Dani Alves opens the door to an epic return from retirement with the Brazilian icon reportedly mulling over a dramatic comeback.
At 42 years old, the former Barcelona icon has been out of the professional game since early 2023, his career overshadowed by legal troubles that saw him spend over a year in custody before being acquitted last March.
Now free and financially secure, whispers from Portugal suggest he’s contemplating a stunning return to competitive action, drawn by an unexpected new venture in his life.
The twist comes with São João de Ver, a gritty Liga 3 side sitting ninth in Série A and battling to secure their league status in the upcoming maintenance phase, as reported by AblotaPT.
Dani Alves has just been unveiled as co-owner of the club’s SAD, and sources close to the team confirm he’s seriously weighing a playing comeback there—potentially lacing up for matches in Portugal’s third tier.
While his registration isn’t finalized, it’s very much on the table, promising to inject superstar glamour into a relegation scrap.
Alves’ last competitive outing was a brief spell with Mexico’s Pumas in January 2023.
What followed was a high-profile arrest in Spain over sexual assault allegations; detained for 14 months in pre-trial custody, he posted €1 million bail for conditional release in March 2024.
The Catalan Justice Tribunal cleared him last March, citing insufficient evidence, allowing him to rebuild away from the spotlight.
His influence at São João de Ver is already evident—he’s linked to the January 16 sacking of coach João Nívea.
The team wraps up its first Liga 3 phase this Sunday at home against Paredes, with updates on Alves’ potential return expected soon after.
For a modest club facing survival mode, fielding Dani Alves can spark a fairy-tale surge, reigniting debates on whether age trumps experience at the elite margins.
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