Emerson da Silva Leal, known as Emerson, was a Brazilian footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. A product of Grêmio’s academy, he won the 2001 Copa do Brasil and Campeonato Gaúcho with the club and played 113 matches for it. He died in Esteio, Rio Grande do Sul, on 27 October 2026, aged 46, a week after suffering a heart attack during a casual match with friends.

Born on 3 July 1980, he also played for Sport, Juventude, Madureira, América de Natal, Novo Hamburgo and Canoas, retiring in 2011. A heart abnormality found in 2004 kept him out of football for three years.