• AC Milan's most prominent defender as the Rossoneri finished a close second to unbeaten Juventus in the 2011/12 Serie A title race, he also helped his club reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

• Became the costliest player ever signed by a French club when he joined Paris Saint-Germain FC in July for €42 million – less than a fortnight after agreeing a new deal with Milan; scored on his PSG debut in a 4-1 home win against FC Dynamo Kyiv in the UEFA Champions League.

• Established himself as a central figure in Brazil's plans for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, scoring his first international goal in a May friendly against the United States and earning a silver medal at the London Olympics.