Alex (footballer, born June 1982)
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Alex Rodrigo Dias da Costa[1] | ||
Date of birth | [2] | 17 June 1982||
Place of birth | Niterói, Brazil | ||
Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2] | ||
Position(s) |
Centre-back | ||
Youth career | |||
2000–2001 | Juventus (SP) | ||
2002 | Santos | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2002–2004 | Santos | 78 | (14) |
2004–2012 | Chelsea | 86 | (7) |
2004–2007 | → PSV (loan) | 84 | (11) |
2012–2014 | Paris Saint-Germain | 70 | (6) |
2014–2016 | AC Milan | 46 | (4) |
Total | 361 | (42) | |
International career | |||
2003–2004 |
Brazil U23 | 13 | (2) |
2002–2011 | Brazil | 17 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Alex Rodrigo Dias da Costa (Brazilian Portuguese:
Having been bought by the
Alex earned 17 caps for Brazil between 2003 and 2008, winning the 2007 Copa América and finishing as runner-up at the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Club career
Santos
Alex began his career with
In the 2003 season, Alex participated in 34 matches and, despite playing defense, managed to score nine goals. Also in 2003, Alex helped Santos reach the final of the Copa Libertadores, where Santos lost 5–1 on aggregate against Argentine side Boca Juniors. In the second leg of Copa Libertadores Finals, Alex scored the only goal for Santos in a 3–1 loss.[citation needed]
Chelsea
Alex was signed by English
PSV (loan)
The joint contract of Chelsea and PSV loaned Alex to the latter, with Chelsea having a €1 million buy-out clause. Alex eventually played three years at PSV, donning the number 4 jersey for the Eindhoven club. While playing for PSV, he earned himself the nickname "The Tank" due to his cannonball-like free kicks and his strong physical stature.[3]
He formally joined PSV in the
Alex won a second straight Dutch league championship in the
2007–08
In an interview with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Alex confirmed that Chelsea were in the process of getting him a work permit and that the possibilities of him joining Chelsea next season were very high.[10] Alex later confirmed that Chelsea had almost completed the process of acquiring him a work permit and that he would start the season as a Chelsea player.[11]
Alex was granted a work permit on 2 August 2007,[12][13] and completed his transfer to Chelsea after agreeing to personal terms and passing a medical, where he then signed a three-year deal with the London club on 10 August.[14][15]
On 14 August 2007, Alex was presented to the English media in a press conference with manager José Mourinho, where he was given shirt number 33. He made his debut on 19 August when he came on as a substitute for Florent Malouda against Liverpool in the 85th minute, with the teams tied at 1–1. He also played in the 0–2 defeat away at Aston Villa and the 4–0 victory over Hull City in the League Cup.[16]
Alex scored his first goal for Chelsea on 20 October 2007, a 30-yard free kick against
2008–09
Alex enjoyed his longest spell in the first team during the 2008–09 season. He was given his chance due to regular starter Ricardo Carvalho being injured for long periods of the campaign. He scored Chelsea's 1,000th Premier League goal against Sunderland on 1 November 2008.[20] Alex started every game for Chelsea under Guus Hiddink, who managed Alex at PSV, and also scored in an FA Cup quarter-final victory away to Coventry City.[21]
In the Champions League quarter-finals second leg at Stamford Bridge against
2009–10
Alex played his first pre-season match against Milan in the World Football Challenge.[25]
On 13 October 2009, Alex signed a new four-year contract with Chelsea, keeping him at Stamford Bridge until the summer of 2013.[26]
Alex missed the start of the season, having sustained a groin injury on 15 August 2009.[27] He started his first game of the season in a League Cup match against Bolton Wanderers on 28 October 2009, playing the full 90 minutes. He made his first Premier League start of the season against Portsmouth on 16 December 2009.[28]
On 13 March 2010, he scored his first goal of the season at Stamford Bridge giving Chelsea the lead in a 4–1 league win over West Ham United.[29]
2010–11
In light of Ricardo Carvalho's departure to Real Madrid, Alex started the 2010–11 season as first-choice centre-back for Chelsea, alongside John Terry. On 3 October 2010, he scored a 25-yard freekick in a 2–0 victory over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. On 5 October, he was ruled out for up to three weeks after picking up a thigh injury in the final stages of Sunday's 2–0 win over Arsenal, and subsequently withdrew from the Brazil squad for the friendly matches against Iran, and Ukraine.[30] Alex made his return for Chelsea where he made his return on 30 October 2010 and played 90 minutes against Blackburn Rovers in a 2–1 win. On 1 December 2010, Alex suffered a knee injury and was out of action about three months. While rehabilitation on his injury, Manager Carlo Ancelotti would consider signing a new defender if Alex fails to recover from knee surgery before the end of January but Alex failed to do so and Chelsea went on to sign David Luiz from Benfica.[31] By mid March 2011, Alex made his return to training with the first-team squad.[32]
