'The New Cafu' joined Barcelona after a superb six seasons at Sevilla. Daniel Alves is continuing Brazil's tradition for exciting, attacking full-backs
Placing Alves in his ‘Perfect XI of Opponents’ for FourFourTwo, Barça striker Samuel Eto’o described him as a great player of the highest level who never panics.
“Alves has had success at Seville,” predicted Eto’o, “but he’ll move to a bigger club. He’s very, very fast and while everyone knows he gets forward, he gets back just as quickly. Exceptionally skilful, he’s the new Cafu.”
The marauding right-back, who started his career at local club Bahia in Brazil in 2001, joined Seville in 2002 and enjoyed great success in his six seasons at the Andalusian club. In, 2008, Barcelona beat Chelsea to his signature, paying €29 million – a world record fee for a full-back, with a further €6 million dependent on appearances.
A Brazilian international since 2006, Alves is widely considered to be the best player in the world in his position.