Bruno Alves

Bruno Alves

Personal information
Full name	Bruno Eduardo Regufe Alves
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Centre back
Team information
Current team	Porto
Number	2
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12:19, 14 September 2008 (UTC)

Bruno Eduardo Regufe Alves (born 27 November 1981 in Póvoa de Varzim) is a Portuguese footballer who currently plays for FC Porto as a central defender.

Alves is noted for his strength, aerial ability, and as the younger brother of another footballer, AEK Athens' defender Geraldo.

Football career

After three consecutive loans, two in Portugal and another in Greece with AEK Athens, Alves returned to FC Porto in 2005-06, extended his link until 2010, and battled for a first-team spot with Ricardo Costa and João Paulo. He played in seven league matches for the eventual champions.

The arrival of Jesualdo Ferreira at the helm of Porto would signal 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. 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, and while the likes of Ricardo Quaresma, Anderson, Lucho González, and Pepe picked up most of the plaudits, his key role in the success did not go unnoticed.

Luiz Felipe Scolari gave the defender his full Portugal debut in June 2007 against Kuwait. At UEFA Euro 2008, Alves played in the 0–2 group stage loss against Switzerland.

On 10 May 2009, Alves netted the game's only goal in a home win over CD Nacional, which ensured the Dragões and the player a fourth consecutive league accolade.

Honours

• Porto:
  • Portuguese League: 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09
  • Portuguese Cup: 2005–06, 2008-09

External links

• Stats and profile at Zerozero
• PortuGOAL profile