antoine Rizkallah Kanaan Filho, commonly known as Tony Kanaan is a Brazilian race car driver. Kanaan won the 2013 Indianapolis 500 and the 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series championship. His Indycar Series championship came while driving Andretti Green Racing's 7-Eleven sponsored car, winning three times in his Honda-powered Dallara. That season he completed 3,305 laps, making him the first IndyCar Series driver to complete every possible lap in a season. He also led 889 laps in 13 separate races to establish an IndyCar Series record. Kanaan is also the only driver to lead the Indianapolis 500 in each of his first seven starts, and won his first Indy 500 in 2013 on his 12th attempt. He has a total of 15 IRL race victories. Kanaan was released from Andretti Autosport in October 2010 after 7-Eleven announced it would not return as his primary sponsor in 2011. After initially signing on with de Ferran Dragon Racing, the team shut down when sponsorship did not materialize. Kanaan currently drives the #11 for KV Racing Technology.

Rivaldo

Soccer

Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira, known as Rivaldo, is a Brazilian professional footballer who currently plays for São Caetano. He plays as an attacking midfielder and sometimes as a supporting striker. He played for five years with Spanish club FC Barcelona, with whom he won the 1998 and 1999 Spanish La Liga championship and the 1998 Copa del Rey. Between 1993 and 2003, Rivaldo played 74 matches and scored 34 goals for the Brazil national football team and was an integral part of the 2002 FIFA World Cup winning team. He is an inductee to the Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame. In 1999, Rivaldo was honoured as FIFA World Player of the Year, Ballon d'Or winner and European Footballer of the Year. He was named by Pelé as one of the 125 Greatest Living Footballers at a FIFA Awards Ceremony in 2004. He is the president of Mogi Mirim Esporte Clube in his native Brazil.

Gustavo Kuerten

Tennis Player

Gustavo Kuerten is a retired former World No. 1 tennis player from Brazil. He won the French Open three times, and was the Tennis Masters Cup champion in 2000, becoming the only player to defeat Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi in the same major tournament. Kuerten suffered many problems with injuries which led him to miss a number of tournaments between 2002 and 2005. After a few failed attempts of comebacks, he retired from top-level tennis in May 2008. Kuerten is also known as "Guga", an affectionate nickname which is a common abbreviation of the name "Gustavo" in Portuguese-speaking countries. He is a polyglot who speaks fluent Portuguese, Spanish, English, and French.

Thiago Silva

Soccer

Thiago Emiliano da Silva, commonly known as Thiago Silva, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a central defender for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazilian national team.

Júlio César Soares Espíndola

Soccer

Júlio César Soares de Espíndola, commonly known as simply Júlio César, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Queens Park Rangers in the Championship. He also represents the Brazilian national team, having won 75 international caps, and appeared at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He spent seven years at Italian club Internazionale, where he won five Scudetti, the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League and the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup. He was awarded the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year title in both 2009 and 2010, and was nominated for the 2009 Ballon d'Or, where he was voted into 21st place.

Deco

Soccer Midfielder

Anderson Luís de Souza, OIH, commonly known as Deco, is a retired Brazilian-born Portuguese professional footballer who last played for Fluminense. Deco is one of the few players to have won the UEFA Champions League with two different clubs – FC Porto in 2004 and FC Barcelona in 2006. He was named UEFA Club Footballer of the Year and UEFA Best Midfielder in Porto's Champions League-winning season and was named Man of the Match in the 2003–04 Champions League final. Deco was the first player to win the UEFA Best Midfielder Award with two different clubs, Porto and Barcelona. He was awarded the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball and the Man of the Match award in the final despite losing to Internacional. Deco received Portuguese citizenship in 2002 having completed five years of Portuguese residence, subsequently opting to play internationally for the Portugal national football team. He earned 75 caps for them, playing at two European Championships and two World Cups. Deco announced his retirement on 26 August 2013, following a hamstring injury.

Gilberto Gil

Música Popular Brasileira Artist

Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira, better known as Gilberto Gil or, is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter, known for both his musical innovation and political commitment. From 2003 to 2008, he served as Brazil's Minister of Culture in the administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Gil's musical style incorporates an eclectic range of influences, including Rock music, Brazilian genres including samba, African music, and reggae. Gil started to play music as a child and was still a teenager when he joined his first band. He began his career as a bossa nova musician, and then grew to write songs that reflected a focus on political awareness and social activism. He was a key figure in the Música Popular Brasileira and tropicália movements of the 1960s, alongside artists such as longtime collaborator Caetano Veloso. The Brazilian military regime that took power in 1964 saw both Gil and Veloso as a threat, and the two were held for nine months in 1969 before they were told to leave the country. Gil moved to London, but returned to state of Bahia in 1972 and continued his musical career, as well as working as a politician and environmental advocate.

