AFONSO ALVES (BRAZIL/SC HEERENVEEN) 2008
IFFHS AWARDS – THE WORLD’S BEST TOP DIVISION GOAL SCORER 2008 : AFONSO ALVES (BRAZIL/SC HEERENVEEN)
PRESENTATION
Born on 30 January 1981 in Belo Horizonte, Afonso Alves Martins Junior played as striker in 8 different clubs and 6 countries during his career from 2001 to 2013.
He signed his first professionnal contract with Atlético Mineiro (2001/02), scoring 4 goals in 6 matches. His striker qualities brought him to join Sweden and Örgryte in 2002. In one season, he scored there 28 goals in 39 matches ans was quickly recruted by the Swedish Champion Malmö FF in 2004. He played there two seasons, scoring 29 goals in 55 matches. He won the Allsvenskan Championship 2004 and received an offer from Netherlands. He signed then in 2006 in Heerenveen for two seasons. He became the EreDivisie Top Goal Scorer 2006/07, the Dutch Footballer of the Year 2007 and won the greatest World Award THE WORLD’S BEST TOP DIVISION GOAL SCORER 2008 by IFFHS, scoring 37 goals in 38 matches in the Ere Divisie in Netherlands.
Alves went to England and Middlesborough in 2008, he played there 47 games and scored 13 goals in total.
It was his best period between 2006 and 2008, so he was capped 8 times for the Brazilian National team in 2007, scoring one single goal during ths spell and winning the Copa America 2007 !
In 2009, he went to Qatar. Alves played for Al Sadd (3 goals in 15 matches) before being loaned to Al-Ravyyan. He won there the Emir of Qatar Cup 2010 and the Qatar Crown Prince Cup 2012, becoming the AFC Cup Top Goal Scorer 2010. He scored there in 3 seasons 43 goals in 49 matches ! Alves concluded his career in Al Gharafa (2012/13) . He scored during his career 169 goals in 273 matches, really a Top Goal Scorer.