By Desmond Nleya
Barcelona legend Dani Alves has traded his football boots for the pulpit, officially becoming a pastor.
The Brazilian right-back, once celebrated for his dazzling runs down the Camp Nou flank, had faced a major setback last year when he received a four-and-a-half-year jail term in February 2024 for alleged rape. However, in a dramatic turn of events, Catalonia’s High Court overturned the conviction in March 2025, acquitting Alves of any wrongdoing.
Now 42, Alves and his wife, model Joana Sanz, recently welcomed their first child earlier this month.
The former footballer has since surprised fans and media in Spain after delivering an emotional sermon at a church in Girona.
Footage shared online shows a bearded Alves holding a microphone and receiving warm applause from the Elim Church congregation.
In his sermon, Alves declared:
“You must take God seriously and have faith. I am living proof. What God promises, He delivers. I have agreed a pact with God.
In the midst of turbulence and storms, there is always a messenger from God. This messenger gathered me up and brought me to the church. And now I am on the right path, thanks to Him.”
Alves enjoyed a glittering football career, winning 23 trophies with Barcelona, including three UEFA Champions League titles and six LaLiga crowns. He also lifted major honours with Sevilla, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain, before hanging up his boots in Mexico two years ago.
