Best Latin American Soccer Players by Country

The region has produced many stars. It still does.

Best Latin American Soccer Players by Country

Neymar and Rodrigo Bentancur — Brazil's Neymar, right, controls the ball as Uruguay's Rodrigo Bentancur tries to stop him during a 2018 international friendly soccer match at the Emirates Stadium in London.

Latin America has been considered a talent gold mine for soccer, or fútbol, for a long time. The region seeped into public consciousness when Uruguay won consecutive Olympic titles in 1924 and 1928, then won the inaugural World Cup as the host country.

Ever since, Latin America has yielded numerous inspirational players as well as top teams at both the club and international levels. That trend continues today.

Here are the best active players from 20 Latin American nations, who make soccer a beautiful game for fans across the globe.

Argentina — Carlos Tévez

Carlos Tevez — Carlos Tévez of Argentina's Boca Juniors, left, outruns Jonatan Maidana of Argentina's River Plate during a 2018 Copa Libertadores first leg final match in Buenos Aires.

Born: Feb. 5, 1984

Birthplace: Ciudadela, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Age: 35

Position: Forward

Current club: Boca Juniors

Past clubs: (Youth) All Boys, Boca Juniors, (Senior) Boca Juniors (twice), Corinthians, West Ham United, Manchester United, Manchester City, Juventus, Boca Juniors, Shanghai Shenhua

Bottom line: Lionel Messi epitomizes the elite player, but the more proletarian Carlos Tévez exudes the energy, passion, pizzazz and flair that makes soccer so popular worldwide. The style of this working-class hero from hardscrabble roots — a local-guy-makes-good story in Buenos Aires — appeals to many.

Sadly, the soccer world long underrated and underappreciated Tévez, who recently announced his intention to retire at year’s end.

In another universe, the past decade or so could have been — or maybe should have been — the Tévez era as much as the Messi era.

Argentina Honorable Mention: Lionel Messi

Born: June 24, 1987

Birthplace: Rosario, Argentina

Age: 32

Position: Right winger/forward

Current club: Barcelona

Past clubs: (Youth) Newell’s Old Boys, Barcelona, (Senior) Barcelona C, Barcelona B

Bottom line: Lionel Messi has bee long revered, but praise for this five-time Ballon d'Or winner reached new heights after he led Barcelona to a 3-0 Champions League semifinal win at home over Liverpool in 2019. Critics then had their field day after a 4-0 loss in the return match at Anfield.

Surrounded by talent, the truth about Messi lies somewhere in the middle. Get past the hyperbolic best-in-the-world and the greatest-of-all-time talk, and you still have an outstanding player, one of the best of his generation.

Bolivia — Marcelo Martins Moreno

Bolivia's Marcelo Moreno Martins celebrates after scoring a goal during a World Cup 2014 qualifying match against Argentina in La Paz.

Born: June 18, 1987

Birthplace: Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia

Age: 32

Position: Forward

Current club: Shijiazhuang Ever Bright

Past clubs: (Youth) Oriente Petrolero, Vitória, (Senior) Vitória, Cruzeiro (twice), Shakhtar Donetsk, Werder Bremen, Wigan Athletic, Gremio, Flamengo, Changchun Yatai, Wuhan Zall

Bottom line: Born to a Brazilian father (former player Mauro Martins) and a Bolivian mother, Marcelo Martins Moreno — often called either Marcelo Martins or Marcelo Moreno — made his international debut with Brazil on the youth level, a rare feat for a foreign-born player.

At the senior level, though, he has represented his native country.

His highlights include the decisive goal in a 3-2 win over Ecuador in the 2015 Copa America, Bolivia’s first Copa America victory since 1997. Martins retired from the national squad later that year, but returned in 2016.

Bolivia Honorable Mention: Ronald Raldes

Born: April 20, 1981

Birthplace: Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia

Age: 38

Position: Center back

Current club: Oriente Petrolero

Past clubs: Destroyers, Oriente Petrolero (twice previously), Rosario Central, Al-Hilal, Cruz Azul, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Colón, Bolívar

Bottom line: A valued veteran who debuted for the Bolivian national team as a 20-year-old in 2001, Ronald Raldes went on to play in 44 World Cup-qualifying games and has appeared in five Copa América tournaments.

