The Santos Futebol Clube, one of the most traditional and winning teams in Brazilian soccer, is also known worldwide for its achievements and for revealing talent.
The soccer team from the city of Santos, in São Paulo, has also had the honor of having great defenders who have made their mark, and that’s why we’ve brought you a special article with the 20 best defenders in Santos history!
These defenders, with their skills, sense of leadership and great determination, helped build the identity of one of the biggest clubs in the world.
From defenders who shone in the 1960s and 1970s, to the more recent ones, each of the best defenders in Santos’ history has their own story and career in soccer.
So are you ready to find out who the 20 best defenders in Santos history are? Check them out!
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The 20 best defenders in Santos history: complete list
See which players will be mentioned in the article with the 20 best defenders in Santos history!
- Mauro Ramos
- Alex
- Joel Camargo
- Durval
- Marinho Peres
- Orlando Peçanha
- Alex Silva
- Clodoaldo
- Chicão
- Ramos Delgado
- Léo
- Antônio Carlos
- Edu Dracena
- Gustavo Henrique
- Fabiano Eller
- Fábio Costa
- Wagner Leonardo
- Gustavo
- Luiz Alberto
- David Braz
The 20 best defenders in Santos history: find out more about the players
Now it’s time to find out more about the 20 best defenders in Santos history!
1. Mauro Ramos
- Titles:
- Copa Libertadores de América (1962, 1963)
- Intercontinental Cup (1962, 1963)
- Brazilian Championship (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965)
- Paulista Championship (1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: Considered one of Brazil’s greatest defenders, he captained the Brazilian national team at the 1962 World Cup.
- Life story: Born in Poços de Caldas, MG, Mauro began his career at São Paulo before moving to Santos, where he lived out his prime.
2. Alex
- Titles:
- Brazilian Championship (2002, 2004)
- Paulista Championship (2006, 2007)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: Known for his ability to get forward and his precision in tackling.
- Life story: Alex Rodrigo Dias da Costa, born in Niterói, RJ, played for Santos and also in Europe, playing for clubs such as PSV Eindhoven and Chelsea.
3. Joel Camargo
- Titles:
- Copa Libertadores de América (1963)
- Intercontinental Cup (1963)
- Brazilian Championship (1963, 1964, 1965, 1968)
- Paulista Championship (1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: He was one of the few black players to join Santos at the time.
- Life story: Joel began his career at Jabaquara and was soon signed by Santos, where he excelled.
4. Durval
- Titles:
- Copa Libertadores (2011)
- Brazilian Championship (2002, 2004)
- Paulista Championship (2010, 2011, 2012)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: A versatile player, he also played as a left-back.
- Life story: Durval started out at Unibol Pernambuco and, after spells at various clubs, consolidated his career at Santos.
5. Marinho Peres
- Titles:
- Campeonato Paulista (1973)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: Captain of Brazil at the 1974 World Cup.
- Life story: Born in Sorocaba, SP, Marinho began his career at Portuguesa Santista.
6. Orlando Peçanha
- Titles:
- Brazilian Championship (1963, 1964)
- Paulista Championship (1964, 1965)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: Two-time World Cup winner with Brazil (1958, 1962).
- Life story: He began his career at Vasco da Gama and later shone at Santos.
7. Alex Silva
- Titles:
- Campeonato Paulista (2012)
- South American Cup (2012)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: Known as “Pirulito” because of his height.
- Life story: Born in Amparo, SP, Alex played for São Paulo and Hamburg before joining Santos.
8. Clodoaldo
- Titles:
- Paulista Championship (1967, 1968, 1969, 1973)
- Brazilian Championship (1968)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: He also played as a midfielder.
- Life story: Clodoaldo Tavares Santana was born in Aracaju, SE, and stood out for his technical ability.
9. Chicão
- Titles:
- Campeonato Paulista (1984)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: One of the toughest defenders in Santos history.
- Life story: Born in Paraopeba, MG, Chicão started out at Atlético Mineiro before shining at Santos.
10. Ramos Delgado
- Titles:
- Paulista Championship (1967, 1968, 1969, 1973)
- Brazilian Championship (1968)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: Argentine who became an idol in Brazil.
- Life story: Born in Argentina, Ramos Delgado played for River Plate before moving to Santos.
11. Léo
- Titles:
- Brazilian Championship (2002, 2004)
- Paulista Championship (2006, 2007, 2010)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: He also played as a left-back.
- Life story: Leonardo Lourenço Bastos, born in Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, played for Santos and Benfica.
12. Antônio Carlos
- Titles:
- Brazilian Championship (1995)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: An excellent header.
- Life story: Born in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Antônio Carlos began his career at Fluminense and later shone at Santos.
13. Edu Dracena
- Titles:
- Copa Libertadores (2011)
- Brazilian Championship (2002, 2004)
- Paulista Championship (2010, 2011, 2012)
- Team: Santos FC
- Trivia: Captain of Santos in several conquests.
- Life story: Eduardo Luis Abonízio de Souza was born in Dracena, SP, and played for several clubs before consolidating his career at Santos.
14. Gustavo Henrique
- Titles:
- Campeonato Paulista (2015, 2016)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: Revealed by Santos himself.
- Life story: Born in São Paulo, SP, Gustavo Henrique was promoted to the Santos first team in 2013.
15. Fabiano Eller
- Titles:
- Campeonato Paulista (2007)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: He has also played in Europe and Asia.
- Life story: Born in Linhares, ES, Eller had a varied career with spells at various clubs.
16. Fábio Costa
- Titles:
- Brazilian Championship (2002, 2004)
- Paulista Championship (2006, 2007)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: Known for his leadership on the pitch.
- Life story: Born in Camaçari, BA, Fábio Costa was one of the pillars of the Santos defense in the 2000s.
17. Wagner Leonardo
- Titles:
- Campeonato Paulista (2015)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: Versatile, he also played as a left-back.
- Life story: Born in Praia Grande, SP, Wagner Leonardo was promoted to the first team in 2018.
18. Gustavo
- Titles:
- Brazilian Championship (2002, 2004)
- Paulista Championship (2006, 2007)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: An excellent aerialist.
- Life story: Born in São Paulo, SP, Gustavo began his career at Corinthians before moving to Santos.
19. Luiz Alberto
- Titles:
- Brazilian Championship (2002)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: Technical defender with a good outlet.
- Life story: Born in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Luiz Alberto played for several clubs, including Santos.
20. David Braz
- Titles:
- Campeonato Paulista (2015, 2016)
- Team: Santos FC
- Fun facts: He also stood out as top scorer in some games.
- Life story: Born in Guarulhos, SP, David Braz was developed by Palmeiras and consolidated his career at Santos.
The 20 best defenders in Santos history: complete list
- Mauro Ramos
- Alex
- Joel Camargo
- Durval
- Marinho Peres
- Orlando Peçanha
- Alex Silva
- Clodoaldo
- Chicão
- Ramos Delgado
- Léo
- Antônio Carlos
- Edu Dracena
- Gustavo Henrique
- Fabiano Eller
- Fábio Costa
- Wagner Leonardo
- Gustavo
- Luiz Alberto
- David Braz
The 20 best defenders in Santos history
This is the list of the 20 best defenders in Santos history! If you liked this article, don’t forget to leave a comment and tell us what else you’d like to see here!
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