 Alves warming up withFlamengo in 2018 | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Diego Alves Carreira[1] | |||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1985-06-24)24 June 1985 (age 39) | |||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |||||||||||||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[2] | |||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | |||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||
| 2001–2003 | Botafogo-SP | |||||||||||||
| 2004 | Atlético Mineiro | |||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||
| 2004–2007 | Atlético Mineiro | 54 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2007–2011 | Almería | 123 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2011–2017 | Valencia | 146 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2017–2023 | Flamengo | 151 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2023 | Celta | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||
| Total | 474 | (0) | ||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Brazil U23 | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2011–2017 | Brazil | 10 | (0) | |||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:58, 8 February 2023 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13 June 2017 | ||||||||||||||
Diego Alves Carreira (born 24 June 1985), known asDiego Alves, is a Brazilian former professionalfootballer who played as agoalkeeper.
Having begun his career atAtlético Mineiro in Brazil, he spent most of it in Spain withAlmería andValencia, making 269La Liga appearances during the decade he played in Spain, during which time he stopped a record 23penalty kicks.[3] In 2017 he returned to Brazil, and won several honours withFlamengo, including theCopa Libertadores in2019.
Alves was part of theBrazilian squad which won a bronze medal at the2008 Olympics, and made hissenior international debut in 2011. He represented the latter at theCopa América Centenario.
Alves was born inRio de Janeiro. Having started professionally atClube Atlético Mineiro, he moved toUD Almería on 24 July 2007, as theAndalusians had justachieved a first ever promotion toLa Liga. Initially the backup to another newly signed,David Cobeño, he eventually became the undisputed starter, helping the cluboverachieve for a final eighth place in the league with notable performances against, among others,Real Madrid.[4]
After Cobeño left forRayo Vallecano in August 2008, Alves remained first-choice during2008–09, but suffered an injury in the final stretch of the season. Fully recovered for the start ofthe following campaign, he played in all the matches (safe for 30 minutes againstValencia CF, after he had beensent off, and the last round againstSevilla FC as Almería were already saved from relegation); in April 2010, his agent stated a move away from theEstadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos was being considered.[5][6]
On 20 November 2010, Alves was in goal as Almería lost 8–0 at home toFC Barcelona, a defeat which cost managerJuan Manuel Lillo his post.[7] In mid-May 2011, after his team'stop-flight relegation, Valencia chairman Manuel Llorente confirmed the signing of the player.[8]
Alves made his official debut for Valencia on 13 September 2011, in a 0–0 away draw againstK.R.C. Genk inthe group stage of theUEFA Champions League.[9] He backed-upVicente Guaita in the league, however, until Guaita picked up a serious hand injury.[10][11]
Alves also appeared in the second Champions League group stage match, at home toChelsea, where he had a series of superb saves, including a string of three in two minutes – two-point-blank againstRamires andFernando Torres, and a third when Valencia manVíctor Ruiz accidentally diverted the ensuing corner towards his own goal – in an eventual 1–1 draw.[12]
In July 2014, Alves signed a new five-year deal to run until 2019.[13] In the last game ofthe season, that also marked his 100th league appearance for the club, away against former side Almería, he tore hiscruciate ligament in the 72nd minute, later undergoing surgery and being sidelined until November.[14]
On 17 July 2017, ten years after leaving for Europe, Alves joinedClube de Regatas do Flamengo until 2020.[15][16] On 23 November 2017, in the first leg ofthe semi-finals of theCopa Sudamericana againstAtlético Junior at theMaracanã Stadium, he suffered a broken collar bone after being hit byYony González;[17] he underwent surgery two days later, being expected to return in two months.[18] With this injury Alves was an important absentee in the2017 Copa Sudamericana Finals.
