The land that produced Pelé, Ronaldo Nazário, Ronaldinho and Neymar hasn't exactly done all that much for Tottenham Hotspur.
Brazilians were not the inventors of football, but they were perhaps responsible for evolving the popular past-time into an art form. The sport has long been treated as a religion in the homeland of samba, with its finest exponents worshipped as figures who bridge the gap between mere mortals and the Almighty.
However, as I've quickly alluded to, I don't think many Spurs fans would hold the club's Brazilian alumni in such a lofty regard. Well, I'm sure we all did for one man on a particular night in 2019.
In total, there have been eight who promised to be Spurs' answer to Cafu, Zico and Rivaldo, but even picking the five 'best' has proven a difficult challenge. Nevertheless, we've given it a go. Enjoy!
5. Emerson Royal
Yes, it really is that underwhelming. Unfortunately, I simply couldn't make a case for Gilberto or Paulinho, while much of Carlos Vinícius’ success in Lilywhite came against Scouse carpenters and plumbers.
So, here we are: Emerson Royal.
A Brazilian with Barcelona ties typically screams "brilliant at football", but the right-back functioned in contrast to that ideal. Sure, he wasn't a bad one-on-one defender and he's produced some all-timer social media content, as well as that no-look pass, but Emerson operated as a figure of comedy during his time at Spurs. Did anyone take him seriously?
I'd argue he wasn't as bad as some made him out to be, and he did generally produce some stubborn defensive performances, but Emerson was often an eye-sore with the ball at his feet.
4. Heurelho Gomes
Gomes spent six years at Tottenham, but his love for a blunder meant Carlo Cudicini and Brad Friedel shared the Brazilian's No. 1 status.
The goalkeeper was revered for his mammoth throw, and his heroics against Spurs in a UEFA Cup victory for PSV Eindhoven convinced the club to sign him in 2008, as Paul Robinson joined Blackburn Rovers.
His first few months were pretty disastrous, and any impressive runs of form were rapidly undermined by a horrible mistake. There's a long list of Gomes gaffs, and Hugo Lloris' arrival in 2012 meant he sank as low as fourth in the goalkeeper depth chart.
Nevertheless, the role he played in helping the club qualify for the Champions League for the first time ever in 2010 means he makes this list.
3. Richarlison
Daniel Levy took advantage of Everton's need to sell in 2022, paying close to £60m for their star man, Richarlison.
The forward joined the club amid an exciting period, with Antonio Conte overseeing a stellar end to the previous campaign and ensuring Champions League football was on the horizon in N17. A cash injection sparked hope of a prosperous dawn in our swanky new home, and Richarlison arrived during peak fervency.
The Brazilian signed as a Premier League-proven talent, but injuries have prevented that perk from manifesting for a sustained period in north London. Outside of one purple patch midway through Ange Postecoglou's debut season, Richarlison has struggled for rhythm and form. He can be such a nuisance on his day and his nose for goal is undeniable, but we haven't seen it enough.
2. Sandro
You're not going to encounter too many people like Sandro, let me tell you. An immense character, the Brazilian midfielder is nothing short of a madman, but the good kind of madman.
An occasional gum shield wearer who was as prone to throwing up on the pitch as he was scoring from 30 yards, Sandro earned the nickname "beast" and was a legitmately good holding midfielder.
He was no technical master of the football, but he was aware of his limitations, especially after he suffered a devastating knee injury in early 2013. Sandro's deployment as an imposing destroyer in front of Spurs' backline was often effective, and he was particularly brilliant during our memorable Champions League campaign of 2010/11.
The club eventually moved past the lovable midfielder, who joined Harry Redknapp at Queen's Park Rangers in 2014. Despite his strong relationship with Redknapp, Sandro later said the move was the "biggest regret" of his career.
1. Lucas Moura
No Brazilian has played more (221 games) and scored more (39 goals) for Tottenham than Lucas Moura, who delivered what now has to be regarded as the second-greatest night in the club's modern history.
There are plenty of supporters who can't bear to remember his heroics in Amsterdam, solely because of the disappointment that ensued in Madrid. Now that a piece of European silverware has arrived in the form of the Europa League, perhaps more will be open to reconciling with Moura's hat-trick against Ajax.
That was the definitive night of his career, but Moura gave a whole lot more to this club than that night alone. Many of Spurs' samba alumni have been distinctly un-Brazilian, but that cannot be said about Moura, who was a supreme bobber and weaver with the ball at his feet. While not as refined as some of his contemporaries, the winger thrived in chaos and was able to conjure magic out of very little.
He was far from perfect, and a model of inconsistency, but he's certainly the best Brazilian we've had on our books.