Clubs: EC Bahia, Sevilla FC, FC Barcelona

UEFA honours
UEFA Champions League: winner 2011
UEFA Cup: winner 2006, 2007
UEFA Super Cup: winner 2006, 2009
UEFA.com users' Team of the Year: 2007, 2009, 2011

• Born in eastern Brazil, he started his career with local club Bahia, where he interested scouts from Sevilla, who recruited him on loan in 2002 − made the move permanent after a series of impressive performances for the triumphant Brazil team at the 2003 FIFA U-20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

• Starred in Sevilla's successive UEFA Cup triumphs, in 2006 and 2007; was voted man of the match in his team's 2006 UEFA Super Cup defeat of Barcelona in Monaco (3-0), having received the UEFA Cup's Most Valuable Player award earlier that day.

• Received his first cap for Brazil in October 2006 and won the Copa América the following year, scoring the third goal in the final against Argentina (3-0); also triumphant with the Seleção at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, scoring the winner in a semi-final defeat of South Africa.

• Ended a six-year spell at Sevilla by joining Barcelona in July 2008 for an initial fee of €34m, and in doing so became the costliest defender of all time − won the Liga and Copa del Rey in his first campaign and while he missed the UEFA Champions League final against Manchester United FC in Rome because of suspension, he starred in the showpiece two years later against the same team at Wembley.

• Scored three times as Barcelona retained the Liga title in 2009/10; earned another winners' medal the following campaign, ending it two appearances shy of 100 in the league for the Azulgrana.