João Resende Alves

For the other Portuguese footballer, see João Alves.

João Alves

Personal information
Full name	João António Ferreira Resende Alves
Date of birth	(1952-12-05) December 5, 1952
Place of birth	Albergaria-a-Velha, Portugal
Height	1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Youth career
1968–1969	Sanjoanense
1969–1972	Benfica
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1972–1973	Benfica	0	(0)
1972–1973	→ Varzim (loan)
1973–1974	Montijo	30	(2)
1974–1976	Boavista	59	(26)
1976–1978	Salamanca	64	(10)
1978–1979	Benfica	26	(11)
1979–1980	Paris Saint-Germain	19	(0)
1980–1983	Benfica	71	(17)
1983–1985	Boavista	47	(3)
National team
1974–1983	Portugal	36	(3)
Teams managed
1984–1986	Boavista
1988–1990	Estrela Amadora
1990	Boavista
1991–1992	Vitória Guimarães
1992–1994	Estrela Amadora
1994–1996	Belenenses
1996–1997	Boavista
1997	Salamanca
1997–1998	Campomaiorense
1998–2000	Farense
2000–2002	Académica
2002–2003	Estrela Amadora
2003–2004	Leixões
2009–2011	Servette
2012	Servette
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

João António Ferreira Resende Alves (born 5 December 1952 in Albergaria-a-Velha), is a Portuguese retired footballer and a current coach.

A skilled attacking midfielder, he was considered one of the best Portuguese players from his generation, and earned the nickname "Luvas Pretas", from the black gloves he used to wear while playing.

During his career he represented mainly, with equal individual and team success, Benfica and Boavista, also coaching the latter in three separate occasions.

Playing career

Alves started playing at youth levels for A.D. Sanjoanense, being recruited in 1969 by Sport Lisboa e Benfica. His first professional club was Varzim Sport Club in 1972–73, followed by C.D. Montijo, the latter being his first division experience.

Alves moved to his first major team, Boavista FC, for 1974–75, where he first showed more of his talent, earning him a transfer to Spain's UD Salamanca, where he remained two more seasons.

He then returned to Portugal and Benfica, only to move after one year to Paris Saint-Germain FC. Failing to impress, he immediately moved back to Benfica, where he would play for the next three seasons; he spent two final seasons at Boavista, ending his career during the 1984–85 season to become team coach.

Alves won two national championship titles for Benfica (1980–81 and 1982–83) and four Portuguese Cups (two for Boavista, in 1975 and 1976, and two with Benfica, in 1981 and 1983). He also played for the former in the 1982–83 UEFA Cup final, losing on aggregate to R.S.C. Anderlecht of Belgium.

Alves won 36 caps for Portugal, scoring three goals (11 for Boavista, two for Salamanca and 17 for Benfica). His debut took place on 13 November 1974 in a 0–3 friendly loss to Switzerland, and his final match was on 27 April 1983, in a 0–5 loss against the Soviet Union for the UEFA Euro 1984 qualifiers.

João Alves: International goals

Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	3 December 1975	Estádio do Bonfim, Setúbal, Portugal	Cyprus	1–0	1–0	Euro 1976 qualifying
2	30 March 1977	Estádio dos Barreiros, Funchal, Portugal	Switzerland	1–0	1–0	Friendly
3	9 May 1979	Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway	Norway	0–1	0–1	Euro 1980 qualifying

Coaching career

Alves became a coach after finishing his player career, managing Boavista (on three separate occasions), C.F. Estrela da Amadora (leading the Amadora team to an historical 1990 Cup of Portugal triumph), Vitória de Guimarães, C.F. Os Belenenses, Salamanca, S.C. Campomaiorense, S.C. Farense, Académica de Coimbra and Leixões SC. In 1996–97, he led former side Salamanca to a La Liga return.

After three years out of coaching, he returned to Benfica in 2007, to be in charge of its U-18 team. Two years later he returned to senior football, signing with Switzerland's Servette FC and achieving promotion to the top division in his second season.

On 28 November 2011, following Swiss Cup elimination at the hands of FC Biel-Bienne (0–3 away loss), Alves was relieved of his duties. However, following poor results achieved by his successor and the club's takeover by Hugh Quennec, he was reinstated as manager in April 2012: in the final five games of the season results improved, with the team achieving four wins and one draw – this included a 2–1 win over eventual champions FC Basel, which ended Servette's streak of 17 consecutive defeats against that opponent as well as ending their 26 match unbeaten run – and the side eventually qualified for the UEFA Europa League.

Managerial statistics (incomplete)

Manager	Nat	From	To	League Record
				G	W	D	L	Win %
João Alves		16 July 2011	28 November 2011	700116000000000000016	70006000000000000006	70003000000000000003	70007000000000000007	700137500000000000037.50
João Carlos Pereira		28 November 2011	24 April 2012	700113000000000000013	70004000000000000004	70002000000000000002	70007000000000000007	700130770000000000030.77
João Alves		24 April 2012	20 May 2012	70005000000000000005	70004000000000000004	70001000000000000001	50000000000000000000	700180000000000000080.00
Total				700134000000000000034	700114000000000000014	70006000000000000006	700114000000000000014	700141180000000000041.18
João Alves (overall)		16 July 2012	20 May 2012	700121000000000000021	700110000000000000010	70004000000000000004	70007000000000000007	700147620000000000047.62

External links

• Profile at Zerozero
• Stats at ForaDeJogo
• Coach stats at ForaDeJogo
• BDFutbol player profile
• BDFutbol coach profile
• João Alves at National-Football-Teams.com