Though he briefly retired from international soccer after serving as captain for Bolivia at the 2015 Copa América in Chile, Raldes returned to the squad after a coaching change the following year.

According to transfermarkt.com, Raldes has played 101 games for Bolivia.

Brazil — Neymar

Born: Feb. 5, 1992

Birthplace: Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil

Age: 27

Position: Forward

Current club: Paris Saint-Germain

Past clubs: (Youth) Portuguesa Santista, Santos, (Senior) Santos, Barcelona

Bottom line: Many count Neymar among the world’s best players. It’s easy to see why.

Beyond success at the club level, many observers see Brazil as having two men’s senior national teams: one with Neymar and one without him. And the quality of the first greatly exceeds that of the second.

Yes, he diminishes himself with flopping, diving, rolling on the ground, etc., but the Seleção (national squad) so values its captain that he already approaches the century mark for appearances.

Brazil Honorable Mention: Philippe Coutinho

Born: June 12, 1992

Birthplace: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Age: 27

Position: Attacking midfielder/winger

Current club: Barcelona

Past clubs: (Youth) Vasco da Gama; (Senior) Inter Milan, Vasco da Gama, Espanyol, Liverpool

Bottom line: A New York Times piece during the 2018 World Cup asserted that Coutinho, rather than Neymar, was leading Brazil, most especially in a group-play win over Serbia.

Productive and popular at Liverpool — where teammates and fans dubbed him "The Magician" — Coutinho has encountered a tougher time winning over Barcelona’s supporters.

Though some reports express his desire to stay with Barcelona, others link him to a possible return to Liverpool or maybe joining Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain.

Chile — Alexis Sanchez

Born: Dec. 19, 1988

Birthplace: Tocopilla, Chile,

Age: 30

Position: Forward, wing

Current club: Manchester United

Past clubs: (Youth) Cobreloa, (Senior) Cobreloa, Udinese, Colo Colo, River Plate, Barcelona, Arsenal

Bottom line: Alexis Sanchez, sometimes known simply as Alexis, gets the nod here over compatriots Arturo Vidal and Eduardo Vargas for having a regular place on a top team in the English Premier League, arguably the world’s best domestic league.

All three, though, played vital roles in leading Chile to the championships of the 2015 Copa America and the 2016 Copa America Centenario. As Chile failed to qualify for Russia 2018, anyone who appreciates soccer felt this exciting team’s absence.

Chile Honorable Mention: Arturo Vidal

Born: May 22, 1987

Birthplace: Santiago, Chile

Age: 32

Position: Midfielder

Current club: Barcelona

Past clubs: (Youth) Melipilla, Colo-Colo; (Senior) Colo-Colo, Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus, Bayern Munich

Bottom line: Another key member of Chile’s 2015 Copa America and 2016 Copa America Centenario championship teams, Arturo Vidal gets the nod here over Eduardo Vargas. Vidal is an important part of Barcelona, one of the world’s top clubs, as opposed to Vargas' UANL Tigres of Liga MX.

Vidal’s tenacious playing style earned him such nicknames as "The Warrior," "King Arthur" and "The Piranha" while with Juventus.

He has appeared for Chile more than 100 times since his 2007 debut.

Colombia — James Rodriguez

Born: July 12, 1991

Birthplace: Cúcuta, Colombia

Age: 27

Position: Attacking midfielder

Current club: Bayern Munich

Past clubs: (Youth) Academia Tolimense de Fútbol, Envigado, (Senior) Envigado, Banfield, Porto, Monaco, Real Madrid

Bottom line: Combining flair and efficiency, James (HAH-mess, often known by just his first name) became the great revelation of the 2014 World Cup. A particularly stunning goal against Uruguay earned him that year’s FIFA Puskas Award for the best goal of the year.

In all, James scored six goals and set up five others in that tournament.

Hampered by a calf injury four years later, James still set up a pair of goals at Russia 2018, but had to sit out his team’s round of 16 loss to England.

