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Index
Selection Criteria
The first and most important criterion is that the player must have had a good Brasileirão, whether through goals and assists, tackles, dribbles, completed and crucial passes, shots, and tactical awareness.
The second criterion is consistency; only players who participated in a significant part of the championship, either as starters or coming off the bench, will be included in the list.
The third criterion is age; only players up to the age of 23, born until the year 2000, are eligible to be included in the list of revelations.
The fourth criterion is that this should be, at most, the player’s second Brasileirão.
The fifth and final criterion is that young prospects already established and recognized nationally and internationally cannot be included in the list, such as Endrick, Vitor Roque, among others.
Given these criteria, let’s proceed to the selected players.
Revelations
Beraldo
Left center-back; 24/11/2003; left-footed; 1.82m; São Paulo.
The left-footed center-back, born on November 24, 2003, and a product of São Paulo’s youth academy, made his debut in the 2022 Brasileirão, playing only three matches. However, it was in the 2023 season that the 20-year-old showcased his innate talent to the football world.
Since the beginning of the season, Beraldo has been a regular presence in the starting lineup of São Paulo and quickly became one of the team’s key players, contributing significantly to the conquest of the Copa do Brasil title.
While São Paulo couldn’t maintain the same level of consistency in the Brasileirão as they did in the Copa do Brasil, Beraldo stood out from his team. The young defender’s on-field consistency is remarkable, with precise long passes, disconcerting regular passes, skillful switches of play, and exceptional vision – the secret weapons of a player who seems like a seasoned veteran.
Moreover, his positioning is top-notch, and despite not being known for his speed, he executes well-timed tackles and recovers swiftly. Undoubtedly, he is a complete center-back with significant potential in Brazilian and world football, having already attracted interest from various European clubs.
Beraldo’s statistics in the league are impressive. The 20-year-old defender boasts mature numbers, completing 90.8% of his passes in the Brasileirão, including 60.5% of long passes. In the few instances he attempted dribbles, he succeeded in 80% of them. He won 61% of his duels and 55.3% of aerial duels, also scoring a goal for São Paulo in the highly competitive league.
It’s undeniable that Beraldo deserves recognition as one of the standout revelations of the season.
Rikelme
Left-back; 16/07/2003; left-footed; 1.84m; Cuiabá.
The speedy 20-year-old left-back was recruited for Cuiabá’s youth categories in 2020 from Cruzeiro, standing out for his speed, physical stature, and skill with the ball at his feet. He made his professional Brasileirão debut in 2022 but played only one game.
In 2023, Rikelme kicked off the season impressively with a notable performance in the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Junior, scoring 4 goals in 4 games, earning him a permanent spot in Cuiabá’s first team.
Throughout Brasileirão 2023, Rikelme was a constant starter for Cuiabá. Known for his incredible speed and wide strides, he also demonstrated adept ball control, occasionally being utilized as a winger due to his skills.
Undoubtedly, Rikelme is a player with significant potential and room for growth, particularly if he refines his defensive positioning and game vision. He possesses a powerful left-footed shot, exemplified by the spectacular goal he scored in the 3-0 victory against Santos on the 13th round of Brasileirão 2023. This goal made Rikelme one of the club’s record-holders, becoming the youngest player to score in the Brasileirão for Cuiabá.
While Rikelme’s statistics may not be overwhelming, the young prospect is on the right path to reaching his full potential and having a successful career. He recorded a total of 1 goal and 1 assist in the championship, with a notable percentage of aerial duels won at 62.1%, showcasing his ability to effectively use his above-average height, especially for a left-back.
In light of these achievements, the rapid left-back couldn’t be left out, as he, alongside Deyverson, Denílson, and other Cuiabá standouts, played a crucial role in securing the team’s comfortable position in the elite of Brazilian football.
Rodriguinho
Right-back/midfielder; 05/06/2003; right-footed; 1.70m; América Mineiro.
Rodriguinho is a product of Coelhão’s youth academy, making his debut in the starting lineup in 2022 after an impressive 2021 season with the U-20 team. In his debut season, he had limited opportunities, featuring in only 4 Brasileirão matches and 2 in the 2022 Libertadores.
In 2023, Rodriguinho was not initially used in the Campeonato Mineiro, but gradually, the versatile young player earned his place and stood out in the first team.
With fast and nimble legs, Rodriguinho is characterized by his intensity. The youngster seems tireless, covering the entire field for the full 90 minutes, whether playing through the middle or on the flanks. Rodriguinho also possesses a strong right-footed shot.
However, there are areas for Rodriguinho to improve, such as game vision and accuracy in passes, long balls, and crosses. Nevertheless, he has ample room for growth.
Unfortunately, Rodriguinho only started being utilized by Coelho in mid-June and became a regular starter in mid-September when the team was already in a precarious situation in the standings.
In this Brasileirão, Rodriguinho played 19 games, starting in 14 of them, scoring 2 goals and providing 3 assists.
With his intensity and determination, the versatile young player has a bright future ahead.
Alexsander
Midfielder/left-back; 10/08/2003; left-footed; 1.77m; Fluminense.
A complete left-footer, Alexsander made his professional debut in Brasileirão 2022, and his swift performances quickly caught the eye of fans and coach Fernando Diniz. In the 2023 season, he started strong, mostly featuring as a starter, whether as a defensive midfielder, central midfielder, or left-back.
In early June, he suffered a severe thigh injury, sidelining him for two months. Upon his return, it took some time to regain confidence, especially for sprints, but he didn’t let the ball drop and had a remarkable second half of the season for Fluminense. Alexsander is highly skilled and intelligent, with his positioning and game vision enabling him to play various roles, almost like a utility player in Diniz’s team.
