Alves shooting to the top
Wednesday 9 May 2007
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Afonso Alves's goals have ensured Heerenveen a return to Europe next season (©Getty Images)
Five hat-tricks, 34 goals in 31 league games, and a price tag said to be fast approaching €20m. The numbers speak for themselves for Afonso Alves, SC Heerenveen's brilliant Brazilian whose scoring form could yet earn his side a shot at the UEFA Champions League.
Golden Shoe
Since returning from injury on 10 March, Alves has claimed 12 goals in seven matches, recording trebles against NAC Breda and Willem II before hitting four in the 5-1 rout of Feyenoord on the Eredivisie's final day. That win earned fifth-placed Heerenveen a spot in the Dutch play-offs for a UEFA Champions League third qualifying round berth and, with Alves in this mood, you would not bet against Gertjan Verbeek's team winning it. Alves's strike rate surpasses that of any forward in a major European league and he tops the ESM Golden Shoe standings. Heerenveen clearly chose well when selecting a replacement for the AFC Ajax-bound Klaas Jan Huntelaar last summer.
Huntelaar replacement
A powerful, pacy forward with a fearsome right foot, the 26-year-old Alves is all about goals. He may appear invisible for long stretches, but he is often the man who makes the difference. "Huntelaar made the team play better, whereas Alves can decide a match with an individual action," Verbeek said. "He has phenomenal qualities. The way he scores from free-kicks is not something you see every day." Alves arrived at Heerenveen on a five-year contract following a productive stay in Sweden with Örgryte IS and then Malmö FF. Heerenveen might not be a major name on the European scene, yet it seems the relative calm of northern Netherlands suits strikers well. Ruud van Nistelrooy, Marcus Allbäck and Huntelaar all wore their blue-and-white stripes. "I don't know what the club's secret is, but Heerenveen certainly have good scouts capable of finding players who can score a lot of goals," Alves told uefa.com.
Headline-maker
Having settled quickly he is making headlines in the same manner as two of his compatriots, though neither Romário nor Ronaldo were this prolific. Ronaldo managed 30 goals in 33 games for PSV in 1994/95, while Romário's high point was 25 in 25 in 1990/91. The fact Alves never netted more than 14 in his five campaigns in Sweden makes his return this season all the more astonishing. "I have never scored so many goals before. I didn't really have any problems adjusting to Dutch football. Here at Heerenveen I have learned about co-operating with the other players and team spirit, which has certainly made me a better player."
Ambitions
Now Alves has his sights on Europe. He registered three in the UEFA Cup this term and his Eredivisie haul has guaranteed Heerenveen a return to that competition at least. Alves, a former Clube Atlético Mineiro trainee back in his homeland, is aiming higher: "Our goal is to reach the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round." Should he achieve that then a place in the Brazil national side could follow. "That certainly is a dream of mine but I can only keep on giving my best for Heerenveen and show my qualities that way." Starting in the play-offs against Ajax on Wednesday. With a natural finisher like Alves, Heerenveen can look ahead to the season's conclusion with confidence although what happens next remains uncertain. "We'll see" was Verbeek's response to speculation as to whether Alves will stay with the club beyond June. Whatever happens, one thing is certain. As his coach put it following the Brazilian's four-timer against Feyenoord: "His price has gone up again."
This is an abridged version of an article that appears in this week's edition of the uefa.com Magazine. To read the feature in full, click here.
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