Colombia Honorable Mention: Radamel Falcao

Born: Feb. 10, 1986

Birthplace: Santa Marta, Colombia

Age: 33

Position: Forward

Current club: Monaco

Past clubs: (youth): Lanceros Boyacá, River Plate; (Senior) Lanceros Boyacá, River Plate, Porto, Atlético Madrid, Monaco (first stint), Manchester United, Chelsea

Bottom line: Colombia qualified for its first World Cup in 16 years at Brazil 2014 with Radamel Falcao considered the country’s biggest superstar since Carlos Valderrama.

A knee injury, however, delayed Falcao’s World Cup debut until Russia 2018, where he scored a goal in a 3-0 group-play win over Poland.

Valued for both his talent — he is Colombia’s all-time top goalscorer — and leadership, Falcao serves as captain for both the Cafeteros and Monaco.

Costa Rica — Keylor Navas

Born: Dec. 15, 1986

Birthplace: Pérez Zeledón, Costa Rica

Age: 32

Position: Goalkeeper

Current club: Real Madrid

Past clubs: (Youth) Saprissa; (Senior) Saprissa, Albacete, Levante

Bottom line: Outstanding reflexes, agility and foot skills make Keylor Navas one of the world’s great modern keepers.

The 2014 World Cup was a personal showcase, particularly his performance in a round of 16 victory over Greece. Overall, Navas recorded three shutouts in five matches and was nominated for the tournament’s Golden Glove Award as the top keeper (ultimately won by Manuel Neuer of champion Germany).

Real Madrid’s acquisition this season of Belgian Thibaut Courtois — the Russia 2018 Golden Glove winner — sparked rumors of Navas’s departure.

Costa Rica Honorable Mention: Bryan Ruiz

Born: Aug. 18, 1985

Birthplace: San José, Costa Rica

Age: 33

Position: Attacking midfielder

Current club: Santos (Brazil)

Past clubs: Alajuelense, Gent, Twente, Fulham, PSV Eindhoven, Sporting CP

Bottom line: Costa Rica’s team captain has put together an impressive résumé with some of Europe’s top clubs, and now plies his trade with Santos — Pelé’s old club.

A left-footed player, Ruiz displays his talents both as a playmaker and goalscorer.

Having debuted at the international level in 2005, he has appeared in 122 matches for the Ticos through June 26. These include World Cup games for Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018.

Cuba — Osvaldo Alonso

Born: Nov. 11, 1985

Birthplace: San Cristóbal, Cuba

Age: 33

Position: Defensive midfielder

Current club: Minnesota United

Past clubs: Pinar del Rio, Charleston Battery, Seattle Sounders FC

Bottom line: Nicknamed "Honey Badger" by Seattle Sounders fans for his aggressive style, Osvaldo Alonso was the last of the Sounders to play with the team since its inaugural 2009 MLS season.

Released by the Sounders in January, he found a new home in Minnesota for the upcoming 2019 season.

Strong defensively while also contributing to the attack, Alonso played for the Cuban national team until defecting to the United States when the team was in Houston to face Honduras in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Cuba Honorable Mention: Jorge Luis Corrales

Born: May 20, 1991

Birthplace: Pinar del Río, Cuba

Age: 28

Position: Defender

Current club: Chicago Fire

Past clubs: Pinar del Río, Sancti Spíritus, Fortuna SC, Miami FC, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Tulsa Roughnecks (twice)

Bottom line: A Caribbean Cup winner with Cuba in 2012, Jorge Luis Corrales played both right back and center back during group play at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, then even moved up to forward in a quarterfinal loss to the United States.

Later that year, he joined Miami-based amateur club Fortuna SC while visiting friends and family living in the area. While in Miami, he opted to gain a work permit to pursue a professional career in the United States.

Corrales joined the Chicago Fire on Sept. 14, 2017.

Dominican Republic — Vinicio Espinal

Born: Nov. 14, 1982

Birthplace: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Age: 36

Position: Defensive midfielder, defender

Current club: Virtus Bergamo

Past clubs: Atalanta, Taranto, Palazzolo, Monza, Crotone, Portogruaro, Pro Vercelli, Benevento, Unione Venezia, Lecco, Pontisola

Bottom line: Born in a country many consider the baseball capital of the world, Vinicio Espinal moved in 1991 to Italy, where he has played his entire club career, starting with Atalanta in 1999 with twin brother José.

