Overlooked by his country for this summer's World Cup, the Chelsea man still has his homeland on his mind as he picks out two treasured memories, one of a game played in and another watched on TV 16 summers ago.
Favourite game played:
Before he arrived at Chelsea, where he has won two FA Cups and a Barclays Premier League title, Alex had regularly picked up silverware with PSV in Holland and prior to that, with Santos in Brazil where he began his career.
As the club that nurtured Pele, Santos has a fine reputation for developing talent, and also brought through household names Robinho and Elano at the same time Alex was coming through.
Back in 2002, our man was a raw 20-year-old central defender as his club reached the final of the Brazilian championship, despite finishing eighth in the regular league season. Progressing past Sao Paulo and Gremio, they would meet Corinthians in the final.
The first leg brought a 2-0 victory with goals courtesy of Alberto and Renato, before the second leg a week later, in which the future Manchester City pairing of Robinho with a penalty, and Elano netted important goals on the way to a 3-2 victory.
'It was a big final for Santos against Corinthians, the Sao Paulo rivals, and we won 3-2 and won the league championship,' he recalls.
'For me it was very, very good, my first big trophies as a professional and my friends Robinho and Elano both scored for us.'
Favourite game watched:
Most people who remember this 1994 World Cup Final will recount an uninspiring affair between Italy and Brazil, the sides that had produced such a thrilling spectacle in Mexico in 1970.
Although both sides had chances, the Brazilians for Bebeto and Romario, the Italians for Daniele Massaro and Roberto Baggio, it ended goalless and the World Cup was decided on penalties for the first time ever, in the midday heat of Los Angeles.
Franco Baresi, Italian captain, shot over before Gianluca Pagliuca saved from Marcio Santos to level matters. Claudio Taffarel then saved Massaro's shot and Dunga converted, meaning Baggio would need to score to give his side a chance.
The Divine Ponytail stepped up, and duly blasted his penalty over the bar, handing Brazil their first World Cup success in 24 years. For Alex, it was a major moment in his childhood, having just turned 12.
'The final of the World Cup in 1994, people say it was not exciting but it was very nervous and exciting for Brazilian people, it was a long time since we had won the trophy and it was the first time that I saw it happen,' says the defender.
'We played at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles last summer against Inter, where that final was, and it was a good experience.'
Favourite game played:
Before he arrived at Chelsea, where he has won two FA Cups and a Barclays Premier League title, Alex had regularly picked up silverware with PSV in Holland and prior to that, with Santos in Brazil where he began his career.
As the club that nurtured Pele, Santos has a fine reputation for developing talent, and also brought through household names Robinho and Elano at the same time Alex was coming through.
Back in 2002, our man was a raw 20-year-old central defender as his club reached the final of the Brazilian championship, despite finishing eighth in the regular league season. Progressing past Sao Paulo and Gremio, they would meet Corinthians in the final.
The first leg brought a 2-0 victory with goals courtesy of Alberto and Renato, before the second leg a week later, in which the future Manchester City pairing of Robinho with a penalty, and Elano netted important goals on the way to a 3-2 victory.
'It was a big final for Santos against Corinthians, the Sao Paulo rivals, and we won 3-2 and won the league championship,' he recalls.
'For me it was very, very good, my first big trophies as a professional and my friends Robinho and Elano both scored for us.'
Favourite game watched:
Most people who remember this 1994 World Cup Final will recount an uninspiring affair between Italy and Brazil, the sides that had produced such a thrilling spectacle in Mexico in 1970.
Although both sides had chances, the Brazilians for Bebeto and Romario, the Italians for Daniele Massaro and Roberto Baggio, it ended goalless and the World Cup was decided on penalties for the first time ever, in the midday heat of Los Angeles.
Franco Baresi, Italian captain, shot over before Gianluca Pagliuca saved from Marcio Santos to level matters. Claudio Taffarel then saved Massaro's shot and Dunga converted, meaning Baggio would need to score to give his side a chance.
The Divine Ponytail stepped up, and duly blasted his penalty over the bar, handing Brazil their first World Cup success in 24 years. For Alex, it was a major moment in his childhood, having just turned 12.
'The final of the World Cup in 1994, people say it was not exciting but it was very nervous and exciting for Brazilian people, it was a long time since we had won the trophy and it was the first time that I saw it happen,' says the defender.
'We played at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles last summer against Inter, where that final was, and it was a good experience.'
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