Marcus Alves
Marcus Alves is a freelance journalist based in Lisbon and has written for FourFourTwo since 2012. He can also be found at BBC Sport, the Telegraph, Kicker and Yahoo. A former ESPN reporter, he covered 12 games in 15 days during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but can barely remember any of them. He blames cachaça for that.
Latest articles by Marcus Alves
The big interview: Robinho – "I had a fight with Craig Bellamy once, but then who at City didn’t?!"
By Marcus Alves last updated
The Big Interview Was it tough being ‘the next Pele’? Why did his move to Chelsea fall through? And did he really get the bus around Manchester? Your questions answered in March 2017...
Meet Luan: The talented Brazilian with futsal feet who could rock up at Leicester
By Marcus Alves published
Talentspotter Marcus Alves explains why Gremio's exciting forward might be Brazil's next big thing, via a mooted move to the English champions
FourFourTwo's 100 Greatest Footballers EVER: No.11, Garrincha
By Marcus Alves last updated
FFT 100 Greatest Brazil’s two-time World Cup winner is remembered even more for his wonderful trickery than his many triumphs
FourFourTwo's 100 Greatest Footballers EVER: No.10, Ronaldo
By Marcus Alves last updated
FFT 100 Greatest O Fenomeno had every quality a striker could want. Only injuries and fitness could stop him
Neymar Jr on futsal, street football and tricks
By Marcus Alves last updated
Dribbling The Barcelona and Brazil forward talks about how small-sided games influenced his playing style
Filipe Luis: How to train for pre-season
By Marcus Alves last updated
Filipe Luis The Atletico Madrid defender tells you to put in the hard yards this summer or risk paying the price next season
FourFourTwo’s 50 Best Football Managers in the World 2017: No.18, Marcelo Gallardo
By Marcus Alves last updated
FFT 50 Managers It’s not been a smooth year for the man labelled the Guardiola of South America (quite apt, then), but Gallardo’s achievements still mark him out as special
Why Lucas Moura is hitting headlines in Brazil – for the wrong reasons
By Marcus Alves published
Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham’s in-form forward has enjoyed a fine start to the season in north London, but controversial opinions on social media have landed badly in his home nation, writes Marcus Alves
Bernard on Dinho, Big Phil, Japan and London
By Marcus Alves last updated
Bernard Shakhtar's 21-year-old mini-marvel talks to FourFourTwo about his past, present and future...
Everything you need to know about Chelsea new kid Nathan
By Marcus Alves last updated
Talentspotter A contract dispute means the ex-Atletico Paranaense man has hardly played, but the young Brazilian's early flashes have been promising, writes Marcus Alves...
Lucas Piazon: Talentspotter
By Marcus Alves last updated
Talentspotter "I would be a sea animal. Maybe a dolphin, always on the beach, not worrying about anything, enjoying the good life..."
Edu at Arsenal: why Brazil’s general manager arrives with baggage in north London
By Marcus Alves published
Arsenal The former midfielder has agreed to return to north London – but what can Gunners expect from their new (old) man?
Do footballers make good scouts?
By Marcus Alves last updated
Manchester City Do footballers make good scouts? FFT spoke to former Chelsea defender and West Ham scout Emerson Thome about the transition from playing to unearthing talent.
Willian: All I want is to forget about this season – but Jose's not the only one to blame
By Marcus Alves published
Willian Marcus Alves chats to the Blues' Brazilian to reflect on what has been a shocking campaign for his club, but an impressive one on a personal level…
The 10 best South American teenagers in Football Manager 2018
By Marcus Alves last updated
100 Best Teenagers Looking for some bright young things to lead your future in FM 2018? Marcus Alves runs down the finest U20 players from South America, all featured in our list of the 100 best teenagers in the world
How Brazil rediscovered their mojo, via Coutinho, Tite and some unlikely helpers
By Marcus Alves published
Brazil That 7-1 crushing by Germany is long gone: Brazil are the first team to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, and are No.1 in the FIFA rankings for the first time in seven years. Marcus Alves explains why they’re a side transformed
Meet the 9 most exciting Brazilian youngsters yet to join Europe's big guns
By Marcus Alves last updated
Brazil With talented defender Jemerson on the verge of swapping Atletico Mineiro for Monaco, Marcus Alves profiles the hottest prospects still plying their trade in Brazi...
What happened to Kerlon? The forgotten seal dribbler who entertained the world
By Marcus Alves last updated
Kerlon Moura Souza He began as an online sensation for his mid-match trickery, and won a high-profile move to Europe with Inter Milan. Then he disappeared. So where did the Brazilian trickster go?
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