While at Atalanta, the brothers both got a taste of Italy’s famed Serie A. Both eventually became Italian citizens, but have represented the Dominican Republic at the international level.

Dominican Republic Honorable Mention: Miguel Lloyd

Born: Oct. 23, 1982

Birthplace: La Romana, Dominican Republic

Age: 36

Position: Goalkeeper

Current club: Cibao FC

Past clubs: San Cristóbal, Talleres, Racing, Barcelona Atletico, W Connection, Árabe Unido

Bottom line: Miguel Lloyd debuted with the Dominican national team in 2004, but perhaps made his biggest news at the club level when he signed with Talleres and later, Racing, teams from soccer-loving Argentina.

He has won titles in Panama with Árabe Unido, Trinidad and Tobago with W Connection and with Club Barcelona Atletico in the Dominican Republic.

Individually, he was named best goalkeeper and MVP of the Panamanian League’s 2015 Apertura season.

Ecuador — Antonio Valencia

Born: Aug. 4, 1985

Birthplace: Lago Agrio, Ecuador

Age: 33

Position: Right back, right wing

Current club: Manchester United

Past clubs: (Youth) Caribe Junior, El Nacional (Senior) El Nacional, Villareal, Recreativo, Wigan Athletic

Bottom line: A respected player both in Ecuador and beyond, Antonio Valencia has served as captain for both his national team and Manchester United.

Since the departure of former United coach José Mourinho in December, however, Valencia has seen only limited play under interim coach Ole Gunnar Solskjær and might be on the move soon.

Nonetheless, Valencia still boasts more than 90 appearances with his national team, playing in both the 2006 and 2014 World Cup, the 2007 and 2011 Copas America and the 2016 Copa America Centenario.

Ecuador Honorable Mention: Enner Valencia

Born: November 4, 1989

Birthplace: Esmeraldas, Ecuador

Age: 29

Position: Forward, winger

Current club: Tigres UANL

Past clubs: (Youth) Caribe Junior, Emelec; (Senior) Emelec, Pachuca, West Ham United, Everton

Bottom line: Enner Valencia — no relation to Antonio — made his senior international debut in 2012 and played in the World Cup at Brazil 2014, where he impressed with a goal for Ecuador in a loss to Switzerland and with both goals in a win over Honduras.

Valencia also has enjoyed success at the club level. Since joining Tigres in 2017, Valencia helped his team win that year’s Apertura title and was part of the Clausura title against Leon in 2019.

El Salvador — Andrés Flores

Portland Timbers midfielder Andres Flores kicks the ball against the Chicago Fire during a 2018 MLS soccer match.

Born: Aug. 31, 1990

Birthplace: San Salvador, El Salvador

Age: 28

Position: Midfielder, forward

Current club: Portland Timbers

Past clubs: (Youth) Academia La Chelona, River Plate, (Senior) Isidro Metapán, Viborg, New York Cosmos

Bottom line: Having earned a reputation as a productive player, Andrés Flores followed coach Giovanni Savarese from the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League to Major League Soccer's Portland Timbers, for whom he appeared in 26 matches in 2018.

Flores’s connection to the Salvadoran national program goes back to his days with the under-15 team from 2002 to 2004.

He also played for El Salvador’s under-17, under-20, under-21 and under-23 teams and has earned more than 60 caps with the senior team.

El Salvador Honorable Mention: Darwin Cerén

Born: Dec. 31, 1989

Birthplace: Quezaltepeque, El Salvador

Age: 29

Position: Midfielder

Current club: Houston Dynamo

Past clubs: Juventud Independiente, Orlando City, San Jose Earthquakes

Bottom line: Obtained in a January 2018 trade with San Jose, Darwin Cerén helped the Dynamo win the 2018 U.S. Open Cup.

Internationally, he has served as captain for El Salvador — for whom he has played alongside his younger brother, Oscar — and was selected again by the Azul y Blanco to play in the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Cerén’s career, however, has not been without controversy as he received a three-game ban for biting USA defender Omar Gonzalez in a 2017 Gold Cup game.

