50 Facts About Dani Alves

Daniel Alves da Silva, known simply as Dani Alves, is a Brazilian professional footballer who last played as a right-back for Liga MX club UNAM and the Brazil national team.

Widely considered one of the greatest full-backs of all time, Alves is the most decorated player in the history of professional football with 43 senior titles.

Dani Alves won the treble in his first season with the club and in the next season, won the Supercopa de Espana, UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

In 2017, Dani Alves joined French side Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, winning a domestic treble in his first season, followed by another league title the following season.

Dani Alves was included in their squads for three FIFA World Cups and five Copa America tournaments, winning the 2007 and 2019 editions of the latter competition, as well as the 2009 and 2013 FIFA Confederations Cups.

Individually, Dani Alves was named in the IFFHS CONMEBOL Team of the Decade, FIFA Confederations Cup Team of the Tournament, the Copa America Team of the Tournament, and was awarded the Copa America Best Player.

Dani Alves was born in Juazeiro, a city in the Brazilian state of Bahia, to father Domingos Dani Alves da Silva, a farmer.

Dani Alves' father had a passion for football as well, and eventually managed to organize his own football team.

Dani Alves worked as a farmer and a trader in his youth.

Dani Alves was named the third-best player of the tournament and, after this, the Sevilla move was made permanent.

Dani Alves played in every one of Sevilla's UEFA Cup matches, in a competition which the club went on to win.

From his years in Spain, Dani Alves acquired Spanish citizenship, thus allowing him to bypass any non-EU quota restrictions and exempting him from needing a work permit to play in any EU countries.

On 1 August 2007, Dani Alves told SporTV he wanted to leave Sevilla for a European giant, later reiterating his desire to leave Sevilla to Marca, saying he was flattered by Chelsea's interest and that he could never turn down such an opportunity.

On 2 July 2008, Dani Alves joined Barcelona, leaving Sevilla in tears and saying he would love to play for the club again.

Dani Alves said he came to Sevilla as a boy and was leaving as a man.

Dani Alves made his La Liga debut in the Liga season-opener away to Numancia on 31 August 2008.

On 27 April 2014, during a match at Villarreal's stadium, El Madrigal, Dani Alves was targeted by a Villarreal supporter, who threw a banana at him.

Dani Alves picked up the banana, peeled it and took a bite.

Dani Alves said that whoever threw the banana at him should be publicly shamed, and on 30 April 2014, a man was arrested in connection with the incident.

On 6 June 2015, Dani Alves started for Barca in the 2015 Champions League final as the club won its fifth European Cup by beating Juventus at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.

On 9 June 2015, Dani Alves signed a two-year contract with Barcelona, keeping him at the club until 30 June 2017, with the option to extend a further year.

On 2 June 2016, Roberto Fernandez, Barcelona's technical secretary, announced Dani Alves was leaving Barcelona that summer after eight years.

Six days earlier, Dani Alves had assisted both goals for Gonzalo Higuain in the first leg of the tie at the Stade Louis II.

On 29 June 2017, Dani Alves had his contract with Juventus terminated by mutual consent.

On 12 July 2017, Dani Alves joined French side Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, signing a two-year contract.

On 28 August 2018, Dani Alves announced through a post on his Instagram page changing his squad number from 32 to 13 in tribute to Brazilian legend and four-time World Cup winner Mario Zagallo.

Dani Alves was received at the Morumbi stadium, in front of 44,000 fans.

Dani Alves was made first team captain at the time of his arrival.

On 10 September 2021, Dani Alves' representatives communicated to Sao Paulo that he would no longer return to training and subsequently play for the club following a dispute over unpaid image rights.

Miranda attended and trained normally, but Daniel Alves did not attend.

Dani Alves only became available for the team's official matches starting January 2022.

On 15 June 2022, Dani Alves announced via a post on his Instagram account that he would leave Barcelona for the second time, having made 408 competitive appearances for the club in total, the second most by a player from abroad, with only Lionel Messi having played more.

On 23 July 2022, Dani Alves signed a one-year contract with Liga MX club UNAM.

Dani Alves made his Brazil debut as a substitute in an unofficial friendly match against Kuwaiti club Al-Kuwait Selection on 7 October 2006.

Dani Alves was included in Brazil's team for the 2007 Copa America.

Dani Alves scored another long-range free-kick against Iran on 7 October 2010.

Dani Alves was part of the 23 players called by coach Luiz Felipe Scolari to play in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup on home soil.

On 7 May 2014, Dani Alves was named to Brazil's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on home soil.

Dani Alves lost his position as a starter during the competition due to poor performances.

Dani Alves was picked as a starter in both the 2015 and Centenario Copa America tournaments by manager Dunga.

Dani Alves retained his position following the appointment of Tite and helped Brazil secure qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but was ruled out of the tournament due to a knee injury suffered in the 2018 Coupe de France Final.

On 17 June 2021, Dani Alves was named in the Brazil squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

On 7 November 2022, at age 39, Dani Alves was named in the squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Dani Alves continued to play in a free role in midfield during his time with Sao Paulo, citing his desire to play in the middle in order to have more touches on the ball as the reason for this tactical switch, as out wide he had felt more isolated, and less capable of creating chances for his team.

On 29 September 2011, Dani Alves was appointed as a Special Olympics Ambassador for its Global Football program, charged with promoting respect and inclusion in football for people with intellectual disabilities, particularly in the run up to the 2014 World Cup.

In September 2021, Dani Alves indicated he was a supporter of Jair Bolsonaro after posting slogans in favor of the Brazilian president.

That same year, Dani Alves was appointed as an Earthshot Prize council member, an environmental initiative led by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge.

Dani Alves has given at least four different accounts of the incident.

Dani Alves implied that he entered the bathroom not knowing that she was already inside using it, but this was contradicted by surveillance footage.

When Dani Alves was questioned on why the woman would remain in the small bathroom with him for 15 minutes doing nothing, on why his semen had been found on the bathroom floor, Dani Alves changed his story again.