Clubs: EC Cruzeiro, PSV Eindhoven, Tottenham Hotspur FC

• Started out in his native Brazil with Cruzeiro, winning a trophy treble with the Belo Horizonte club in 2003, the same year in which he made his international debut for Brazil – at the CONCACAF Gold Cup against Mexico.

• Joined PSV in 2004 and helped the club to an Eredivisie/Dutch Cup double as well as the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League in his first season.

• Went on to claim Dutch championship medals in each of his four seasons at PSV – and earning himself the nickname of 'the Octopus' for his agility and spectacular saves.

• Left the Netherlands for England in summer 2008, joining Tottenham, but suffered a disappointing, error-strewn start with the Londoners.

• Eventually came good, producing several top-class performances – notably in a 2-1 home win against champions-elect Chelsea FC − to help the club finish fourth in the Premier League in 2009/10 and qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time.

• A member of Brazil's winning FIFA Confederations Cup squads in 2005 and 2009, he was also an unused squad player for the Seleção at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.