Diego Alves - Former Footballer
Age: 40
Country: Brazil Occupations:
Former Footballer
Domains:
Football
Diego Alves (Diego Alves Carreira) is a retired Brazilian professional footballer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest penalty-saving specialists in the history of the sport.
Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1985, he spent the peak of his career as a goalkeeper in Spain's La Liga, primarily with Valencia CF and Almería. During his decade in Spain, he earned a legendary reputation for his reflexes and psychological edge during spot-kicks, eventually setting the record for the most penalty saves in La Liga history (stopping nearly half of the penalties he faced).
Key Career Highlights:
European Success: He made over 250 appearances in La Liga. At Valencia, he was a consistent starter and a fan favorite known for his shot-stopping ability.
Return to Brazil: In 2017, he moved to Flamengo, where he became a vital leader during one of the club's most successful eras. He won back-to-back Brazilian Série A titles (2019, 2020) and two Copa Libertadores trophies (2019, 2022).
International Duty: Alves represented the Brazilian national team, earning 10 senior caps and winning a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Retirement: After a brief stint with Celta Vigo, he officially retired from professional football in early 2025 at the age of 39.
He is remembered not just for his technical skill, but for his "iceman" persona when facing the world's best strikers from 12 yards out—famously saving penalties from icons like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.