The decision of Dani Alves to reject Manchester City has apparently caused great consternation at the Etihad Stadium, but Pep Guardiola s team should have known better than to try and interfere with the love affair between Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil s best.
Fernando, Fernandinho and particularly Gabriel Jesus have earned plenty of affection in sky blue of late, but that s nothing compared to PSG s Joga Bonito credentials.
Approaching the twilight of his career at 34 but having impressed greatly at Juventus last season, Alves is just the latest in a long line of Selecao talents to grace Parc des Princes.
Indeed, the ex-Barcelona wing-back told a news conference at his presentation that it was fellow Camp Nou alumnus Maxwell who encouraged him to try his late-career luck in the French capital.
Here, we samba our way through a selection of PSG s boys from Brazil.
LEONARDO
After spells at Flamengo, Sao Paulo, Valencia and Kashima Antlers, Leonardo flourished during a single campaign at PSG in 1996-97, later returning as director of football following the takeover by Qatar Investment Authority in 2011 to kick-start the club s recent domestic hegemony.
— Leonardo (@leo_de_araujo)
RAI
A team-mate of Leonardo s at Sao Paulo and with Brazil, Rai enjoyed a glittering five-year spell at PSG from 1993 to 1998, winning the UEFA Cup Winners Cup, Ligue 1, Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue. He is the Brazilian with the most PSG appearances, 215 in all competitions.
4 avril
Le coup de boule de en finale de la face aux !
— PSG Officiel (@PSG_inside)
RONALDINHO
Ronaldinho is chiefly remembered for his career-best form at Barcelona from 2003 to 2008, but it was a two-year stint at PSG from 2001, encompassing Brazil s success at the 2002 World Cup, that provided him with a springboard to global stardom.
Joyeux anniversaire à Ronaldinho qui fête ses 37 ans !
matches
— PSG Officiel (@PSG_inside)
THIAGO SILVA
Lured from AC Milan at great expense in 2012, and followed soon after by the capture of Zlatan Ibrahimovic from the same source, centre-back Thiago Silva has since proven to be a major foundation of PSG s pre-eminence in Ligue 1, which was only interrupted by Monaco against the odds last term.
