Dani Alves has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison by a Spanish court after being found guilty of sexual assault.
The former Brazilian right-back faced allegations of ‘sexual assault by penetration’ at a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022. Prosecutors had sought a nine-year prison term along with ten years of probation and €150,000 in compensation.
In January 2023, Alves was incarcerated in a Barcelona prison without bail. During the course of the trial, his testimony changed multiple times, initially denying knowledge of the victim and later asserting consensual relations while admitting concern about the impact on his marriage.
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Despite these shifts in Alves’ statements, the victim’s account remained consistent, leading Spanish authorities to declare Alves guilty on Thursday.
With 126 appearances, Alves ranks as Brazil’s third-most capped player in history, surpassed only by Neymar (128) and Cafu (142) for the Selecao. The 40-year-old, last associated with Mexican side UNAM, had his contract terminated after his initial arrest in January 2023, marking the end of his professional career.
Across spells with Bahia, Sevilla, Barcelona, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, and UNAM, Alves amassed 910 senior club appearances, scoring 67 goals.