The historic Olympique Lyon is one of the French clubs with the most international renown and the greatest legacy in French football history. Much of what helped consolidate this status as one of the country’s greats was the illustrious contribution of several Brazilians during the club’s best moments.
Today at Sambafoot, we want to recall some of the best Brazilian footballers who have ever donned the Lyon jersey and, whether through goals or natural leadership, led their team to great successes in national competitions.
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Antônio Augusto Ribeiro Reis Júnior “Juninho Pernambucano”
- Period: 2000-2009
- Statistical Summary: 344 matches played – 100 goals – 77 assists – 10 titles
A living legend of football and Olympique Lyon, Juninho Pernambucano is undoubtedly the best Brazilian footballer in the history of the French club. His impact and importance can be summarized as follows: Lyon has seven Ligue 1 titles, and Juninho played a key role in each, winning consecutive league tournaments from 2002 to 2008.
Another standout aspect of his time at Lyon was his legendary free kicks, earning him worldwide fame and recognition as one of the best in history at this skill. For many, he is the best of all time.
Cristiano Marques Gomes (Cris)
- Period: 2004-2012
- Statistical Summary: 310 matches played – 27 goals – 9 assists – 9 titles
The second Brazilian with the most matches in OL’s history, just behind Juninho, is central defender Cris. He arrived at Lyon in the summer of 2004 from Cruzeiro and became one of the great leaders of the club’s golden generation. During his long tenure, Cris won nine titles with Lyon, including four Ligue 1 titles, two French Cups, and three French Super Cups.
Anderson da Silva Nilmar (Sonny Anderson)
- Period: 1999-2003
- Statistical Summary: 161 matches played – 94 goals – 4 assists – 4 titles
The brief yet unforgettable tenure of prolific scorer Sonny Anderson at Olympique Lyon will always be remembered. After a challenging period at FC Barcelona, Anderson joined Lyon, where he shone over four years, entering the club’s top 10 all-time scorers with 94 goals in 161 matches. He won several national titles, including two Ligue 1 titles, one League Cup, and one French Super Cup.
Cláudio Roberto da Silva “Caçapa”
- Period: 2001-2007
- Statistical Summary: 173 matches played – 8 goals – 3 assists – 11 titles
The legendary Cláudio Roberto da Silva, known in football as Cláudio Caçapa, had a successful and long career at Olympique Lyon, where he is remembered as one of the great foreign legends of the club’s golden era. After signing in 2001 from Atlético Mineiro, this solid central defender became a key part of the team that dominated Ligue 1 in the early 2000s, winning six league titles, one League Cup, and four French Super Cups.
Edmílson José Gomes de Moraes
- Period: 2000-2004
- Statistical Summary: 157 matches played – 5 goals – 3 assists – 5 titles
World Cup Champion in 2002, Edmílson, could not be left off this list. This versatile midfielder also formed part of OL’s golden generation that dominated France, winning numerous national titles. He added to his personal collection three Ligue 1 titles, one League Cup, and one French Super Cup.
Honorable Mentions
- Fred
- Lucas Paquetá
- Bruno Guimarães
- Marcelo
- Rafael
- Marcelo Djian
- Constantino
- Michel Bastos
