Borussia Dortmund have a chance to win their first league title in years, after doing so in 2012 with the presence of two Brazilian players.
In the last decade, the Bundesliga has been characterized by the resounding dominance of Bayern Munich. The last German champion before Bavarian hegemony was Jürgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund in the 2011-12 season.
For the first time in a long time, the team from eastern Germany has a chance to win the league title. They do not depend on themselves, but the chances exist as they are one point behind Bayern. Prior to the outcome of the championship, we remember the Brazilians who were part of their last league champion squad.
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The Brazilian champions with Dortmund in 2012
Although the most striking names in that squad were Robert Lewandowski, Mario Götze, Marco Reus, Matts Hummels or Ilkay Gündogan, the Brazilian presence also contributed to the title. Defender Felipe Santana and midfielder Antônio da Silva were part of the feat.
Santana, who was 25 years old at the time, was a substitute for Hummels and Neven Subotic but managed to play 13 times. His greatest contribution, however, was the goal he converted in a tight 2-0 win over Schalke.
Da Silva, on the other hand, was already in the final years of his career and made just five appearances in the Bundesliga, although he was able to record one assist. Dortmund’s current squad does not feature any Brazilian-born footballers, so regardless of the result, both Santana and da Silva will remain the last Brazilians to win the league with Dortmund for at least a while longer if this happens now.
