Johannesburg - Relegated to the substitutes' bench in the Confederations Cup since Brazil's debut game against Egypt, right- back Daniel Alves had his "revenge" by scoring the crucial goal over South Africa that put Brazil through to the tournament's final. For the Barcelona defender, Thursday's goal in the 87th minute - which he scored just four minutes after coming onto the pitch in a position where he does not usually play - showed yet again something that Alves has believed since he left his home at age 15 to seek a career in football.
"I am predestined," he stressed.
"For those of us who are used to playing it is difficult to stay on the bench. But this is the Brazilian national team, all the best are here. All of us who are here want to contribute, to help and to make the most of our chances," he said after a game that he settled with a perfect free kick.
"I knew that that was the ball that was to settle the match. That is why I tried to focus to the full, and the ball went for the goal. It was a special moment," he recalled.
This was Dani Alves' first goal in the Confederations Cup, and only his second with Brazil's yellow shirt, which he first wore in late October 2006, in a friendly game against Ecuador.
From then on, Alves, 26, has had a constant presence in coach Carlos Dunga's squad. In 2007, he took part in the Brazilian side that won the Copa America in Venezuela and scored one of the team's goals in the 3-0 thrashing of Argentina in the final.
Born on May 23, 1983 in the town of Juazeiro, in the north-eastern Brazilian state of Bahia, Dani Alves spent his childhood dividing time between football with the local team and work in the fields to help his father.
At 15 he left home to try his luck in state capital Salvador, where he joined the youth scheme of the team Esporte Clube Bahia. He made his professional debut there in the 2001-2002 season. In 2003 he was part of the Under-20 Brazilian national team that won the World Cup in Qatar, and he was voted the best right-back in the tournament.
That performance caught the eye of the Sevilla leadership, who signed him on loan for six months. After a start that Alves himself describes as "complicated," the defender managed to find his best form with the help of coach Joaquin Caparros, and Sevilla signed him definitively.
The Brazilian then became one of the key figures of the Andalusian club, and by 2008 - when he joined Barcelona - he had helped Sevilla win two editions of the UEFA Cup one European Supercup, one King's Cup and one Spanish Supercup.
Happy to have gone from substitute to hero with Brazil in less than five minutes, Dani Alves vows to keep fighting for a place in the starting line-up, even if he has to play as a left-back.
"I am here to help with whatever's needed. I have already played in other positions. What I want to do is be in the national team."
The only thing that upsets Alves right now is that he misses his family: his wife Dinorah and his children Vitoria and Daniel Junior - whose name he has tattoed on his chest, as was apparent when he celebrated his Confederations Cup goal.
"I hope to be reunited with my family again soon so I can celebrate the title with them," he said.
