Alex (footballer, born June 1982)

Alex Rodrigo Dias da Costa (born 17 June 1982), known as Alex, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back.

He was known for his physical strength and the power of his shot, which has gained him the nicknames of "The Tank" and Canhão da Vila ("Cannon of Vila Belmiro").

Alex began his career with Santos of Brazil, making his first team debut in 2002 before later becoming part of the club's central pillars.

Alex made his professional league debut in the 1–1 draw against Fluminense.

Less than a month after his debut, Alex scored his first goal for the club in a match against Vasco da Gama on 18 September 2002.

After multiple impressive performances, Alex secured his place in the team's regular starting lineup.

In his first season playing, in 2002, Santos won the Série A title, their first since 1968.

Alex earned 17 caps for Brazil between 2003 and 2008, winning the 2007 Copa América and finishing as runner-up at the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

In the 2003 season, Alex participated in 34 matches and, despite playing defense, managed to score nine goals.

Also in 2003, Alex helped Santos reach the final of the Copa Libertadores, where Santos lost 5–1 on aggregate against Argentine side Boca Juniors.

In the second leg of Copa Libertadores Finals, Alex scored the only goal for Santos in a 3–1 loss.

Having been bought by the Premier League club Chelsea in 2004, Alex was loaned to Dutch team PSV and he won 3 Eredivisie titles with them.

Alex was signed by English Premier League club Chelsea in 2004 on the recommendation of famed PSV and Chelsea scout Piet de Visser, but because of potential problems in attaining a work permit, he was loaned out to Dutch Eredivisie club PSV.

The joint contract of Chelsea and PSV loaned Alex To the latter, with Chelsea having a €1 million buy-out clause.

Alex eventually played three years at PSV, donning the number 4 jersey for the Eindhoven club.

While playing for PSV, he earned himself the nickname "The Tank" due to his cannonball-like free kicks and his strong physical stature.

He formally joined PSV in the 2004–05 season, helping the club win a domestic double of both the Eredivisie championship and Dutch Cup that year.

In the Champions League, Alex played a key role in the PSV team that was eliminated in the semi-finals against A.C. Milan on away goals (PSV won their home game 3–1 but had previously lost 0–2 at the San Siro).

The team eliminated AS Monaco and Olympique Lyonnais on their way to the semi-finals.

Alex won a second straight Dutch league championship in the 2005–06 season with PSV.

Chelsea did not recall Alex, even though Piet de Visser and Chelsea Head of Scouting Frank Arnesen recommended that Alex be brought over to solve the club's defensive problems.

Instead, Chelsea manager José Mourinho insisted on the signing of Khalid Boulahrouz in place of Alex.

Therefore, Alex stayed a third season at PSV on loan in 2006–07.

He won a third straight Eredivisie title with PSV, after a dramatic final-day finish to the season in which PSV sensationally trumped both AFC Ajax and AZ.

Alex scored in a UEFA Champions League first knockout round against Arsenal for both teams in the second half, turning in an own goal past his own goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, but compensating for it with a storming headed goal with eight minutes left to play to redeem himself and in the process ensure PSV a place in the quarter-finals.

He was later injured, however, and played no part in PSV's UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool, which PSV lost 4–0 on aggregate.

In an interview with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Alex confirmed that Chelsea were in the process of getting him a work permit and that the possibilities of him joining Chelsea next season were very high.

Alex later confirmed that Chelsea had almost completed the process of acquiring him a work permit and that he would start the season as a Chelsea player.

Alex finally joined the Chelsea squad in the summer of 2007 after three years in the Netherlands.

Alex was granted a work permit on 2 August 2007, and completed his transfer to Chelsea after agreeing to personal terms and passing a medical, where he then signed a three-year deal with the London club on 10 August.

On 14 August 2007, Alex was presented to the English media in a press conference with manager José Mourinho, where he was given shirt number 33.

Alex scored his first goal for Chelsea on 20 October 2007, a 30-yard free kick against Middlesbrough.

He scored from another free kick on 28 November in a Champions League game against Rosenborg BK.

He then scored in Chelsea's 4–4 draw with Aston Villa, scoring his first goal at Stamford Bridge from an Andriy Shevchenko pass, taking his tally for the season to three goals.

Alex enjoyed his longest spell in the first team during the 2008–09 season.

He was given his chance due to regular starter Ricardo Carvalho being injured for long periods of the campaign.

In his time at Chelsea, he won the FA Cup in 2009 and a league and FA Cup "double" in 2010, as well as reaching the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final.

He joined Paris Saint-Germain for £4.2 million in January 2012 and won Ligue 1 twice with the club, moving to A.C. Milan on the expiration of his contract in 2014 and retiring two years later.

He made his debut on 19 August when he came on as a substitute for Florent Malouda against Liverpool in the 85th minute, with the teams tied at 1–1.

He also played in the 0–2 defeat away at Aston Villa and the 4–0 victory over Hull City in the League Cup.