Guatemala — Marco Pappa

Born: Nov, 15, 1987

Birthplace: Guatemala City, Guatemala

Age: 31

Position: Midfielder

Current club: Xelajú

Past clubs: (Youth) Municipal, (Senior) Municipal (three occasions), Chicago Fire, Heerenveen, Seattle Sounders FC, Colorado Rapids

Bottom line: Perhaps the best known of active Guatemalan players to U.S. (and Canadian) audiences given his years in MLS, Marco Pappa also has made his mark at international levels, starting at under-17 before moving up to under-20, under-21 and under-23.

He made his senior international debut in 2008.

His biggest highlight thus far at the international level came at the 2014 Copa Centroamericana, where he finished as top scorer and was voted best player of the tournament.

Guatemala Honorable Mention: Fredy Thompson

Born: June 2, 1982

Birthplace: Puerto Barrios, Izabal, Guatemala

Age: 37

Position: Midfielder

Current club: Universidad SC

Past clubs: Comunicaciones (twice), Municipal, Orizaba, Coatepeque, Antigua GFC

Bottom line: A controversial player — he served a two-year suspension for a failed 2012 doping test — Fredy Thompson still boasts many achievements.

A professional since 2000, he played his first seven years with Comunicaciones, where he rose to captain. After a year away, he returned to the team to play from 2008 to 2011.

Internationally, Thompson played 96 times for Guatemala, last appearing for the Chapines on Nov. 17, 2015.

He also served as Guatemala captain at times in the absence of retired former MLS star Carlos Ruiz.

Honduras — Maynor Figueroa

Born: May 2, 1983

Birthplace: Jutiapa, Honduras

Age: 35

Position: Center back, left back

Current club: Houston Dynamo

Past clubs: Victoria, Olimpia, Wigan Athletic, Hull City, Colorado Rapids, FC Dallas

Bottom line: Released by FC Dallas at the end of the 2018 MLS season, the 35-year-old defender signed with league rival Houston Dynamo on Jan. 30.

Maynor Figueroa remains one of the most respected players in the history of Honduran soccer.

Since debuting for the Catrachos in 2003, Figueroa has made nearly 150 appearances, including participation in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. He presently serves as team captain.

Honduras Honorable Mention: Emilio Izaguirre

Born: May 10, 1986

Birthplace: Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Age: 33

Position: Left back

Current club: Celtic

Past clubs: Motagua, Celtic (first stint), Al-Fayha

Bottom line: Emilio Izaguirre has played so well in the 2018-19 season that Celtic reportedly has offered him a one-year contract extension. According to the Glasgow-based Daily Record, though, Izaguirre looks to move closer to home with an MLS club being a possible destination.

The most accomplished Honduran to play abroad, Izaguirre has won seven Scottish Premier League titles with Celtic and was even once named player of the year.

Internationally, he has represented Honduras in two World Cups and currently approaches the century mark for appearances.

Mexico — Javier Hernández

Mexico's Javier Hernandez runs for the ball during 2018 World Cup match against Sweden, at the Yekaterinburg Arena in Yekaterinburg , Russia.

Born: June 1, 1988

Birthplace: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico

Age: 31

Position: Striker

Current club: West Ham United

Past clubs: (Youth) Guadalajara, (Senior) Guadalajara, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen

Bottom line: Javier Hernández — nicknamed "Chicharito," or "Little Pea" — has displayed a knack for beating defenders and finding the goal throughout his career. At 50 goals (and counting) Hernandez stands as El Tri’s top goalscorer.

Already a veteran of three World Cups at 30, Hernandez also boasts a great family soccer tradition. His maternal grandfather, Tomás Balcázar, scored a goal for Mexico against France in the 1954 World Cup. Hernandez’s father, Javier Hernández Gutiérrez, represented host Mexico at the 1986 World Cup.

Mexico Honorable Mention: Carlos Vela

Born: March 1, 1989

Birthplace: Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Age: 30

Position: Forward

Current club: Los Angeles FC

Past clubs: (Youth) Guadalajara, Arsenal; (Senior) Arsenal, Celta de Vigo, Salamanca, Osasuna, West Bromwich Albion, Real Sociedad

Bottom line: Vision, technique and speed are the the hallmarks of this left-footed player.

