Mexico (AFP)
Veteran Brazilian international defender Dani Alves, 39, joined the ranks of the Mexican club Pumas to compete in the local championship this season, according to what the seven-time champion of Mexico announced.
Alves signed a free deal with his new club after the end of his second term with Barcelona, who defended his colors in the 2021-2022 season, after 20 years of a long career in the European continent, punctuated by an adventure with Sao Paulo, Brazil, between 2019 and 2021.
Pumas, who has been in the first division since 1962, was crowned champion of Mexico seven times, while his last consecration dates back to 2011.
“For a lot of people who come here it might sound crazy, but for me football means a lot more than just kicking or running after the ball,” Alves said during his presentation on Saturday by Pumas, who are eighth in the domestic league.
Alves, who is considered the most successful football player in history by virtue of his championships, added: “The club represents the union with the community, and it was established so that people can fight for their dreams.”
Alves, who defended the colors of Bahia, Seville, Barcelona, the Spanish, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, in addition to his country’s national team, who carried his colors in 124 international matches, won 44 titles in his career.
Alves had returned to defend the Catalan club’s colors last November, at the request of coach Xavi Hernandez, with a short-term contract until the end of last season.
The Brazilian played 408 matches with Barcelona in two periods, the first was from 2008 to 2016, when the team lived a golden era by winning the Spanish League title 6 times, the European Champions League 3 times and the Spanish Cup 4 times.
Al-Fish is still defending the colors of the Brazilian national team, and he played two friendly matches against Japan and South Korea in June, and is expected to be part of the official squad that will participate in the World Cup in Qatar, scheduled from November 21 to December 18.
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