Afonso Alves
Encyclopedia
Afonso Alves Martins Júnior (born 30 January 1981) is a Brazil
ian footballer who plays for the Qatar
i club Al Rayyan Sports Club as a striker. He enjoyed the most successful period of his career during his time in Heerenveen in the Dutch league, where his goal-to-game ratio was higher than a goal a game. This precipitated a club record move to English
club Middlesbrough
, the transfer completed on the last day of the transfer window in January 2008.
Alves has been capped
for Brazil
on eight occasions.
, Brazil's third biggest city. He was brought up by his mother, Dona Eliade, and has a brother, Alexsander, and sister, Alexandra. His father died when he was nine years old.
from Göteborg. In 2004 he moved to Malmö FF
, where he won the Swedish League
that year. He stayed for the 2005 season, scoring 14 in 24 games, becoming the club's top-scorer for the second year running when Malmö finished fifth. Alves was at Malmo for the start of the 2006 season, and scored three goals in seven matches.
In Summer 2006, he moved to the Dutch club SC Heerenveen of the Eredivisie
for €4.5 million, which remains their highest-ever transfer fee.
In his first season, he finished as top goalscorer of the Eredivisie
with 34 goals (in 31 games), which is a club record. Alves is the third Brazilian to become topscorer in the Dutch first division, joining former PSV strikers Romário
and Ronaldo
, and the second Brazilian who scored over 30 goals in the same competition, with Ronaldo netting 30 in the 1994–95 season. Other than finishing first in the scorers table, he was runner-up in the race for the European Golden Boot
, a single point behind Roma forward Francesco Totti
.
On 7 October 2007, in only his second appearance of the season, Alves scored seven goals in his side's 9–0 victory over Eredivisie rivals Heracles Almelo
, setting a new Eredivisie
record for most goals scored in a single match.
Despite his impressive track record, his departure was surrounded by some controversy after he did not show up at several training sessions, while still under contract at SC Heerenveen and some remarks he made, insinuating that teammates in the Brazilian national team laughed at him for playing for such a small club. He was confronted with permanent resistance from the Heerenveen fan base from then on and his limited success in England was long chuckled upon.
In the January transfer window of the 2007-08 season he moved to Premier League side Middlesbrough
on 31 January 2008, just before the end of the transfer window. Alves' transfer was for an undisclosed club record fee thought to be around £12.7m, on a four and a half year contract.
He made his debut on 9 February, against Fulham
as a second-half substitute for Lee Dong-Gook
. His first Middlesbrough start came on 27 February in an FA Cup
home tie against Sheffield United
, when he was substituted in the 73 minute. Middlesbrough eventually won the game 1–0.
His first two goals for Middlesbrough came at the Riverside Stadium
on 6 April against Manchester United
in a 2–2 draw. He finished his first season in England with a hat-trick in an 8–1 home victory against Manchester City
.
Alves' first goal of the 2008–09 season came on 30 August, where he scored a 25-yard free-kick which flew into the top corner of the Stoke City
net. He then scored goals against Blackburn Rovers and a penalty against Manchester City, two against Barrow and one against local rivals Sunderland with a goal from 18 yards out. However, Alves could not find the form which led to his record move, and with a haul of just four league goals the season turned out to be a disappointing one for both him and Middlesbrough, who were relegated to the Championship.
after three games. Alves then accepted a loan bid from another Qatari League club, Al Rayyan Sports Club.
, and seven goals in seven league matches. He officially moved to Al-Rayyan in May 2010.
with Al Rayyan on the 15th of May, 2010.
Alves shortly emerged as a fan favorite, however he suffered a ligament injury in his left knee in December which kept him out of action for eight months. While recovering, he stated "Offers may’ve come to me during the transfer period, but I never bothered to listen to them and left them all to my agent. While recuperating from surgery, I remained in touch with coach Paulo (Autuori) and the club management, and kept them updated on my progress." He is expected to rejoin Al-Rayyan as their top striker and start the 2011-2012 season in Al-Rayyan's starting eleven.
for friendlies against England
and Turkey
. On 1 June, in the game against England, Alves was brought on to replace Kaká
after 71 minutes of play and very nearly scored after a Wes Brown
slip. He was also part of the Brazilian squad which won the Copa America 2007
in Venezuela. Alves scored his first international goal on September 12, 2007 against Mexico
in a 3–1 win.
