Dani Alves plans a comeback: taking over a third division team in Portugal!

Dani Alves plans a comeback: taking over a third division team in Portugal!

Dani Alves, once considered one of the most influential players in FC Barcelona history, is planning his comeback to football. According to laola1.at, Alves, who is already 42 years old, will apparently take over third division club SC São João de Ver in Portugal. This would be a significant step for the former right-back, who is seeking a return to professional play following his legal difficulties in recent years.

Alves, who last played for Pumas UNAM on January 8, 2023, not only plans to take over the club, but also wants to be on the pitch himself for half a season. This return after an absence of over three years could mark a new, exciting phase in his career. In recent years, Alves has been in custody on a rape allegation and was later acquitted due to lack of evidence.

Legal challenges and new beginnings

In December 2022, Alves was charged with sexual violence in Barcelona. He spent 14 months in custody before being released on bail in March 2024 and acquitted by an appeal court a year later. His legal problems put a significant strain on his career. He was sentenced to four and a half years in prison in February 2024 after being accused of sexual assault in a controversial trial. However, this conviction was overturned in April-May 2025 as the court found “gaps and inconsistencies” in the evidence, giving Alves the opportunity to start a new chapter in his life, as worldsoccertalk.com reported.

After resolving his legal troubles, Alves decided to become an evangelical preacher at Elim Church in Girona, Spain. Now that he has the opportunity to continue his football career again, he sees his takeover of SC São João de Ver as an ideal opportunity to combine his passion for sport with entrepreneurial ambitions.

The future of SC São João de Ver

SC São João de Ver has a long history but a poor track record. In the last 96 years, the club has only won three titles, the last in 2019. Alves obviously plans to increase the club's competitiveness and help it achieve new successes. He could experience a similar fate to other former stars who have taken over their own football teams in recent years. Prominent names such as David Beckham, Gerard Piqué and Zlatan Ibrahimović have taken this step.

Although Alves will face new challenges, it remains to be seen whether he can achieve long-term success with São João de Ver. The team could benefit greatly from his experience and network in international football.

Litigation and complications

In the legal disputes that Alves had with his former club Pumas UNAM, the CAS ruled that the termination of his contract after his arrest was justified. Pumas thus received compensation, while Alves was ordered to pay a higher sum than previously set, as reported by goal.com. This underlines the complexity of his return to football, which is marked by the shadows of his past legal problems.