The greatest Brazilian Premier League XI of all-time - including ex-Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea stars

Even now, 22 years after their last World Cup triumph, there is no team in international football that captures the imagination quite like Brazil. On Saturday evening, England will begin their Euro 2024 preparations with a friendly against the South American giants at Wembley, and the eyes of the world will no doubt be fixed firmly on the famous arch.

The current Brazil squad is peppered with stars who ply their trade in England, from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison to Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli, and that got us to thinking about which Samba Boys have made the biggest impact on the Premier League over the years.

As such, with that in mind, we've taken a look back through the archives and named our very best XI of Brazilian exports to the English top flight below. Check out the team below...

Alisson Becker - GK

Separating Alisson from his Manchester City compatriot Ederson is not an easy thing to do, but purely on the basis of his individual impact on Liverpool's silverware fortunes, and the fact that there is a strong argument for him being the best all-round goalkeeper in the division, he surely has to sneak his way into the number one jersey

Fabinho - RB

Two entries in, and we're already forcing square pegs into round holes. Fabinho was too good to not be in this side, and there are a surprising lack of top quality Brazilian full-backs who have graced the Premier League. The former Liverpool midfielder (who did, to be fair, occasionally deputise at the back) was superb for a spell, and then not so superb for a spell, but overall, he will likely be remembered with a decent amount of fondness.

Thiago Silva - CB

An absolute Rolls Royce of a defender who has continued to show his class for Chelsea even as he approaches 40 and even as so much around him has gone wrong. His stint in West London could quite easily have been a slow descent into retirement, but he has made it so much more than that.

David Luiz - CB

A temperamental maverick who was capable of the sublime and ridiculous in equal measure, Luiz had spells with both Chelsea and Arsenal during his time in the Premier League. There were moments when the wild-maned Brazilian looked like the best defender in the world, and others when he looked like a competition winner. On balance, however, he probably just did enough to squeeze his way into this XI. Give it another season or two, though, and he will absolutely lose his place to Gabriel Magalhaes.

Rafael - LB

Look, we know it was Fabio who was actually the left-back, but if Sir Alex Ferguson can get the identical twins mixed up from time to time, so can we. Rafael could operate on both flanks, and was a willing servant for Manchester United for many years, even if his first team opportunities weren't always super consistent.

Gilberto Silva - CM

A literal invincible with Arsenal, Silva was a solid, if understated, presence in Arsene Wenger's unbeatable side. Measured and combative, in some respects, the World Cup winner was an outlier from the Samba flair that we usually associate with Brazilian exports, but he was absolutely wonderful nevertheless.

Fernandinho - CM

There was a while where Fernandinho might legitimately have been the best defensive midfielder in the world. A five-time Premier League title winner with Manchester City, the South American was simply untouchable on his day.

Juninho - CM

A cult hero in Middlesbrough to this day, Juninho lit up Teesside during three separate spells at the Riverside, and will forever be lauded for his creative flair and his superlative technical ability. Perhaps not as decorated in the English game as others on this list, but nonetheless, pure magic.

Philippe Coutinho - RW

How good was Coutinho back in the day? Good enough to convince Barcelona to spend £142 million on him in 2018. In truth, hindsight tells us that Liverpool probably sold him at exactly the right time, but there was a reason why so many around Anfield were initially devastated by his departure. Endlessly inventive and blessed with a knack for producing the magnificent, Coutinho was, for a time, the best thing on Merseyside.

Roberto Firmino - ST

Eighty-two goals and 55 assists in 256 Premier League games speak for themselves, really. Firmino was an integral part of a fearsome Liverpool attack alongside the Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, and will go down alongside those players as a legend of the Reds' recent history.

Willian - LW

Willian's time at Fulham has proven to be something of a redemption story. So impressive at Chelsea, he fell off a little bit after making a move to Arsenal, but the wide man, with all of his athleticism and guile, was undeniably one of the best wingers in the division during his spell at Stamford Bridge, and he has shown hints of that kind of form again at Craven Cottage.