. He has a son, Felipe Henrique, who is a footballer at Atletico Mineiro's Tupinambas Academy, and lives with Alves' former girlfriend in Brazil.
Allsvenskan
: 2004
Al-Rayyan
Emir of Qatar Cup
: 2010 Emir of Qatar Cup
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian footballer who plays for the Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
i club Al Rayyan Sports Club as a striker. He enjoyed the most successful period of his career during his time in Heerenveen in the Dutch league, where his goal-to-game ratio was higher than a goal a game. This precipitated a club record move to English
Football in England
Association football is a national sport in England, where the first modern set of rules for the code were established in 1863, which were a major influence on the development of the modern Laws of the Game...
club Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, the transfer completed on the last day of the transfer window in January 2008.
Alves has been capped
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
on eight occasions.
Early life
Alves was born on 30 January 1981, in Belo HorizonteBelo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte is the capital of and largest city in the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third largest metropolitan area in the country...
, Brazil's third biggest city. He was brought up by his mother, Dona Eliade, and has a brother, Alexsander, and sister, Alexandra. His father died when he was nine years old.
Early career
Alves started his career with Brazilian side Atlético Mineiro. In 2002 he left Atlético Mineiro for the Swedish club ÖrgryteÖrgryte IS
Örgryte IS, also commonly referred to as ÖIS, is a Swedish football club based in Gothenburg.-History:The club was founded on 4 December 1887 and participated in the first football match in Sweden on 22 May 1892. Örgryte IS has won 12 national championship titles and one national cup title. After...
from Göteborg. In 2004 he moved to Malmö FF
Malmö FF
Malmö Fotbollförening, also known simply as Malmö FF, are a Swedish professional football club based in Malmö. The club is affiliated with Skånes Fotbollförbund and play their home games at Swedbank Stadion. The club colours, reflected in their crest and kit, are sky blue and white...
, where he won the Swedish League
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
that year. He stayed for the 2005 season, scoring 14 in 24 games, becoming the club's top-scorer for the second year running when Malmö finished fifth. Alves was at Malmo for the start of the 2006 season, and scored three goals in seven matches.
Heerenveen
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
for €4.5 million, which remains their highest-ever transfer fee.
In his first season, he finished as top goalscorer of the Eredivisie
Eredivisie 2006/2007
The 2006/2007 season of the Eredivisie began on August 18, 2006. The season saw PSV Eindhoven quickly building a gap with the other teams. After 20 matches, the club was 11 points ahead of AZ and 12 points ahead of Ajax. The lead quickly dissipated in the 13 matches that followed. A draw of PSV at...
with 34 goals (in 31 games), which is a club record. Alves is the third Brazilian to become topscorer in the Dutch first division, joining former PSV strikers Romário
Romário
Romário de Souza Faria , better known simply as Romário , is a former footballer who played striker,manager and current politician where is currently running for a mayor like position in his hometown...
and Ronaldo
Ronaldo
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima , commonly known as Ronaldo, is a retired Brazilian footballer who last played for Corinthians. Ronaldo is widely considered to be the greatest 'pure' striker in the history of the modern game, and by some accounts, in the history of football. Ronaldo was one of the...
, and the second Brazilian who scored over 30 goals in the same competition, with Ronaldo netting 30 in the 1994–95 season. Other than finishing first in the scorers table, he was runner-up in the race for the European Golden Boot
European Golden Boot
The European Golden Shoe, formerly known as the European Golden Boot, is an association football award presented each season to the leading goalscorer in league matches from the top division of every European national league...
, a single point behind Roma forward Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti, Ufficiale OMRI, is an Italian footballer who is the captain of Serie A club Roma. His primary position is that of a trequartista, though he has also been successfully utilized as a lone striker. Totti has spent his entire career at Roma, is the number-one goalscorer and the most...
.
On 7 October 2007, in only his second appearance of the season, Alves scored seven goals in his side's 9–0 victory over Eredivisie rivals Heracles Almelo
Heracles Almelo
Heracles Almelo is a football club from Almelo, Netherlands.Heracles Almelo were founded on May 3, 1903 as Heracles, after the demigod son of Zeus. They changed their name on July 1, 1974 to SC Heracles '74 and finally settled on the current name in 1998. The club has won the Dutch national title...
, setting a new Eredivisie
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
record for most goals scored in a single match.