As LAFC’s first designated player signing, Carlos Vela has not disappointed for the second-year expansion club. Through the first two months of the 2018-19 season, he looks like a runaway candidate for the league’s MVP award.

Fans of Mexico’s national team might have been disappointed, though, when Vela, like Javier Hernandez and some other notables, opted out of a call-up for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Nicaragua — Juan Barrera

Born: May 2, 1989

Birthplace: Ocotal, Nicaragua

Age: 29

Position: Midfielder, forward

Current club: Municipal

Past clubs: Real Esteli (three occasions), Walter Ferretti, Tauro, Deportivo Petare, SC Rheindorf Altach, SC Rheindorf Altach II, Comunicaciones, Metropolitanos FC, Boyacá Chicó F.C.

Bottom line: For yet another nation better known for its contributions to baseball, most especially former pitcher Dennis "El Presidente" Martinez, Juan Barrera has been a Nicaraguan soccer mainstay for the past decade after making his debut with the national team in January 2009.

Serving as team captain, Barrera scored a hat trick in a 6-0 win over Anguilla in a CONCACAF Nations League match on Oct. 14.

He has 54 national team appearances to date.

Nicaragua Honorable Mention: Josué Quijano

Born: March 10, 1991

Birthplace: Masaya, Nicaragua

Age: 28

Position: Defender

Current club: Real Estelí F.C.

Past clubs: CaRuNa RL, Walter Ferretti

Bottom line: After beginning at the club level in 2010, Josué Quijano debuted for Nicaragua at the Copa Centroamericana the following year.

But he nearly saw his career derail due to a broken knee suffered in a 2013 motorcycle accident also involving a former Walter Ferretti teammate, Milton Busto (a midfielder still playing for Walter Ferretti).

Overall, Quijano has played in four Copa Centroamericana tournaments and also represented Nicaragua at the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Panama — Gabriel Enrique Gómez

Gabriel Gomez — Gabriell Gomez is a midfielder from Panama.

Born: May 29, 1984

Birthplace: Panama City, Panama,

Age: 35

Position: Midfielder

Current club: Atlético Bucaramanga

Past clubs: (Youth) Sporting '89, Envigado, (Senior) Envigado, San Francisco (Panama), Deportivo Pasto, Tauro, Deportivo Pereira, Santa Fe, Belenenses, Ermis, La Equidad, Indios, Philadelphia Union, Atlético Junior, (return to) San Francisco, Herediano, Cartaginés, Deportes Tolima

Bottom line: Panama’s qualification for the 2018 World Cup, the first in its history, largely was a group effort. Gabriel Gómez gets the edge over his fellow Canaleros for appearing an impressive 149 times for Panama.

Gómez first appeared for the national team in 2003 and announced his retirement from international play with Panama’s elimination from the Cup.

But his club career continues.

Panama Honorable Mention: Román Torres

Born: March 20, 1986

Birthplace: Panama City, Panama

Age: 33

Position: Center back

Current club: Seattle Sounders

Past clubs: (Youth) Chepo; (Senior) Chepo, San Francisco (Panama), Cortuluá, La Equidad, Atlético Junior, Atlético Nacional, Millonarios, Tacoma Defiance

Bottom line: Taller than the average soccer player, the 6-foot-2 Torres tends to stand out on the field. Mostly, though, many Panamanians will forever remember him as the player who captained the Canaleros to their first World Cup in 2018. In another first, Torres also forever etched himself in the memories of Seattle fans when his shootout penalty kick against Toronto clinched the 2017 MLS Cup title, the first in Sounders history.

Paraguay — Miguel Almirón

Born: Feb. 10, 1994

Birthplace: Asunción, Paraguay

Age: 25

Position: Midfielder

Current club: Newcastle United

Past clubs: (Youth) Cerro Porteño, (Senior) Cerro Porteño, Lanús, Atlanta United

Bottom line: Miguel Almirón’s recent transfer to Newcastle from MLS champion Atlanta United for a fee reportedly around $27 million made big news.