Chico Buarque

Música Popular Brasileira Artist

Francisco "Chico" Buarque de Hollanda, popularly known as Chico Buarque, is a singer, guitarist, composer, dramatist, writer and poet. He is best known for his music, which often includes social, economic and cultural commentary on Brazil and Rio de Janeiro in particular. Son of the academic Sérgio Buarque de Hollanda, Buarque lived in several locations throughout his childhood, though mostly in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Italy. He wrote and studied literature as a child and came to music through the bossa nova compositions of Tom Jobim and João Gilberto. He performed music throughout the 1960s as well as writing a play that was deemed dangerous by the Brazilian military dictatorship of the time. Buarque, along with several of his fellow musicians, were threatened by the government and eventually left Brazil in 1970. He moved to Italy again. However, he came back to Brazil in 1971, one year before the others, and continued to record albums, perform, and write, though much of his material was not allowed by government censors. He released several more albums in the 1980s and published three novels in the 1990s and 2000s, all of which were acclaimed critically.

Juninho Pernambucano

Soccer Midfielder

Antônio Augusto Ribeiro Reis Jr., commonly known as Juninho or Juninho Pernambucano, is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for Vasco da Gama in Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. He is considered as the greatest free kick specialist of all time. Juninho led Olympique Lyonnais to seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles before leaving the club in 2009 while scoring 100 goals in 350 official games for Lyon, and six goals in 40 games for the Brazilian national team. He retired from international football after the 2006 World Cup. Juninho began his senior career in Sport and earnt acclaim as a free kick specialist. Juninho's dead-ball curling technique is famously used by Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Gareth Bale, Neymar, Ronaldinho, and Andrea Pirlo, and has been used by David Beckham as well.

Luiz Felipe Scolari

Soccer

Luiz Felipe Scolari, ComIH, also known as Felipão in Brazil and as Big Phil in the English-speaking world, is a World Cup-winning Brazilian football manager and former defender. He is currently the manager of the Brazil national team. He also served as the manager of the Portuguese national team from 12 July 2003 to 30 June 2008. As Portugal's manager, he led them to the UEFA Euro 2004 Final, which they lost 1–0 to Greece in an upset, as well as leading them to a fourth place in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Scolari also led Portugal in Euro 2008, but resigned after Portugal lost 3–2 to Germany in the second round. He was succeeded by Carlos Queiroz on 5 July 2008.

Fred

Soccer

Frederico Chaves Guedes, better known by his nickname Fred, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a striker for Brazilian Série A side Fluminense and the Brazil national team. Fred began his career at América Mineiro before transferring to local rivals Cruzeiro in 2004. After two seasons there, he moved to Lyon of France in a protracted transfer saga, and won three consecutive Ligue 1 titles. He made his international debut for Brazil in 2005 and was selected for the 2006 World Cup, and was also part of their victories at the 2007 Copa América and the 2013 Confederations Cup. Fred scored the fastest goal in professional football history while playing for América Mineiro, against Vila Nova during a Copa São Paulo de Juniores match. The goal was scored 3.17 seconds after the match started.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

Politician

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, known popularly as Lula, is a former Brazilian President. He was a founding member of the Workers' Party and ran for president three times unsuccessfully, first in the 1989 election, then again in 1994 and 1998. Lula achieved victory in the 2002 election, and was inaugurated as president on 1 January 2003. In the 2006 election he was elected for a second term as president, which ended on 1 January 2011. He was succeeded by his former Chief of Staff, Dilma Rousseff. He is often regarded as one of the most popular politicians in the history of Brazil and, at the time of his mandate, one of the most popular in the world. Social programs like Bolsa Família and Fome Zero are hallmarks of his time in office. Lula played a prominent role in recent international relations developments, including the Nuclear program of Iran and global warming, and was described as "a man with audacious ambitions to alter the balance of power among nations." He was featured in Time's The 100 Most Influential People in the World for 2010, and has been called "the most successful politician of his time."

Diego Ribas da Cunha

Soccer

Diego Ribas da Cunha, commonly known as just Diego, is an international Brazilian footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for VfL Wolfsburg in the German Bundesliga. He is a playmaker known for his pinpoint passes, back-heelers, overhead kicks and a whole box of other tricks as well as his scoring abilities.