Despite his impressive track record, his departure was surrounded by some controversy after he did not show up at several training sessions, while still under contract at SC Heerenveen and some remarks he made, insinuating that teammates in the Brazilian national team laughed at him for playing for such a small club. He was confronted with permanent resistance from the Heerenveen fan base from then on and his limited success in England was long chuckled upon.
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
on 31 January 2008, just before the end of the transfer window. Alves' transfer was for an undisclosed club record fee thought to be around £12.7m, on a four and a half year contract.
He made his debut on 9 February, against Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
as a second-half substitute for Lee Dong-Gook
Lee Dong-Gook
Lee Dong-Gook is a South Korean football striker, who plays for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in K-League.-Early career:Lee started playing football for Pohang Steelers, where due to his outstanding performance in his first season, he managed to make his debut for the South Korean national team making...
. His first Middlesbrough start came on 27 February in an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
home tie against Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
, when he was substituted in the 73 minute. Middlesbrough eventually won the game 1–0.
His first two goals for Middlesbrough came at the Riverside Stadium
Riverside Stadium
The Riverside Stadium is a football stadium in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England, which has been the home of Middlesbrough F.C. since it opened in 1995...
on 6 April against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in a 2–2 draw. He finished his first season in England with a hat-trick in an 8–1 home victory against Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
.
Alves' first goal of the 2008–09 season came on 30 August, where he scored a 25-yard free-kick which flew into the top corner of the Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
net. He then scored goals against Blackburn Rovers and a penalty against Manchester City, two against Barrow and one against local rivals Sunderland with a goal from 18 yards out. However, Alves could not find the form which led to his record move, and with a haul of just four league goals the season turned out to be a disappointing one for both him and Middlesbrough, who were relegated to the Championship.
Al-Sadd
On 4 September 2009 Alves moved to Al-Sadd on a three-year deal for £7 million. He scored 2 goals in 12 league matches, and a scored one goal in the Qatari Stars CupQatari Stars Cup
The Qatari Stars Cup is a Qatari football competition played during the Qatar Stars League season.The knockout competition, which involves a round-robin league structure was first started in 2009 when the Qatar Stars League structure was amended...
after three games. Alves then accepted a loan bid from another Qatari League club, Al Rayyan Sports Club.
Al-Rayyan (on loan)
On 31 January 2010, Alves was loaned to the Qatari seven-time league champion Al Rayyan Sports Club which is coached by the Brazilian coach Paulo Autuori. Alves scored 18 goals on his loan spell, 9 of them in seven matches of the AFC CupAFC Cup
The AFC Cup is an annual international association football competition between domestic clubs sides run by the Asian Football Confederation . Qualification to the competition is to clubs from AFC-affiliated countries which fall into the AFC's 'developing nations' category as laid out in their...
, and seven goals in seven league matches. He officially moved to Al-Rayyan in May 2010.
Al-Rayyan
Alves officially moved to Al Rayyan Sports Club for a further two years after winning the 2010 Emir of Qatar Cup2010 Emir of Qatar Cup
The 2010 Emir of Qatar Cup is the 38th edition of the is a cup tournament in men's football . It is played by the 1st and 2nd Level divisions of the Qatari football league structure....
with Al Rayyan on the 15th of May, 2010.
Alves shortly emerged as a fan favorite, however he suffered a ligament injury in his left knee in December which kept him out of action for eight months. While recovering, he stated "Offers may’ve come to me during the transfer period, but I never bothered to listen to them and left them all to my agent. While recuperating from surgery, I remained in touch with coach Paulo (Autuori) and the club management, and kept them updated on my progress." He is expected to rejoin Al-Rayyan as their top striker and start the 2011-2012 season in Al-Rayyan's starting eleven.
International career
On 17 May 2007, Alves received his first call-up for the Brazilian national teamBrazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
for friendlies against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and Turkey
Turkey national football team
The Turkey national football team represents Turkey in association football and is controlled by the Turkish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Turkey. They are affiliated with UEFA...
. On 1 June, in the game against England, Alves was brought on to replace Kaká
Kaká
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite , commonly known as Kaká , is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. Kaká started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club...
after 71 minutes of play and very nearly scored after a Wes Brown
Wes Brown
Wesley Michael "Wes" Brown is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Sunderland. Before joining Sunderland, Brown had spent his entire career at Old Trafford, having joined the Manchester United youth team in 1996...
slip. He was also part of the Brazilian squad which won the Copa America 2007
Copa América 2007
The 2007 Campeonato Sudamericano Copa América, known simply as the 2007 Copa América or 2007 Copa América Venezuela, was the 42nd edition of the Copa América, the South-American championship for international association football teams...
in Venezuela. Alves scored his first international goal on September 12, 2007 against Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
in a 3–1 win.