Alves played 62 games forFlamengo in 2019,[19] as they won theCampeonato Carioca,Campeonato Brasileiro Série A and theCopa Libertadores.[20] Inthe national championship, he made theBola da Prata for the team of the tournament.[21]
In 2020, Alves played less than half the games. He was infected withCOVID-19 at the start of the year, and also suffered a 20-game shoulder injury againstSantos FC. The youngsterHugo Souza emerged in his absence.[19] Diego Alves situation got even worse whenFlamengo board decided to hire a new goalkeeper:Santos. Which was on theAthetico.[22]
On 8 February 2023, Alves returned to Spain when he joinedRC Celta de Vigo on a free transfer.[23] He terminated his contract on 15 April, after failing to play a single minute for the club.[24]
On 21 January 2025, Alves announced his retirement from professional football.[25][26]
Alves was chosen to representBrazil at the2008 Summer Olympics inBeijing, as backup toRenan. He did not receive any playing time during the competition, as the national team went on towin a bronze medal.
Alves made his debut forthe full side on 10 November 2011, in a 2–0friendly win withGabon.[27] He also played four days later, againstEgypt (same score).[28]
Alves was selected by coachDunga for the2015 Copa América in Chile, but withdrew due to a knee injury to be replaced byNeto.[29] On 5 May 2016, he was named to a 23-man squad for theCopa América Centenario.[30]
Alves made his 15th penalty save againstSevilla FC on 25 January 2015, which took his record to 42.85% of all attempts faced.[31] Widely regarded as a specialist in the matter, he once stated that a penalty is "a psychological battle between the goalkeeper and the taker".[32]
On 9 May 2015, after denying Real Madrid'sCristiano Ronaldo, Alves became the goalkeeper with the most penalty saves in the history of the Spanish top flight with 16 out of 37, equallingAndoni Zubizarreta who saved 16 from 102.[33] He surpassed the latter on 25 September 2016 during a 2–1 away win overCD Leganés,[34] following it up with two saves the next weekend – including a spectacular block from anAntoine Griezmann shot – albeit in a 0–2 home loss toAtlético Madrid;[35] upon his departure from Valencia in 2017, he had saved 23 spot kicks.[3]
| Club | Season | League | State League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Atlético Mineiro | 2005 | Série A | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2006 | Série B | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 0 | |||
| 2007 | Série A | 13 | 0 | 14[a] | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 0 | |||
| Total | 38 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | — | 61 | 0 | ||||
| Almería | 2007–08 | La Liga | 22 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 0 | |||
| 2008–09 | 31 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 0 | |||||
| 2009–10 | 37 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 0 | |||||
| 2010–11 | 33 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 123 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 123 | 0 | |||||
| Valencia | 2011–12 | La Liga | 12 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | 12[b] | 0 | — | 30 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | 24 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | — | 27 | 0 | ||||
| 2013–14 | 27 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 7[d] | 0 | — | 35 | 0 | ||||
| 2014–15 | 37 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 0 | |||||
| 2015–16 | 13 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | ||||
| 2016–17 | 33 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 146 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | 21 | 0 | — | 175 | 0 | ||||
| Flamengo | 2017 | Série A | 19 | 0 | — | — | 5[e] | 0 | — | 24 | 0 | |||
| 2018 | 23 | 0 | 7[f] | 0 | 6 | 0 | 8[g] | 0 | — | 44 | 0 | |||
| 2019 | 32 | 0 | 12[f] | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12[g] | 0 | 2[h] | 0 | 62 | 0 | ||
| 2020 | 10 | 0 | 10[f] | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4[g] | 0 | 3[i] | 0 | 29 | 0 | ||
| 2021 | 26 | 0 | 5[f] | 0 | 6 | 0 | 11[g] | 0 | 1[j] | 0 | 49 | 0 | ||
| 2022 | 5 | 0 | 2[f] | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Total | 115 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 216 | 0 | ||
| Career totals | 422 | 0 | 52 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 61 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 575 | 0 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 2011 | 2 | 0 |
| 2012 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | |
| Career total | 10 | 0 | |
Atlético Mineiro
Flamengo
Brazil
Individual
Brazil squads | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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