Zico

Soccer

Arthur Antunes Coimbra, better known as Zico, is a Brazilian coach and former footballer. Often called the "White Pelé", he is commonly considered one of the most skilled finishers and one of the best passers ever and possibly the world's best player of the late 70's and early 80's. He is also considered as one of history's greatest playmakers and free kick specialists, able to bend the ball in all directions with pace. The gifted midfielder was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004. Also according to Pelé, generally considered the best footballer ever, "throughout the years, the one player that came closest to me was Zico". Zico scored 48 goals in 71 international matches for Brazil, and represented them in the 1978, 1982 and 1986 World Cups. They did not win any of those tournaments, even though the 1982 squad is considered one of the greatest Brazilian national squads ever. Zico is often considered one of the best players in football history not to have been on a World Cup winning squad. He was chosen 1981 and 1983 Player of the Year. Zico has coached the Japanese national team, appearing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup and winning the Asian Cup 2004, and Fenerbahçe, who were a quarter-finalist in 2007–08 in the Champions League under his command. He was announced as the head coach of CSKA Moscow in January 2009. On 16 September 2009, Zico was signed by Greek side Olympiacos for a two-year contract after the club's previous coach, Temuri Ketsbaia, was sacked. He was fired four months later, on 19 January 2010. On 30 May 2010, Zico announced that he would become the new Soccer Executive/Director for Flamengo, coming back to the team where he won his most important honors after 25 years. One of his demands is that his salary won't be paid by the club. Instead, it will be paid by Flamengo's sponsors such as Olympikus and BMG. His contract is for four years. British grunge/alternative metal band Zico Chain is named after him.

Emerson Fittipaldi

Racing driver

Emerson Fittipaldi is a Brazilian automobile racing driver who in the course of a long and successful career won the Formula One World Championship and Indianapolis 500 twice each and the CART championship once.

Paulinho

Soccer Midfielder

José Paulo Bezerra Maciel Júnior, commonly known as Paulinho, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur and the Brazil national team. Paulinho has been described as a box-to-box midfielder, with powerful running and good movement into the box. He possess the ability to push his side forward from midfield to supplement his strong defensive work. Paulinho also offers a useful presence in set piece situations at both ends of the pitch.

Sérgio Mendes

Bossa nova Artist

Sérgio Santos Mendes is a Brazilian musician. He has over fifty-five releases, and plays bossa nova heavily crossed with jazz and funk. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2012 as co-writer of the song "Real In Rio" from the animated film Rio. Mendes is married to Gracinha Leporace, who has performed with her husband since the early 1970s. He has collaborated with many artists through the years, including the Black Eyed Peas, with whom he re-recorded a version of his original breakthrough hit "Mas Que Nada".

Nelson Piquet

Racing driver

Nelson Piquet Souto Maior, known as Nelson Piquet, is a Brazilian former racing driver and businessman. Since his retirement, Piquet has been ranked among the greatest Formula One drivers in various motorsport polls. Piquet had a brief career in tennis before losing interest in the sport and subsequently took up karting and hid his identity to prevent his father discovering his hobby. He became the Brazilian national karting champion in 1971-72 and won the Formula Vee championship in 1976. With advice from Emerson Fittipaldi, Piquet went to Europe to further success by taking the record number of wins in Formula Three in 1978, defeating Jackie Stewart's all-time record. In the same year, he made his Formula One debut with the Ensign team and drove for McLaren and Brabham. In 1979, Piquet moved to the Brabham team and finished the runner-up in 1980 before winning the championship in 1981. Piquet's poor performances in 1982 saw a resurgence for 1983 and his second world championship. For 1984-85, Piquet had once again lost chances to win the championship but managed to score three wins during that period. He moved to the Williams team in 1986 and was a title contender until the final round in Australia. Piquet took his third and final championship in 1987 during a heated battle with team-mate Nigel Mansell which left the pair's relationship sour. Piquet subsequently moved to Lotus for 1988-89 where he experienced his third drop in form. He eventually went to the Benetton team for 1990-91 where he managed to win three races before retiring.

Michel Teló

Latin pop Artist

Michel Teló is a Brazilian sertanejo singer-songwriter. Before his solo act, he was a lead singer in various bands, most notably Grupo Tradição. His biggest national and international hit is "Ai Se Eu Te Pego!", a number one in most European countries, Latin America, and Quebec.