Speedy, skillful and effective, Almirón scored 21 goals with 28 assists in 62 games over his two seasons in Atlanta. For 2018 alone, Almirón scored 12 goals with 14 assists in 32 matches.

All this after signing in December 2016 for the 2017 expansion team as a "Young Designated Player," generating a reported transfer fee of $8 million for his previous team, Lanús of Argentina.

Paraguay Honorable Mention: Roque Santa Cruz

Born: Aug. 16, 1981

Birthplace: Asunción, Paraguay

Age: 37

Position: Striker

Current club: Club Olimpia

Past clubs: (Youth) Club Olimpia; (Senior) Club Olimpia, Bayern Munich, Bayern Munich II, Blackburn Rovers (twice), Manchester City, Betis, Málaga (twice), Cruz Azul

Bottom line: A key figure for Paraguay in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cups, Roque Santa Cruz last played for the Guaraníes in 2016 and formally retired from international soccer in 2018 as his nation’s all-time leading scorer with 32 goals.

At 112 games played for his national team, he also is the sixth Paraguayan player to pass the century mark.

After a long club career that took him to Europe and Liga MX’s Cruz Azul, Santa Cruz returned to Club Olimpia, the hometown team where he started.

Peru — Paolo Guerrero

Peru's Jose Paolo Guerrero, right, fights for the ball against Venezuela's Wilker Angel during a 2018 World Cup qualifying soccer match in Maturin, Venezuela, in 2017.

Born: Jan. 1, 1984

Birthplace: Lima, Peru

Age: 35

Position: Striker

Current club: Internacional

Past clubs: (Youth) Alianza Lima, Bayern Munich, (Senior) Bayern Munich II, Bayern Munich, Hamburger SV, Corinthians, Flamengo

Bottom line: Peru celebrated its first World Cup qualification in 36 years at Russia 2018, with captain Paolo Guerrero as the central figure.

Though a controversial doping suspension — he argued that he drank coca tea, a traditional beverage in Peru — kept many on edge, a temporary lifting of the ban allowed Guerrero to play in Russia, where he scored a goal in a 2-0 win over Australia.

FIFA acknowledges that Guerrero made no attempt to cheat, but he won’t become eligible to play again until April.

Peru Honorable Mention: Jefferson Farfán

Born: Oct. 26, 1984

Birthplace: Lima, Peru

Age: 34

Position: Forward, winger

Current club: Lokomotiv Moscow

Past clubs: (Youth) Deportivo Municipal, Alianza Lima; (Senior) Alianza Lima, PSV, Schalke 04, Al Jazira

Bottom line: With all due respect to 40-year-old forward Claudio Pizarro, who recently signed a new contract to stay with Werder Bremen, Jefferson Farfán remains a valued member of Peru’s national team, thanks largely to his combination of speed, passing skills and abilities on set pieces.

Though considered mostly a facilitator, Farfán has scored 27 goals in 94 games for Peru through June 2019.

Shoutouts also to Raúl Ruidíaz (Seattle Sounders), Edison Flores (Morelia), Christian Cueva (FC Krasnodar) and Yoshimar Yotún (Cruz Azul).

Puerto Rico — Héctor Ramos

Héctor Pito Ramos — Héctor "Pito" Ramos is a professional soccer player and forward for Puerto Rico FC.

Born: May 4, 1990

Birthplace: Maunabo, Puerto Rico

Age: 29

Position: Forward

Current club: Alianza

Past clubs: (Youth) Puerto Rico Islanders C, (Senior) Sevilla Bayamón, Alacranes del Norte, Puerto Rico United, Criollos de Caguas, Puerto Rico Islanders, Isidro Metapán, Al-Qadsiah, Águila, Puerto Rico FC, Sabah, Don Bosco FC

Bottom line: Héctor Ramos, also known as Pito Ramos, or simply Pito, played at the youth level with the Puerto Rico Islanders C club and started his senior career in 2009 with Sevilla Bayamón (now known as Sevilla FC Puerto Rico).

Internationally, he has scored 18 goals in 35 matches for Puerto Rico. Pito’s other highlights include scoring the first goal in club history for Puerto Rico FC in 2016.

He scored 20 goals in 18 matches for Malaysian club Sabah in 2018.

