Afonso Alves

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Template:Short description Template:Portuguese name Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography

Afonso Alves Martins Júnior (born 30 January 1981), better known as Afonso Alves, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a striker. He represented Atlético Mineiro, Örgryte, Malmö FF, Heerenveen, Middlesbrough, Al-Sadd, Al-Rayyan and Al-Gharafa during a career that spanned between 2001 and 2013. He won eight caps and scored one goal for the Brazil national team, and helped his country win the 2007 Copa América.

Early life

Alves was born on 30 January 1981, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil's third largest 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.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

Alves started his career with Brazilian side Atlético Mineiro. In 2002, he left Atlético Mineiro for the Swedish club Örgryte from Gothenburg. 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 Malmö for the start of the 2006 season, and scored three goals in seven matches.

Club career

Heerenveen

File:Afonso Alves.jpg
Afonso Alves with Heerenveen

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 paid.

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.[1]

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,[2] setting a new Eredivisie record for most goals scored in a single match. Heerenveen's manager (Gertjan Verbeek) had already made three substitutions yet chose to take Alves off the pitch in the 89th minute to pay tribute to his fantastic performance.[3]

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 Brazil national team laughed at him for playing for such a small club.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

Middlesbrough

File:Afonso Alves 18-10-2008 1.jpg
Alves with Middlesbrough

In the January transfer window of the 2007–08 season he moved to Premier League side Middlesbrough on 31 January 2008. Alves' transfer fee was said to have been €12 million, on a four-and-a-half-year contract.[4]

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.[5]

His first two goals for Middlesbrough came at the Riverside Stadium on 6 April against Manchester United in a 2–2 draw.[6] He finished his first season in England with a hat-trick in an 8–1 home victory against Manchester City.[7]

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.[8] 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 steady 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.[9] He scored 2 goals in 12 league matches, and scored one goal in the Qatari Stars Cup after three games. Alves then accepted a loan bid from another Qatari League club, Al-Rayyan SC.

Al-Rayyan

On 31 January 2010, Alves was loaned to the Qatari seven-time league champion Al-Rayyan SC, coached by the Brazilian coach Paulo Autuori. Alves scored 18 goals on his loan spell, 9 of them in seven matches of the AFC Cup, and seven goals in seven league matches. He officially moved to Al-Rayyan in May 2010.[10]

File:Afonso Alves 2011.jpg
Alves in Al-Rayyan colours

Alves officially moved to Al-Rayyan SC for a further two years after winning the 2010 Emir of Qatar Cup with Al Rayyan on 15 May 2010.[11]

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:

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He rejoined Al-Rayyan as their top striker and started the 2011–12 season in Al-Rayyan's starting eleven.[12]

Al Gharafa and retirement

On 11 September 2012, he signed a one–year deal with QSL club Al Gharafa as their fourth professional player.[13]

Having been a free agent for over two seasons, Alves announced his retirement from professional football on his Instagram page on 5 October 2015.[14] Alves had been training with the youth team of his former club Heerenveen the days before his decision to retire.[15]

International career

On 17 May 2007, Alves received his first call-up for the Brazil national team for friendlies against England and Turkey.[16] 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 2007 Copa América in Venezuela. Alves scored his first international goal on 12 September 2007 against Mexico in a 3–1 win.

Personal life

Alves left Brazil as a 21-year-old in 2002 to move to Sweden. He has a son, Felipe Henrique, who is a footballer at Atletico Mineiro's Tupinambas Academy, and lives with Alves' former girlfriend in Brazil.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cupTemplate:Efn League cupTemplate:Efn Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Atlético Mineiro 2001 Série A
2002 Série A
Total
Örgryte IS 2002[17] Allsvenskan 18 13 – – – 18 13
2003[17] Allsvenskan 21 10 – 2Template:Efn 2 – 23 12
Total 39 23 – 2 2 – 41 25
Malmö FF 2004[17] Allsvenskan 24 12 – 2Template:Efn 0 – 26 12
2005[17] Allsvenskan 24 14 – 6Template:Efn 3 – 30 17
2006[17] Allsvenskan 7 3 – 0 0 – 7 3
Total 55 29 – 8 3 – 63 32
Heerenveen 2006–07 Eredivisie 31 34 1 0 – 6Template:Efn 3 2Template:Efn 0 40 37
2007–08 Eredivisie 8 11 1 0 – 1Template:Efn 0 – 10 11
Total 39 45 2 0 0 0 7 3 2 0 50 48
Middlesbrough 2007–08[18] Premier League 11 6 3 0 0 0 – – 14 6
2008–09[19] Premier League 31 4 3 3 1 0 – – 35 7
Total 42 10 6 3 1 0 – – 49 13
Al-Sadd 2009–10[20] Qatar Stars League 13 2 13 2
Al Rayyan (loan) 2009–10[20] Qatar Stars League 7 8 7 8
Al-Rayyan 2010–11[20] Qatar Stars League 9 4 9 4
2011–12[20][17] Qatar Stars League 18 15 5Template:Efn 0 23 15
Total 27 19 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 32 19
Al Gharafa 2012–13 Qatar Stars League 4 0 4 0
Career total 226 136 8 3 1 0 22 8 2 0 259 147

Template:Notelist

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[20]
National team Year Apps Goals
Brazil 2007 8 1
Total 8 1
Scores and results list Brazil's goal tally first, score column indicates score after Alves goal.
International goals scored by Afonso Alves[20]
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 12 September 2007 Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, USA {{ Template:Yesno alias = Mexico flag alias = Flag of Mexico.svg flag alias-1821a = Flag of the Three Guarantees.svg flag alias-1821 = Bandera del Primer Imperio Mexicano.svg flag alias-1823 = Flag of Mexico (1823-1864, 1867-1893).svg flag alias-1864 = Imperial Standard of Mexico (1864-1867).svg flag alias-1867 = Flag of Mexico (1823-1864, 1867-1893).svg flag alias-1893 = Flag of Mexico (1893-1916).svg flag alias-1916 = Flag of Mexico (1916–1934).svg flag alias-1934 = Flag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg flag alias-air force = Flag of the Mexican Air Force.svg flag alias-army = Flag of the Mexican Army.svg link alias-army = Mexican Army link alias-air force = Mexican Air Force link alias-naval = Mexican Navy flag alias-coast guard = Flag of the Mexican Maritime Search and Rescue.png link alias-coast guard = Mexican Maritime Search and Rescue flag alias-navy = Naval jack of Mexico.svg link alias-navy = Mexican Navy flag alias-marines = Estandarte Infantería de Marina de México.svg link alias-marines = Mexican Naval Infantry Corps size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} || align="center"|3–1 || align="center"|3–1 || Friendly

Honours

Malmö FF

Al-Rayyan

Brazil

Individual

References

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External links

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