Alessandra Ambrosio

Supermodel

Alessandra Corine Ambrósio is a Brazilian model. Ambrosio is best known for her work with Victoria's Secret and was chosen as the first spokesmodel for the company's "PINK" line. Ambrosio is currently one of the Victoria's Secret Angels and has modeled for brands such as Next, Armani Exchange, Christian Dior, and Ralph Lauren. Ambrosio serves as an ambassador for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Ambrosio was also selected by AskMen.com as Number 2 out of the "Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2008". In 2012, she came in 6th on the Forbes top-earning models list, estimated to have earned $6.6 million in one year.

Willian Borges da Silva

Soccer Midfielder

Willian Borges da Silva, known as Willian, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for English club Chelsea. He was born in Brazil, and started his career at Corinthians, before joining Shakhtar in August 2007 for a fee of €14 million. Willian has also represented Brazil.

Alexsandro de Souza

Soccer Midfielder

Alexsandro de Souza, commonly known as Alex, is a Brazilian footballer. He is a former captain of the Brazilian national team and Fenerbahçe, he has also played for Coritiba, Palmeiras, Flamengo and Cruzeiro in Brazil and Parma in Serie A. Alex first played professionally for Coritiba, a Brazilian football club from the state of Paraná, where he stayed from 1995-97, when he was sold to Palmeiras, from São Paulo. When he was playing for Palmeiras where he became a national star, in Brazil. He conquered for the Parque Antárctica club a Libertadores da América cup title, in 1999, a Rio-São Paulo cup title in 2000 and a Copa do Brasil title and a Mercosul cup title in 1998. He left Palmeiras and signed with Flamengo, of Rio de Janeiro in 2000. His performance for the Gávea team, however, was disappointing. He scored three times in twelve games and had his contract terminated. In 2000, he returned to Palmeiras for a few months and then signed with Cruzeiro, where he stayed until 2002, when he returned to Palmeiras. After another great season, Alex was sold to Parma, of Italy. There he had a hard time with coach Cesare Prandelli, and eventually returned to Cruzeiro, after playing only friendly matches for the Italian team. At Cruzeiro Alex had the best performance in his career. Made team captain and wearing jersey number 10, he led his team to winning the Brazilian triple crown. Cruzeiro won the Brazilian League with a record breaking 100 points, 13 ahead of the second place, Santos, with more than 100 goals scored in 46 games.

Luiz Gustavo

Soccer Midfielder

Luiz Gustavo Dias is a Brazilian football defender and defensive midfielder. He currently plays for Wolfsburg and the Brazil national team. Gustavo began his career as a left back, but has played mostly as a defensive midfielder and a centre back in Germany.

Jessie Rogers

Pornographic actor

Jessie Rogers is a Brazilian former pornographic actress.

Rodolfo Abrantes

Singer

Rodolfo Gonçalves Leite de Abrantes is a Brazilian hardcore punk singer and electric guitar player. He was the vocalist and former leader of the Brazilian bands Raimundos and Rodox and now he is a solo gospel artist.

Félix Monti

Cinematographer

Félix Monti is an award-winning Argentine film cinematographer. Two of his films have been critically well received: The Official Story and The Holy Girl.

Les Weldon

Screenwriter

Les Weldon is an actor, a film producer and a screenwriter.

Mariza Leão

Film writer

Mariza Leão is a film producer and editor.

Leticia Giffoni

TV Editor

Leticia Giffoni is a film editor.

Luís Fabiano

Soccer

Luís Fabiano Clemente Palomino, commonly known as Luís Fabiano, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for São Paulo FC as a striker. Luís Fabiano is a prolific goalscorer and was ranked the highest scoring Brazilian of the 21st century by IFFHS.

Lyoto Machida

Martial Artist

Lyoto Carvalho Machida is a Japanese-Brazilian mixed martial artist from Salvador, Brazil who fights as a Middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. He is currently ranked as the #5 Light Heavyweight contender in the official UFC fighter rankings.

Rogério Ceni

Soccer

Rogério Mücke Ceni is a Brazilian footballer who plays for São Paulo FC as a goalkeeper. Most of his professional career, which has spanned more than two decades, is associated with São Paulo FC, with which he has won 17 major titles, including three Brazilian Leagues and two Copa Libertadores. He has also scored more than 111 goals during his career, with all of them coming from penalties and free kicks, becoming the first and only player in his position to reach that milestone. Recognized by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics as the goalkeeper to have scored the most goals in the history of football, surpassing José Luis Chilavert in 2006, Ceni represented Brazil at two World Cups.