Puerto Rico Honorable Mention: Andrés Cabrero

Born: Jan. 4, 1989

Birthplace: San Juan, Puerto Rico

Age: 30

Position: Midfielder

Current club: Bayamón FC

Past clubs: Puerto Rico Islanders (twice), Sevilla FC Puerto Rico, FK Teleoptik, River Plate Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico United, Sevilla Bayamón, North East Stars, Criollos de Caguas, Kultsu, GPS Puerto Rico

Bottom line: At both the club and international levels, Andrés Cabrero has impressed with his technique, passing, vision and overall sense of the game.

A creative player, he also displays much versatility, having been employed throughout the midfield, not only in a central role, but also at various times on both the left and right sides.

Equally as comfortable as a defensive midfielder as well as an attacking one, coaches also have used Cabrero as a forward.

Uruguay — Edinson Cavani

Born: Feb. 14, 1987

Birthplace: Salto, Uruguay

Age: 32

Position: Striker

Current club: Paris Saint-Germain

Past clubs: (Youth) Danubio; (Senior) Danubio, Palermo, Napoli

Bottom line: Edinson Cavani and Luis Suárez form the backbone of Uruguay’s national team, but the former gets the nod for his greater value to Paris Saint-Germain than Suárez to Barcelona.

The presence of Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, notwithstanding, Cavani remains PSG’s central, anchoring figure.

Internationally, both Cavani and Suárez (also a Salto native, born three weeks before Cavani) bring an unmatched intensity to the field. At this point of their careers, it becomes difficult to envision Uruguay functioning to its maximum potential without both on the field.

Uruguay Honorable Mention: Luis Suárez

Uruguay's Luis Suarez, center, fights for the ball against Panama during a pre-Copa America friendly soccer match in 2019.

Born: Jan. 24, 1987

Birthplace: Salto, Uruguay

Age: 32

Position: Striker

Current club: Barcelona

Past clubs: (Youth) Nacional; (Senior) Nacional, Groningen, Ajax, Liverpool

Bottom line: Incidents such as biting opponents and suspensions for racial abuse and for an obscene gesture have called into question both Luis Suárez’s character and mental health. But make no mistake, with a combined 18 team and individual trophies to his credit, Suárez remains one of the world’s top players.

Skillful and possessing a powerful shot, Suárez teams up superbly with Lionel Messi and others with Barcelona and combines with Edinson Cavani to create an outstanding attack tandem for Uruguay.

Venezuela — Josef Martínez

Josef Martinez beats defender Alexander Callens in a postseason MLS match in 2018.

Born: May 19, 1993

Birthplace: Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela

Age: 26

Position: Striker

Current club: Atlanta United

Past clubs: (Youth) Caracas; (Senior) Caracas, Young Boys, Thun, Torino

Bottom line: A dazzling player who scores both with his feet and on headers, Josef Martínez concluded his most remarkable 2018 championship season with a goal and assist in a 2-0 MLS Cup win over Portland on Dec. 8.

For the year, he established league records for regular-season goals (31) and combined regular and postseason goals (35). Season’s honors included the league MVP, All-Star Game MVP, Golden Boot (for most goals in the regular season) and MLS Cup Final Game MVP.

He recently signed a five-year extension with Atlanta.

Venezuela Honorable Mention: Salomón Rondón

Born: September 16, 1989

Birthplace: Caracas, Venezuela

Age: 29

Position: Striker

Current club: Newcastle United (on loan from West Bromwich Albion)

Past clubs: (Youth) San José de Calasanz, Deportivo Gulima, Aragua; (Senior) Aragua, Las Palmas, Málaga, Rubin Kazan, Zenit Saint Petersburg, West Bromwich Albion

Bottom line: Playing on loan in the 2018-19 season from West Bromwich Albion, Salomón Rondón has formed such a productive partnership with Spanish attacking midfielder Ayoze Pérez that Newcastle might look to keep both with the club.

A prolific goalscorer known as "The Gladiator," Rondón also has represented Venezuela in three Copa América tournaments, including the 2016 Copa América Centenario.

Having first appeared for Venezuela in 2008, Rondón has accumulated more than 70 appearances with more than 20 goals for his national team.