After he recovered from the injury, Alex made his return on 9 April 2011 in a match against
2011–12
In the summer transfer window, Alex was the subject of a bid from
On 3 December 2011, Alex submitted a transfer request, which was accepted.[35] He had been the subject of a bid from Queens Park Rangers in the first transfer activity under their new manager Mark Hughes. The move, however, broke down after both parties reportedly failed to agree personal terms; QPR could not match his wage demands and Alex stated he did not want to stay in England.[36][37]
Paris Saint-Germain
On 27 January 2012, Alex joined Paris Saint-Germain for £4.2 million[38] to reunite with his former manager Carlo Ancelotti. On his move, he publicly stated that the reason for it was that Chelsea manager André Villas-Boas had not given him enough playing time at the club.[39] He was given the number 13 shirt, free since the departure of Sammy Traoré.[citation needed]
On 12 February 2012, Alex made his debut for PSG in a 0–0 draw against
On 3 August 2013, Alex scored the game-winning goal with the last kick of the game in PSG's 2–1 defeat of Bordeaux in the Trophée des Champions at the Stade d'Angondjé in Libreville, Gabon.[40]
A.C. Milan
On 5 June 2014, Alex signed for Milan on free transfer when his contract with PSG expired.
On 25 May 2016, club owner
In December 2016, Alex announced his retirement as a player.[45]
International career
Alex made his debut for
He was overlooked for the 2006 FIFA World Cup squad. However, after the World Cup, he earned regular call-ups with the new head coach, Dunga. He was a member of the Brazil squad that won the 2007 Copa América with a 3–0 victory over arch-rivals Argentina in the final. He was dropped from the Brazilian squad for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup due to injuries.[citation needed]
On 11 May, he was called up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup squad as one of the seven back-up players.[47]
Career statistics
Club
Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Santos | 2002[48] | Série A | 25 | 3 | 25 | 3 | ||||||||
2003[48] | Série A | 40 | 10 | 40 | 10 | |||||||||
2004[48] | Série A | 13 | 1 | 13 | 1 | |||||||||
Total | 78 | 14 | 78 | 14 | ||||||||||
PSV (loan) | 2004–05[48] | Eredivisie | 27 | 3 | — | 13[a] | 2 | 40 | 5 | |||||
2005–06[48] | Eredivisie | 28 | 2 | — | 7[a] | 0 | 35 | 2 | ||||||
2006–07[48] | Eredivisie | 29 | 6 | — | 8[a] | 2 | 37 | 8 | ||||||
Total | 84 | 11 | — | 28 | 4 | 112 | 15 | |||||||
Chelsea | 2007–08[49] | Premier League | 28 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6[a] | 1 | — | 39 | 3 | |
2008–09[50] | Premier League | 24 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 9[a] | 1 | — | 41 | 4 | ||
2009–10[51] | Premier League | 16 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 1 | |
2010–11[52] | Premier League | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[a] | 0 | — | 20 | 2 | ||
2011–12[53] | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | ||
Total | 86 | 7 | 14 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 134 | 10 | ||
Paris Saint-Germain | 2011–12[54] | Ligue 1 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 2 | ||
2012–13[54] | Ligue 1 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9[a] | 2 | — | 34 | 3 | ||
2013–14[54] | Ligue 1 | 31 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7[a] | 0 | 1 | 1 | 42 | 3 | |
Total | 70 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 92 | 9 | ||
A.C. Milan
|
2014–15[54]
|
Serie A | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 23 | 1 | |||
2015–16[54]
|
Serie A | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 25 | 3 | ||||
Total | 46 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 48 | 4 | |||||
Career total | 364 | 42 | 19 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 68 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 465 | 52 |
International
National team | Club | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brazil[55][56][57][58][59][60] | Santos | 2003 | 5 | 0 |
2004 | 0 | 0 | ||
PSV Eindhoven | 2004–2005 | 0 | 0 | |
2005–2006 | 0 | 0 | ||
2006–2007 | 9 | 0 | ||
Chelsea | 2007–2008 | 3 | 0 | |
2008–2011 | 0 | 0 | ||
Paris Saint-Germain | 2012 | 0 | 0 | |
Total | 17 | 0 |
Honours
Santos
PSV
Chelsea
Paris Saint-Germain
Brazil
Individual
References
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External links
- Alex at Soccerbase