Amon Tobin

Electronica Artist

Amon Adonai Santos de Araújo Tobin, known as Amon Tobin, is a Brazilian musician, composer and producer of electronic music. He is described as a virtuoso sound designer and is considered to be one of the most influential electronic music artists in the world. He is noted for his unusual methodology in sound design and music production. He has released seven major studio albums under the London-based Ninja Tune record label. In 2007 he released Foley Room, an album based entirely on the manipulation of field recordings. His latest album, 2011's ISAM, included "female" vocals made from his own processed voice. His music has been used in numerous major motion pictures including The Italian Job and 21. Tobin has created songs for several independent films, including the 2006 Hungarian film Taxidermia, and had his music used in other independent films such as the 2002 Cannes Palme d'Or nominated Divine Intervention. A selection of his tracks were featured in commercial bumps on Toonami and in the 2005 anime IGPX, and he produced the musical scores to critically acclaimed video games Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory by Ubisoft in 2005, and Sucker Punch's Infamous in 2009.

Diego da Silva Costa

Soccer Midfielder

Diego da Silva Costa is a Brazilian-born Spanish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Atlético Madrid and the Spanish national football team. He had also played for Brazil before pledging his future to Spain. He never played professionally in his country, spending his career at several Portuguese and Spanish clubs before signing for Atlético Madrid for the second time in 2010, where he has played a key part in their attack.

Marcelo Vieira

Soccer

Marcelo Vieira da Silva Júnior is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. Marcelo is said to be gifted with great technical ability, a fierce shot, and good passing. Mainly a left back, he can also operate as a left winger. He is very often compared to Roberto Carlos, who himself said Marcelo was his heir, the world's best left back and that "Marcelo possesses a better technical ability than me". After his breakthrough season, Marcelo was praised by football legends such as Paolo Maldini and Diego Maradona, who also called him the best in his position.

Vágner Love

Soccer

Vágner Silva De Souza, commonly known as Vágner Love, is a Brazilian football striker who plays for Shandong Luneng. A talented forward who has been described by World Soccer Magazine as possessing "mobility, flair, awareness and powerful shooting."

Wanderlei Silva

Martial Artist

Wanderlei César da Silva, nicknamed "The Axe Murderer" and "Cachorro Louco", is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, who has competed in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships and the American based Ultimate Fighting Championship. Silva is known for his aggressive fighting style with the majority of his fights ending in knockout or referee stoppage due to strikes. His style includes engaging opponents with punches and knees from the Muay Thai clinch. Silva is famous for his aggressiveness, but after the fight is over, he is known for showing respect and a sense of sportsmanship. He holds the record for the most wins, knockouts, title defenses, and longest winning streak in PRIDE history. He is the former PRIDE Middleweight Champion, and the 2003 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Tournament Champion.

Ramires

Soccer

Ramires Santos do Spajjers, commonly known as Ramires, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Chelsea and the Brazilian national team. A midfielder, he is comfortable in either the centre or the right of midfield. He has also been deployed as a defensive midfielder playing a box-to-box midfielder role because of his energy in supporting defensive and offensive play. His attacking and defensive mentality have led to comparisons to Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien. Ramires began his career playing for Royal Sport Club. In 2005, he signed for Joinville, before joining Cruzeiro, whom he spent just over two seasons with, appearing in 61 league matches and scoring 10 times. In 2009, Ramires moved to Portugal and signed for Benfica from Cruzeiro. He spent one season with Benfica in which he helped them to the Liga Sagres title, five points clear of second-placed Braga. He then joined English club Chelsea in the summer of 2010 on a four-year contract. He made his Chelsea debut in a 2–0 win against Stoke City in late August 2010 and scored his first goal in a 4–0 victory against Bolton Wanderers. Ramires is a Brazilian international. He made his Brazil debut on 6 June 2009 in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification game against Uruguay. He represented the Brazilian national team for 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification and the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. Ramires also represented his country at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and won a bronze medal.

Felipe Melo

Soccer

Felipe Melo de Carvalho is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Turkish Süper Lig club Galatasaray. Melo is a Brazilian international and played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He arrived in Europe in 2005 and had played for top division clubs likes Fiorentina, UD Almería, Racing de Santander, and RCD Mallorca. He also holds Spanish nationality since the 2007–08 season, thus not consumed by the non-EU registration quota for new signing from abroad of Serie A.

Soccer

João Alves de Assis Silva, commonly referred to as Jô, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Atlético Mineiro as a striker. He has previously played for Corinthians, CSKA Moscow, Manchester City, Everton, Galatasaray and Internacional.

Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Junior

Soccer Midfielder

Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior, known as Oscar, is a Brazilian footballer, who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Premier League club Chelsea and the Brazil national team. Oscar began his career at São Paulo FC, where he won the Brazilian Serie A in 2008. In 2009, he went to court against the club due to irregularities in his contract. After a series of controversies he left for Internacional, where he spent the next three years of his career. His displays for club and country led to him signing for Premier League club Chelsea in 2012. Oscar is a Brazil international and has represented his country at the under-20 level, at the 2012 London Olympics and at senior level. On 20 August 2011, Oscar scored three goals in the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup final win against Portugal, becoming the first player to score a hat-trick in the FIFA U-20 World Cup final. Oscar later described his performances at the tournament as being a "gateway to the senior side." He earned his first cap for the national team against Argentina. His first goal also came against Argentina in a 4–3 defeat in June 2012. In 2012, Oscar was ranked 37th in The Guardian's 100 Best Footballers.

Cafu

Soccer

Marcos Evangelista de Moraes, better known as Cafu, is a former Brazilian footballer. He is the most internationally capped male Brazilian player and also made history playing for São Paulo, Roma and Milan. He is the only player to have appeared in three World Cup finals, having won two, 1994 and 2002. Cafu was named by Pelé as one of the 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004. He is best known for his tireless overlapping runs.

Morena Baccarin

Actor

Morena Baccarin is a Brazilian American film and television actress who has played roles in several American science fiction television series: as Inara Serra in the series Firefly and the follow-up film Serenity; as Adria in the series Stargate SG-1 and the follow-up film Stargate: The Ark of Truth; and as Anna in the 2009 version of the series V. She currently co-stars as Jessica Brody in the Showtime series Homeland, for which she received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2013.

Elis Regina

Música Popular Brasileira Artist

Elis Regina Carvalho Costa, known simply as Elis Regina was an important singer of Brazilian popular music. She became nationally renowned in 1965, after singing "Arrastão" in the first edition of TV Excelsior festival song contest, and soon joined O Fino da Bossa, a television program on TV Record. Elis was noted for her perfect vocalization, as well as for her personal interpretation and outstanding performances in shows. She recorded several successful compositions, such as "Como nossos pais", "Upa Neguinho", "Madalena", "Casa no Campo", "Águas de Março", "Atrás da porta", "O bêbado e a equilibrista", "Conversando no bar", etc. Her premature death, at the age of 36, shocked Brazil. Elis Regina is widely regarded as the best Brazilian singer of all times by many critics, musicians, and commentators.

Paulo Freire

Academic

Paulo Reglus Neves Freire, Ph.D was a Brazilian educator and philosopher who was a leading advocate of critical pedagogy. He is best known for his influential work, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, which is considered one of the foundational texts of the critical pedagogy movement.

Garrincha

Soccer Midfielder

Manuel Francisco dos Santos, known by the nickname "Garrincha", was an association football right winger and forward who won the World Cups of 1958 and 1962 with the Brazil national team. He played the majority of his professional career for the Brazilian club Botafogo. The word garrincha itself means wren. Garrincha was also known as Mané by his friends. The combined "Mané Garrincha" is common among fans in Brazil. Due to his immense popularity in Brazil, he was also called Alegria do Povo and Anjo de Pernas Tortas. Garrincha is regarded by many as the best dribbler in football history. In the Estádio do Maracanã the home team room is known as "Garrincha," while the visiting team room is known as "Pelé."

Cartola

Samba Artist

Angenor de Oliveira, known as Cartola, was a Brazilian singer, composer and poet considered to be a major figure in the development of samba. Cartola composed, alone or with partners, more than 500 songs.

Lúcio

Soccer

Lucimar Ferreira da Silva, commonly known as Lúcio, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for São Paulo FC as a central defender. He is a strong defender with good aerial play, who also adds presence in the attack. Lúcio began his professional career in 1998 with Sport Club Internacional. After three years in the club, he moved to Bayer Leverkusen, with whom he reached the 2002 Champions League final against Real Madrid of Spain. He scored a header in the final, which Real Madrid won with the score of 2–1. In 2004, he arrived at Bayern Munich, where he won one German Cup and three Bundesliga titles. Since coach Louis van Gaal did not have a place for him at Bayern, he decided to search for a new team. He moved to Inter in the summer of 2009, and helped Inter Milan win the 2010 Champions League against his former club Bayern Munich. With Brazil, Lúcio has accumulated a number of significant accomplishments, winning the 2002 World Cup, 2005 Confederations Cup and 2009 Confederations Cup.

Maurício Rua

Martial Artist

Maurício Milani "Shogun" Rua is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who currently fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and the 2005 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix Champion.

