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Pumas sign Dani Alves

The Brazil and Barcelona legend will join Pumas as he hopes to make the 2022 Brazilian World Cup squad.

FBL-JPN-BRA Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images

Pumas made the biggest signing in Liga MX in years when they acquired Brazilian Dani Alves. Alves is a historic player with Brazil and Barcelona and is sometimes named as the player with most triumphs, with his numerous titles in clubs as well as Brazil. It has been a saga all summer as rumors were strong that he was going to arrive in Liga MX, although there were also rumors of him going to Seattle Sounders as he hoped to get into competition for a spot on the 2022 World Cup roster. The signing will be the biggest one since the arrival of Brazilian great Ronaldinho Gaucho to Queretaro in 2014.

Daniel Alves is one of the most important players in recent football. The Brazilian came through Bahia before departing to Sevilla, where he would start a great European career. With Sevilla he would twice win the UEFA Cup and a Copa del Rey before moving to Barcelona. In Barcelona he was part of a historic era, one of the best in modern football. He would win every possible trophy with 6 La Liga Titles, 4 Copa del Reys and 3 UEFA Champions League. After a great spell there, he would move to Juventus and win a Serie A title before going to Paris St Germain, where he would win 2 more League titles. Alves returned to Brazil to play in Sao Paulo but some troubles with management forced him to return to Barcelona before now making the move to Mexico.

Dani Alves comes to Mexico as he tries to get in rhythm to get a call up to Brazil’s World Cup squad. Alves first made his mark with Brazil in the 2003 U20 World Cup in which Brazil won the title and he got the Bronze ball. Alves would make his debut with the Senior team in 2006 and a year later he would be part of the 2007 Copa America team that won the title. Alves would score the final goal in their 3-0 win over Argentina in the final. Alves would be part of the 2010 and 2014 World Cup teams but would miss out on the 2018 World Cup because of injury. Still, Alves came back to win the 2019 Copa America. With Brazil, he also won the 2009 and 2013 Confederations Cups. Finally, Alves was one of the three senior players to play in the 2020 Olympic games where Brazil would win their 2nd consecutive (also their 2nd all time) Olympic Gold Medal after defeating Spain in the final. Still Alves knows that the 2022 World Cup would be his final and thus the move to Mexico is to be in rhythm. Because of this, the signing also took some time as he asked Brazil’s National team coach, Tite, for permission to go to Mexico as a place that would get him a call up. The fact that Brazil’s winning Olympic coach, Andre Jardine is coaching Atletico San Luis, might also be a big boost. The fact is that the green light was given and now Alves is set to make history for Liga MX and Pumas hopes that they do the same with a team that has moved to be a top contender after their brilliant summer signings.