Full name - Bruno Eduardo Regufe Alves
Date of birth - 27 November 1981 (age 29)
Place of birth - Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal
Height - 1.89 m (6 ft 2 1⁄2 in)
Playing position - Centre back
Date of birth - 27 November 1981 (age 29)
Place of birth - Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal
Height - 1.89 m (6 ft 2 1⁄2 in)
Playing position - Centre back
Bruno Alves
Bruno Eduardo Regufe Alves (born 27 November 1981 in Póvoa de Varzim) is a Portuguese footballer who plays for FC Zenit Saint Petersburg in Russia and the Portuguese national team, as a central defender.
Alves is noted for his strength, tough tackling, aerial ability, and is a widely recognized free-kick specialist. He spent most of his professional career at F.C. Porto, winning a total of nine titles, seven as first-choice.
Club career
Porto
After three consecutive loans, two in Portugal and another in the Greek first division with AEK Athens FC, Alves returned to F.C. Porto in 2005–06, extending his contract until 2010, and battling for a first-team spot with Ricardo Costa and João Paulo. He played in seven league matches for the eventual champions, but was infamously sent off on 15 October 2005, in the 2–0 home loss against S.L. Benfica, after headbutting Nuno Gomes.
The arrival of Jesualdo Ferreira at the helm of Porto signalled the turning point in Alves' career. He beat off stiff competition for a starting berth in the team alongside Pepe and formed a rock solid partnership with the Brazilian-born. An impressive season saw the player, now in his mid-twenties, finally come of age. Alves was ever-present as Porto won another national championship.
On 7 April 2009, Alves' early mistake in the season's UEFA Champions League game against Manchester United at Old Trafford led to Wayne Rooney's 1–1 equaliser; the game ended 2–2 and Porto went on to lose 3–2 on aggregate. However, on 10 May, he headed in the game's only goal in a home win over C.D. Nacional, which ensured the Dragões and the player a fourth consecutive league accolade.
Zenit
On 3 August 2010, aged 28, Alves signed with Russian Premier League's FC Zenit for €22 million, joining compatriots Danny and Fernando Meira in the squad. Upon his arrival, head coach Luciano Spalletti described him as a very important player for the team, noting his experience, ability in the air and strong character.[6] On 30 October, he scored his first goal for his new club, against former team AEK, in the UEFA Europa League group stage (4–2 home win).
International career
Luiz Felipe Scolari gave Alves his full Portugal debut in June 2007 against Kuwait in a 1–1 away draw. He was then selected as a back-up for UEFA Euro 2008, appearing in the 2–0 group stage loss against Switzerland.
A regular starter during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Alves headed the winner in injury time for the final 2–1 win in Albania on 6 June 2009, as Portugal eventually reached the play-offs. There, in the first leg in Lisbon, he also found the net (the game's only goal) against Bosnia and Herzegovina, in an eventual 2–0 aggregate qualification; he also played all the matches and minutes in the finals in South Africa, in an eventual round of 16 exit.
Buy on AliExpress.com