Bruno Senna

Racing driver

Bruno Senna Lalli is a Brazilian and former Formula One racing driver and the nephew of the late three-time Formula One world champion Ayrton Senna. His mother is Ayrton's older sister, Viviane. His father, Flávio Lalli, died in a motorcycle crash in 1996. He wears a slightly modified version of his uncle's helmet design. Senna made his Formula One début in 2010, driving for Hispania Racing. He moved to Renault in 2011, replacing Nick Heidfeld as a driver from August of that year, and drove for the Williams team in 2012.

Lucas Moura

Soccer

Lucas Rodrigues Moura da Silva, known as Lucas or Lucas Moura, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazil national football team, as an attacking midfielder or winger.

José Aldo

Mixed Martial Artist

José Aldo is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, who competes as a featherweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Aldo was the fourth and final WEC Featherweight Champion and thus, was awarded the UFC Featherweight Championship during the UFC/WEC merger. Aldo is ranked as the #1 featherweight in the world by Sherdog, ranked #3 in their pound-for-pound list, and was named the 2009 Fighter of the Year. Aldo is primarily a Muay Thai striker and has won the majority of his fights by KO/TKO.

Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira

Martial Artist

Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, better known as Minotauro or Minotauro Nogueira, is a Brazilian mixed martial artist known for his technical mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He competes in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he is a former Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion. He is the twin brother of Antônio Rogério Nogueira. He rose to prominence in the Japanese promotion Pride Fighting Championships, where he was the first Pride Heavyweight Champion from November 2001 to March 2003, as well as a 2004 PRIDE FC Heavyweight Grand Prix Finalist. He is one of only three men to have held championship titles in both Pride Fighting Championships and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is currently ranked as the #8 heavyweight fighter in the world by Sherdog.

Marta

Soccer Midfielder

Marta Vieira da Silva, commonly known as Marta, is a Brazilian football forward who plays for the Tyresö FF of Damallsvenskan. She is also a member of the Brazil women's national football team. She has been named FIFA World Player of the Year five consecutive times, in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. She was a member of the Brazilian national teams that won the silver medal at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics. She was also awarded the Golden Ball at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship. In the 2007 Women's World Cup, she won both the Golden Ball award as the best player and the Golden Boot award as the top scorer. She also tops the all–time Women's World Cup goalscorer list alongside Birgit Prinz. In January 2013 she was named as one of the six Ambassadors of 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, others being Amarildo, Bebeto, Carlos Alberto Torres, Ronaldo and Mario Zagallo.

Philippe Coutinho

Soccer

Philippe Coutinho Correia is a Brazilian footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Liverpool and the Brazil national team.

Paulo Henrique Ganso

Soccer Midfielder

Paulo Henrique Chagas de Lima commonly known as Paulo Henrique Ganso or Ganso, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for São Paulo FC as an attacking midfielder. In 2009, he received a nomination for the Brazilian Football Confederation award for "Breakthrough Player" of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, given to the best rookie of the competition.

Bebeto

Soccer

José Roberto Gama de Oliveira, known as 'Bebeto', is a former football forward, a World Champion for Brazil in the 1994 World Cup. In the 2010 Brazilian General Elections he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro representing the Democratic Labour Party. His son, Mattheus, is a professional footballer. In January 2013 he was named as one of the six Ambassadors of 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, others being Amarildo, Carlos Alberto Torres, Ronaldo, Mário Zagallo and Marta.

Dante

Soccer

Dante Bonfim Costa Santos, commonly known as Dante is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for Bayern Munich as a central defender but has previously also been used as defensive midfielder or a left fullback. A late bloomer in the game, his power, strength, tackling and aerial prowess have seen him regarded among Europe's finest central defenders. Dante made his international debut for Brazil in 2013.

Eduardo Saverin

Entrepreneur

Eduardo Luiz Saverin is a Brazilian internet entrepreneur and investor. Saverin is one of five co-founders of Facebook, along with Mark Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes, and Andrew McCollum. As of 2012, he owns less than 5% of Facebook's shares and has a net worth of $2.2 billion, according to Forbes. He has also invested in early-stage startups such as Qwiki and Jumio.

Nenê

Soccer Midfielder

Anderson Luiz de Carvalho, aka Nenê, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Al-Gharafa Sports Club in Qatar. A left winger, he is most known for his crossing ability, as well as being a free kick specialist. He played most of his professional career in Spain, representing four clubs and amassing La Liga totals of 140 games and 23 goals over the course of four seasons, and France, where he appeared with Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain for 142 Ligue 1 matches in four 1/2 campaigns.

