Former Chelsea , Manchester United and Tottenham stars are among the players to watch out for in this season’s Copa Libertadores.

South America’s biggest club tournament soon kicks off with Botafogo looking to defend their first title while historic side Boca Juniors are already eliminated having lost on penalties to Alianza Lima in the qualifiers.

The group stage, which sees eight groups of four play each other home and away, begins in April and for those watching for the first time, there may be some faces you recognise along the way.

Oscar

The former Chelsea player became the first big name to leave Europe for the money after he joined Chinese side Shanghai Port but in fairness to the now 33-year-old his tears when he left the club in 2024 suggested he had grown fond of his surroundings.

After his time in China, Oscar headed home to Brazil and to Sao Paulo where he had first started his career.

He signed a three-year deal at the end of December, making his second debut against Guarani in January, and has scored twice since returning to the club.

Lucas Moura

The Tottenham hero of Amsterdam in 2019, Moura returned to his native Brazil in 2023 after over 300 games in Europe.

Like Oscar, it was a homecoming for Moura who was born in Sao Paulo and played for the team between 2010 and 2012.

After returning, he has netted 16 goals in 55 matches played in São Paulo, the biggest city in Brazil, and aims to secure a Copa Libertadores title for his collection.

Memphis Depay

Depay, who previously played for Manchester United, is currently with Corinthians after restoring his image at Lyon post-his tenure at Old Trafford.

His displays in France led to his transfer to Barcelona, followed by a stint at Atlético Madrid for a season. The Dutch player subsequently signed with Brazilian club Corinthians based in São Paulo last year.

In 29 appearances for the club, he has found the net nine times, surpassing his tally from his time at Manchester United.

Alex Telles

Having been at Inter and Porto, Manchester United opted to sign Brazilian left-back Alex Telles in 2020 when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was at the wheel.

For a transfer fee of £15.4 million, Telles made his first appearance in the 2-1 victory against PSG in the Champions League, however, by August 2022, he was loaned out to Sevilla.

Following his time in Saudi Arabia, Telles returned to Brazil to sign with Botafogo and found the net in the 2024 Copa Libertadores final match.

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Roque Santa Cruz

The legendary Roque Santa Cruz, who celebrated his 42nd birthday last August, continues to play for Club Libertad. This marks his 11th team since the beginning of his professional career with Blackburn.

In September 2021, he attempted to join the club following Libertad's advancement to the semifinals of the Copa Sudamericana, yet this transfer fell through. Consequently, when he eventually moved, he had turned 40 years old.

Even with his advanced age, Santa Cruz still manages to score goals. He became the second-oldest Copa Libertadores goalscorer when he scored at the age of 42 years, eight months, and 21 days.

Danilo

The former defenders of Real Madrid and Manchester City, Danilo, has returned to South America with the aim of claiming his second Copa Libertadores title after winning it alongside Neymar-led Santos in 2011.

During his tenure in Europe, Danilo secured six league championships prior to joining Flamengo back in Brazil in 2025.

In January, the 33-year-old joined the club and has made four appearances so far. His experience will serve as a valuable asset to Filipe Luis, the manager who previously played for Atletico Madrid.

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Allan

Midfield hardman Allan spent the majority of his career in Italy having made over 100 appearances for Udinese and then more than 150 at Napoli.

He switched from Naples to Merseyside upon joining Everton in 2020 but later moved to a more temperate climate with Abu Dhabi’s Al Wahda in 2022.

After casting his lot in the Middle East, Allan relocated to Brazil and joined Botafogo, securing victory in the Copa Libertadores last year.

Felipe Anderson

Felipe Anderson, who previously played for Lazio, had a stint at the London Stadium before returning to Lazio again.

When he signed for West Ham as a record deal at the time, Anderson performed adequately in his initial season; however, during the 2019-20 season, he managed to find the back of the net only once.

Before heading back to Lazio, he was loaned out to Porto, where he accumulated 12 goals from 73 appearances for the Hammers.

He chose not to remain in Rome for 2024 and instead returned home to sign with Palmeiras, where he has only made appearances in 19 matches since his comeback.