Undoubtedly, Alexsander is one of the most promising prospects in Brazilian football—a classic box-to-box midfielder with a keen sense of game vision, refined passing, and enviable ball control.
The Xerém academy product may not have scored in the Brasileirão but contributed with one assist, boasting an 85% pass accuracy and a 50% accuracy in long passes. Additionally, he has a 52% success rate in the dribbles he attempts.
Alexsander will undoubtedly continue to be a notable presence in the world of football.
Gabriel Moscardo
Midfielder; 28/09/2005; right-footed; 1.85m; Corinthians.
Gabriel Moscardo emerged this season as a brilliant prospect, receiving his first professional opportunity in Brasileirão in July 2023. His physical presence, intensity, and elegance with the ball immediately drew attention, propelling him into the starting lineup.
Moscardo is a modern midfielder, standing at 1.85 meters, with excellent vision, intensity, and ball control.
His performance has already caught the eye of several European clubs, with lucrative proposals being signaled for the young Corinthians prospect.
In addition to his on-field elegance, Moscardo possesses a powerful shot from medium and long distances, which, if refined, will become a potent weapon in his arsenal.
Like all young players, there are still areas for improvement, particularly in terms of consistency. However, it’s important to remember that he just turned 18 and has a bright future ahead.
Moscardo has contributed with 1 assist and 1 goal in Brasileirão 2023. He excels in statistics, boasting an 87% pass accuracy, an impressive 63% accuracy in long passes, and a 67.7% success rate in aerial duels. These numbers demonstrate that the youngster effectively utilizes his height, passing ability, and game vision.
Yet another outstanding revelation from the “bando de loucos” (crazy crowd) for the world of football.
Denilson
Midfielder; 23/03/2001; right-footed; 1.80m; Cuiabá.
From 2018 to 2022, Denilson navigated through various youth categories and professional teams, but it was at Dourado that he solidified himself as a professional player. In 2022, he featured in 12 Brasileirão matches, showcasing his intrinsic skill and the ability to play in any midfield position. This paved the way for him to become one of Cuiabá’s mainstays in the 2023 season.
Denilson is an intense and skillful midfielder, covering the entire field seamlessly. He thrives on the left, creating plays with wingers and full-backs, with a wide stride and exceptional ball control, aiding in the team’s build-up and creating attacking opportunities.
Furthermore, Denilson is a highly consistent player with minimal errors, a key component for Cuiabá in Brasileirão 2023. He possesses a unique vision of the game and precise passing, coupled with effective positioning and game reading. While he lacks a bit in physical strength defensively, he uses his agility as an asset to recover balls, making him one of the top ball recoverers in this Brasileirão with an average of nearly 5 recoveries per game.
Denilson still needs to develop his physical strength and shooting to become a complete and top-tier player, something that will naturally occur if he continues to display such intensity and intelligence on the field.
In Brasileirão 2023, Denilson boasts impressive statistics, contributing with 1 goal and 3 assists, maintaining an 86% pass accuracy and a 60% accuracy in long passes. He also successfully completes 62.8% of the dribbles he attempts.
Indeed, Denilson had a stellar Brasileirão 2023 and possesses all the qualities needed to continue on a path of success.
Gabriel Pec
Winger; 11/02/2001; left-footed; 1.72m; Vasco da Gama.
Gabriel Pec is a product of Vasco da Gama’s youth academy and has been part of the professional squad since 2020. He even played some matches in Brasileirão 2020 when Vasco faced relegation. After two years in Serie B, Vasco returned to the top flight, with Pec being an absolute starter and one of the main protagonists for the Cruzmaltino.
Possessing unmatched agility and ball control, Gabriel Pec excels in exploring the flanks, cutting inside or going down the line. His left foot is becoming increasingly potent and precise, both for finishing and passing.
Pec is the epitome of a modern winger—fast, skillful, and proactive. Despite his defensive challenges, the youngster is crucial for Vasco as he brings a lot of intensity to the wide areas of the field. He consistently contributes to both attack and defense, showcasing the ability to play as a second striker.
The young Gabriel is highly skillful with dazzling dribbles, likely honed through his experience in futsal.
Regardless of Vasco’s situation in Brasileirão 2023, the young winger had an admirable campaign and has been one of the standout performers for Cruzmaltino from the beginning of the competition.
Pec contributed with an impressive 8 goals and 4 assists, maintaining a pass accuracy of 78.7%, and a 51.7% success rate in ball recoveries in the opponent’s half, showcasing his remarkable intensity and determination.
Gabriel Pec is undoubtedly another gem in Brazilian football, demonstrating improvement season after season.
Thiago Borbas
Striker; 07/04/2002; right-footed; 1.81m; Red Bull Bragantino.
Uruguayan Thiago Borbas is a product of the River Plate youth academy in Uruguay and was signed by RB Bragantino for €4.8 million at the beginning of 2023. Initially, Thiago took some time to adapt to Brazilian football, struggling with game perception, ball control, and decision-making.
The young goal-scorer did not let setbacks deter him and gradually became more assertive, finding the back of the net, including some spectacular goals. He possesses a keen instinct for goal and solid finishing ability, effectively using his height to impose himself physically against opponents.
Borbas still faces challenges in ball control, passing, and occasionally makes decisions that could be improved. However, his sharp goal-scoring instincts have compensated for these shortcomings as he continues to develop.
Even coming off the bench in almost every Brasileirão 2023 match he played, Borbas scored 9 goals and provided 2 assists, becoming one of the key contributors for the team from Bragança.
His remarkable progress this season earned him a call-up, and he made his debut wearing the sky-blue jersey.
Thiago has a long journey ahead, but his strong finishing, determination on the field, and goal-scoring instincts will undoubtedly propel him further in his career.
Written by João Felipe Miller