Personal life
Alves left Brazil as a 21-year-old in 2002 to move to SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. He has a son, Felipe Henrique, who is a footballer at Atletico Mineiro's Tupinambas Academy, and lives with Alves' former girlfriend in Brazil.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | Qatari League | Qatari Stars Cup Qatari Stars Cup The Qatari Stars Cup is a Qatari football competition played during the Qatar Stars League season.The knockout competition, which involves a round-robin league structure was first started in 2009 when the Qatar Stars League structure was amended... |
Emir of Qatar Cup Emir of Qatar Cup Emir of Qatar Cup is a tournament played every season by 16 first and second division teams. The most successful is Al Sadd who won the tournament 13 times... |
Asia | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | ||
| Al Rayyan | 2011–12 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 8 |
| App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals |
| Al Rayyan | 2010–11 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 7 |
| App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals |
| Al Rayyan | 2009–10 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 17 | 18 |
| App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals |
| Al-Sadd Al-Sadd Sadd Sports Club known as Al-Sadd Club is a Qatari sports club, best known for its football team of the Qatar National First Division, from the city of Doha. The club goes with the Nickname "Al-Zaeem", which translates to "The Boss", and was founded by four students on the October 21, 1969 in... |
2009–10 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 3 |
| Club | Season | Premier League | FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
Carling Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... |
Europe | Total | |||||
| App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | ||
| Middlesbrough Middlesbrough F.C. Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889... |
2008–09 | 31 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 7 |
| 2007–08 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 6 | |
| Club | Season | Eredivisie | KNVB Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
| App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | ||
| SC Heerenveen | 2007–08 | 8 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 11 | ||
| 2006–07 | 31 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 38 | 37 | |||
| Club | Season | Allsvenskan Allsvenskan Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan... |
Swedish Cup Svenska Cupen Svenska Cupen , is a knockout cup competition in Swedish football and the main Swedish football cup. Svenska Cupen usually refers to the men's tournament, although a women's tournament is also held. Each year 98 teams compete, comprising the 16 teams from Allsvenskan and the 16 teams of Superettan... |
Europe | Total | ||||||
| App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | ||
| Malmö FF Malmö FF Malmö Fotbollförening, also known simply as Malmö FF, are a Swedish professional football club based in Malmö. The club is affiliated with Skånes Fotbollförbund and play their home games at Swedbank Stadion. The club colours, reflected in their crest and kit, are sky blue and white... |
2006 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | ||
| 2005 | 24 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 33 | 17 | |||
| 2004 | 24 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 27 | 12 | |||
| Örgryte IS Örgryte IS Örgryte IS, also commonly referred to as ÖIS, is a Swedish football club based in Gothenburg.-History:The club was founded on 4 December 1887 and participated in the first football match in Sweden on 22 May 1892. Örgryte IS has won 12 national championship titles and one national cup title. After... |
2003 | 21 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 26 | 15 | ||
| 2002 | 18 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 13 | |||||
| Atlético Mineiro | 2001–02 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Total | 194 | 116 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 24 | 17 | 242 | 144 | |
| a Updated 22 March 2010 | |||||||||||
Club
Malmö FFMalmö FF
Malmö Fotbollförening, also known simply as Malmö FF, are a Swedish professional football club based in Malmö. The club is affiliated with Skånes Fotbollförbund and play their home games at Swedbank Stadion. The club colours, reflected in their crest and kit, are sky blue and white...
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
: 2004
Al-Rayyan
Emir of Qatar Cup
Emir of Qatar Cup
Emir of Qatar Cup is a tournament played every season by 16 first and second division teams. The most successful is Al Sadd who won the tournament 13 times...
: 2010 Emir of Qatar Cup
2010 Emir of Qatar Cup
The 2010 Emir of Qatar Cup is the 38th edition of the is a cup tournament in men's football . It is played by the 1st and 2nd Level divisions of the Qatari football league structure....
Individual
- EredivisieEredivisieThe Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
Top Scorer: 2006–07 - Dutch Footballer of the YearDutch Footballer of the YearThe title Dutch Footballer of the Year has been awarded in the Netherlands since 1984. The award is determined by a poll of Dutch professional footballers playing in the First and Second leagues....
: 2007 - 2010 AFC Cup top scorer.