Barcelona hero Dani Alves appears to have found a new career after appearing as a preacher in a Spanish church. The former Brazil international was found guilty of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub in February 2024 and sentenced to four and a half years in prison. His conviction was overturned by an appeals court in March.
The Appellate Division of the High Court of Catalonia ruled unanimously that Alves’ conviction was unsafe, citing “a series of omissions, inaccuracies, inconsistencies and inconsistencies regarding the facts, the judicial assessment and its results.” Alves was released in March 2024 pending an appeal after posting bail of £854,000.
According to Goal, Alves recently addressed parishioners at Elim Girona church and spoke about faith and salvation.
Footage shared on social media showed the 42-year-old speaking into a microphone to a packed congregation.
He told his parishioners, “You have to take God seriously and have faith. I am proof of that. I have made a covenant with God.”
“In the midst of the chaos, in the midst of the storm, there is always a messenger of God who picked me up at the worst moment of my life and took me to church for the journey. And today I am on the journey because of them.”
Alves shared Christian Bible verses on her Instagram page, and also led prayers and sang hymns.
The 126-time international has reportedly been an active member of the church since his release, and has even brought his guitar to play during church services.
Alves joined Sevilla on loan from Brazilian club Esporte Clube Bahia in July 2002, securing a move to Europe. He made the move permanent in early 2003 and signed with Barcelona in 2008.
Alves won six La Liga titles during his time at Barcelona, as well as the Champions League and Club World Cup trophies three times. He left Camp Nou in 2016, signing for Juventus on a free transfer and joining Paris Saint-Germain a year later.
The former right-back won Ligue 1 twice with France and returned to his home country with Sao Paulo in 2019.
He had a second stint at Barcelona from November 2021 to July 2022, followed by a brief spell at UNAM Pumas in Mexico before retiring at the beginning of 2023.
