Last week, former Barcelona star was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for raping a woman in a nightclub in Spain. Dani Alves was also ordered to pay £128,000 in compensation to the victim and cover legal expenses. However, the 40-year-old defender’s lawyer stated they would appeal the verdict.
The serious criminal behavior has shattered Dani Alves’ image in the eyes of Brazilians. A statue of Alves in the suburbs of Juazeiro in Bahia has been repeatedly vandalized as locals express anger towards the convicted rapist. The statue, depicting Dani Alves running with a football, is now defaced with a black rubbish bag over its head and wrapped in duct tape. Local authorities are considering removing the Alves statue to prevent further vandalism.
Alves is considered the most successful athlete from the state of Bahia in Northeast Brazil. The former Barca defender has won a total of 43 titles, with the majority coming from his 8-year tenure at the Spanish club.
After winning 6 La Liga titles and 3 Champions League trophies with Barca, a statue of the player was unveiled in 2020 in the suburbs of Juazeiro. The sculpture, created by sculptor Leo Santana, was intended to honor Bahia’s distinguished son.
Alves has represented the Brazil national team 126 times, winning 2 Copa America titles and a gold medal at the 2020 Olympics. Once hailed as a hero of Brazil, Alves’ image has now been severely tarnished.
A Bahia resident called for the removal of the Alves statue on social media: “It’s time to remove the Alves statue in the suburbs of Juazeiro, it’s truly shameful. We cannot honor a convicted rapist.”