13. Zico – Kashima Antlers
Nicknamed the ‘white Pele’, Zico was a marvellous footballer who had it all; skill, vision, goals and he was also one of the finest passers of a ball the game has ever seen. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, many considered him the most talented player on the planet. Zico spent the majority of his career and his best years playing for Flamengo in Brazil, but in 1991, aged 38, he headed to Japan, where he signed for Kashima Antlers.
He went on to spend three years at the club as a player, scoring 35 goals in 45 games from midfield, before managing the team and consequently the Japanese national team in the 2002 World Cup. Zico wasn’t only bigger than the Antlers when he joined the club, he was bigger than Japanese football itself, and went on to change the face of the sport on the continent.
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