Júlio Baptista

Soccer

Júlio César Clemente Baptista is a Brazilian footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or forward in Cruzeiro Esporte Clube. Baptista is nicknamed "The Beast" due to his physique. Baptista began his career as a defensive midfielder, and after a series of impressive performances for his home town squad São Paulo FC, Baptista signed for Sevilla FC in 2003. Upon signing for Sevilla, he was converted into a forward, and in his two seasons, he scored 50 goals, leading to his 2005 transfer to Spanish giants Real Madrid. After two unsuccessful seasons at Real Madrid with a loan spell at Arsenal sandwiched in between, Baptista transferred to Roma in Italy. On 3 January 2011, Baptista completed a move to Spanish club Málaga, signing on a three-and-a-half-year deal.

Getúlio Vargas

Politician

Getúlio Dornelles Vargas served as President of Brazil, first as dictator, from 1930 to 1945, and in a democratically elected term from 1951 until his suicide in 1954. Vargas led Brazil for 18 years, the most for any President, and second in Brazilian history only to Emperor Pedro II among heads of government. He favored nationalism, industrialization, centralization, social welfare and populism – for the latter, Vargas won the nickname "O Pai dos Pobres". Despite his promotion of workers' rights, Vargas was a staunch anti-communist. Vargas was brought to power by political outsiders and the rank and file of the Armed Forces in the Revolution of 1930, a reaction to his loss in elections earlier that year. His ascent marked the end of the Brazilian oligarchic Old Republic and states' dominated café com leite politics. He successfully influenced the outcome of the Brazilian presidential election of 1934, and instituted an authoritarian corporatist regime in 1937 known as the Estado Novo, prolonging his hold onto power. Vargas went on to appease and eventually dominate his supporters, and pushed his political agenda as he built a propaganda machine around his figure.

Dunga

Soccer

Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri, commonly known as Dunga, is a former Brazilian football defensive midfielder and a World Champion for Brazil in the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Along with Xavi, he is the only man to play in a World Cup, Olympic Games, Confederations Cup and continental championship final. Dunga coached the national team in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was dismissed by the Brazilian Football Confederation following the team's elimination in the quarter finals. He is the current head coach of Internacional in Brazil. His nickname is derived from the Portuguese translation of Dopey, a dwarf from the Disney version of the Snow White tale, and was given to him by his uncle due to his short height during his childhood. It was believed that he would be a short adult and the nickname remained in use even after he grew up and became taller. He is of Italian and German descent.

Kevin Kurányi

Soccer

Kevin Dennis Kurányi is a Brazilian-born German footballer who plays in the Russian Premier League for Dynamo Moscow. He plays as a striker and possesses great aerial ability and finishing skills. From 2003 to 2008, Kurányi was part of the German national team, for which he scored 19 goals in 52 games.

Marisa Monte

Música Popular Brasileira Artist

Marisa de Azevedo Monte is a Brazilian popular singer. As of 2011, she has sold 10 million albums worldwide.

Pedro II of Brazil

Monarch

Dom Pedro II, nicknamed "the Magnanimous", was the second and last ruler of the Empire of Brazil, reigning for over 58 years. Born in Rio de Janeiro, he was the seventh child of Emperor Dom Pedro I of Brazil and Empress Dona Maria Leopoldina and thus a member of the Brazilian branch of the House of Braganza. His father's abrupt abdication and flight to Europe in 1831 left a five-year-old Pedro II as Emperor and led to a grim and lonely childhood and adolescence. Obliged to spend his time studying in preparation for rule, he knew only brief moments of happiness and encountered few friends of his age. His experiences with court intrigues and political disputes during this period greatly affected his later character. Pedro II grew into a man with a strong sense of duty and devotion toward his country and his people. On the other hand, he increasingly resented his role as monarch. Inheriting an Empire on the verge of disintegration, Pedro II turned Portuguese-speaking Brazil into an emerging power in the international arena. The nation grew to be distinguished from its Hispanic neighbors on account of its political stability, zealously guarded freedom of speech, respect for civil rights, vibrant economic growth and especially for its form of government: a functional, representative parliamentary monarchy. Brazil was also victorious in three international conflicts under his rule, as well as prevailing in several other international disputes and domestic tensions. Pedro II steadfastly pushed through the abolition of slavery despite opposition from powerful political and economic interests. A savant in his own right, the Emperor established a reputation as a vigorous sponsor of learning, culture and the sciences. He won the respect and admiration of scholars such as Charles Darwin, Victor Hugo and Friedrich Nietzsche, and was a friend to Richard Wagner, Louis Pasteur and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, among others.

Vanda Pignado

Woman

Vanda Pignado is the wife of Mauricio Funes.