🎖 Ballon D'OneFootball: 'King of America' finalist secures top spot

Giorgian Daniel De Arrascaeta Benedetti was the "guy" for Flamengo who ended 2025 with a total of six trophies.

The Uruguayan midfielder stood out throughout the season. And secured first place in the Ballon D'OneFootball.

The award, given by Brazilian journalists from OneFootball, lists the best-performing players throughout 2025 in Brazil, considering all competitions.

See below who the other ten finalists were:

2nd - Kaio Jorge, forward for Cruzeiro

3rd - Vitor Roque, forward for Palmeiras

4th - Matheus Pereira, midfielder for Cruzeiro

5th - Léo Pereira, defender for Flamengo

6th - Reinaldo, left-back for Mirassol

7th - Rayan, forward for Vasco

8th - Flaco López, forward for Palmeiras

9th - Jorginho, midfielder for Flamengo

10th - Thiago Silva, defender for Fluminense

Most Prolific Season of His CAREER ⚽

After four years with Cruzeiro, Arrascaeta joined Flamengo in 2019.

And he was one of the team's standout players along with Gabigol and Bruno Henrique, scoring 18 goals and contributing 19 assists.

Then came 2025, and he did even more wearing Zico's mythical number 10 for the first time.

Arrasca finished the season with 25 goals and 20 assists.

A total of 45 direct contributions over 64 games. 

This performance made him one of the finalists for "King of America" alongside Messi (Inter Miami) and Adrián "Maravilha" Martínez (Racing).

😯 What a difference, huh?

Arrasca's 2025 is even more "absurd" compared to the previous season.

Last year he had good numbers, securing a "double-double" with ten goals and ten assists.

But he struggled with physical problems, playing 43 games. 

He made only 15 appearances in the Brasileirão-2024 (less than one round).

This year, the red-black number 10 played 33 games in the competition.

Flamengo knew how to manage his presence on the field. And he made all the difference. 

🤔 Greatest foreign player in Brazilian football this century?

Several athletes from other countries have shone in Brazil since 2001. Examples include Petkovic, D'Alessandro, Tévez, Conca, Seedorf, and Suárez. 

Arrascaeta, who has been playing in the country since 2015, has been collecting trophies. 

He already had two Copa do Brasil titles (2018 and 2019) and a Mineiro with Cruzeiro. 

And he reached the mark of 19 titles with Flamengo.

This includes three Libertadores, three Brasileirões, and two Copa do Brasil titles.

Could he be the best foreign player in Brazilian football this century? Share your opinion in the comments!

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

📸 Rodrigo Valle - 2025 Getty Images